Miso Chickpeas with Garlicky Greens — a plant-based Other recipe by BOSH!
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Miso Chickpeas with Garlicky Greens

This one has become a proper weeknight obsession for us. Miso and chickpeas sounds simple, but the combination is genuinely next level. Deep, savoury, umami-packed chickpeas sit on top of glossy, garlicky greens that have just enough bite to them. It's comfort food but make it interesting. We keep coming back to it because it feels like a proper dinner without taking all night, and honestly it's the kind of thing you'll be thinking about at lunch the next day.

Cook: 30 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Small dish for dissolving miso paste
  • Frying pan

Ingredients

  • 2 shallots
  • 1 tbsp plant-based butter
  • 1 x 700g jar of chickpeas
  • 1 tbsp white miso
  • ½ lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • handful of cavolo nero
  • ½ lemon
  • flaky sea salt
  • chilli oil
  • toasted sourdough

Method

1

For the miso chickpeas

  • Peel and roughly chop the shallots
  • Set a frying pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Once melted, add the shallots and gently saute for 2 minutes. Add the chickpeas, their liquid (if using jarred chickpeas) and a big splash of water to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring
  • If you use chickpeas from a tin, drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to the pan with extra liquid, and simmer for at least 15 minutes, so that they soften all the way through
  • In a small dish, stir 2 tbsp water through the miso paste and allow it to dissolve in the heat of the pan
  • Whilst the beans are cooking, sauté the greens
2

For the garlicky greens

  • Peel and finely chop or crush the garlic
  • Tear the cavolo nero leaves from the stems
  • Heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the garlic and gently cook for 1 minute until golden, taking care not to burn it. Toss the cavolo nero into the garlicky oil and allow to wilt. Squeeze of the juice from ½  a lemon and season with salt
3

Finish and serve

  • Squeeze the juice from ½ lemon over the chickpeas. Taste and season to perfection
  • Top the chickpeas with the garlicky greens and a big drizzle of chilli oil
  • Serve straight from the pan with toasted sourdough for dipping

Tips & Variations

  • Use jarred chickpeas if you can: The liquid in jarred chickpeas is thicker and more flavourful than tinned, so if you spot them in the supermarket, grab them. It makes a real difference to the sauce.
  • Don't rush the shallots: Give them a proper couple of minutes to soften before adding anything else. That gentle sweetness at the base is what balances the saltiness of the miso.
  • Greens are flexible: We love cavolo nero here, but whatever leafy greens you've got lurking in the fridge will work. Spinach, kale, even shredded spring greens; just adjust the cooking time so they're wilted but still have a bit of colour.

Why This Works

The trick is using the chickpea liquid alongside the miso. It creates this gorgeous, slightly glossy sauce that coats everything beautifully. The miso does all the heavy lifting on flavour, so you don't need to mess around with loads of spices or complicated steps. Get the greens properly garlicky in the pan, and you've got a dish that tastes like you've been cooking for hours.