This is one of my favorite dinners. It’s made in one pan with very little prep. Then it goes in the oven just until heated through. All in under 30 minutes. And the combination of kielbasa and chickpeas is so hearty and delicious.
Years ago, my Baba gave me a cookbook for healthy cooking, Reader’s Digest Great Recipes for Good Health. I had mentioned that I was trying to cook more healthily and she thought it was a good fit. She was always giving me things like that.
In the book there was a recipe for a casserole made of chickpeas and Polish sausage. I made the recipe from that book a couple of times and loved it. The chickpeas really take on the smoky flavor of the sausage, and the onions and peppers in there add so much flavor too. It became a staple recipe that I could make in my sleep.
I’ve changed the recipe a bit over the years, mostly making it less healthy (lol!). The original recipe called for 2 ounces of diced kielbasa and I use 12 ounces. My recipe serves 4 people and theirs serves 2 so it’s not really that big of a difference: 1 ounce more per person. To make it healthier though, I usually use an uncured turkey kielbasa. But you can use whichever type or brand that you like the taste of, totally.
As I said, some of the amounts have changed but the general idea of the recipe has stayed the same. Here’s what you do:
Making Chickpea and Kielbasa Dinner
Into a 13×9 baking pan you put drained canned chickpeas, some diced up kielbasa and drained canned diced tomatoes. Then add chopped onion, bell pepper and some seasonings. The original recipe called for oregano and fennel seed. I use cumin and black pepper. Both are really good combinations and worth trying.
Cover the pan (use the pan’s own cover if it has its own, like this, or you can use a shallow casserole dish with cover, like this, or use foil).
Then you bake it just until it’s heated through, about 25 minutes. Because all of the ingredients are fully cooked when you start, you just need everything to warm up. Hint: I’ve even done this one in the microwave! It’s not as good but works in a pinch.
I hope you love it as much as I do!
Christine :-)
More One-Pan Dinners
Looking for more one pan dinners that are perfect for the back to school season? Here are three of my favorites:
Chicken with Tomatoes and Basil
One-Pan Mexican Skillet Dinner
PrintOne-Pan Chickpea and Kielbasa Dinner
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
DESCRIPTION
This is one of my favorite dinners. It’s made in one pan with very little prep. Then it goes in the oven just until heated through. All in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 (15 oz.) cans low-sodium chickpeas, drained
- 1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 12 oz. kielbasa, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 red bell, chopped
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or chives (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- In a 9×13″ baking dish combine chickpeas, tomatoes, kielbasa, onion, bell pepper, black pepper, and cumin.
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid or with foil and bake until heated through, 25 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro or chives (if using) before serving.
Notes
Inspired by “Polish Sausage and Chick Pea Casserole” from Reader’s Digest Great Recipes for Good Health, page 244.
This post originally appeared in February 2011 and was revised and republished in August 2017.