A quick and easy vegetarian tray bake that’s hearty, wholesome, and bursting with bold Mediterranean flavor!
If you enjoyed my Greek Giant bean casserole, Gigantes Plaki, you’ll love my delicious and easy chickpea tray bake. Chickpeas, mushrooms, bell peppers, and a rich tomato sauce come together in one dish, and it’s finished with creamy feta and fresh parsley. It’s perfect as a main course or a vibrant side!
As this tray bakes, the sauce will thicken, the veggies will caramelize, and the feta will create the most delicious pockets of soft brininess. You probably always have these ingredients on hand, and it takes just a tiny bit of effort to put them all together. It’s easy to customize with different veggies and keeps fresh in the fridge for days. So, make a double or triple batch!
Why is this bake so good?
Roasted, caramelized
Meaty mushrooms
Sweet, spicy, rich
Robust tomato sauce
Juicy bell peppers
Hearty chickpeas
Warm creamy feta
What do I need to make this bake?
Onion -finely chopped so they get nice and sweet and golden for lots of sweet oniony flavor.
Garlic cloves -grated or minced to almost melt into the onions and flavor every bite of your bake.
Mushrooms -I clean them with a wet towel, remove the stems, and thinly slice them so they aren’t outshining the chickpeas.
Bell peppers -use whatever color you love and dice them so they’re not too chunky, but not as small as the chickpeas.
Can crushed tomatoes -or you could use a tomato sauce with a bit of seasoning in it.
Sugar -this is optional, but I always add a pinch when I use canned tomatoes to balance the acidity. You won’t need it if you used tomato sauce instead.
Salt & black pepper -the duo that seasons every ingredient and brings it all together.
Dried oregano -adds the earthy, slightly sweet herbiness to the sauce.
Crushed red pepper flakes -add as much or as little as your family prefers.
Olive oil -I like using a delicious, robust oil to add to the flavor of my bake, but you can use your favorite olive oil for sautéing.
Can chickpeas -drained and rinsed to
Feta cheese chunk -crumbled from a block. If you’ve been following me for even a short time, you know my favorite is sheep’s milk feta. I find it at Costco, but I know they have it at Trader Joe’s and good cheese sections at the grocery stores.
Fresh parsley -finely chopped to use as the garnish, sprinkling over the whole dish or each individual plate.
What can I add for more Greek flavor?
Leave the veggies I used out, or just add more. This bake is easily customizable. Eggplant, spinach, and zucchini would be great additions. Add sliced olives or sundried tomatoes before baking for even more Mediterranean flair.
How do I make tomato sauce?
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 8 minutes, until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar (if using), salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
How do I assemble a chickpea bake?
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large baking dish, add the chickpeas and sliced mushrooms. Pour the tomato sauce on top. Add the diced bell peppers and any other veggies, and gently toss everything to coat evenly.
How long do I bake it?
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring once halfway through to ensure even roasting.
When do I add the feta?
Remove from the oven, sprinkle crumbled feta over the top, and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is soft and slightly golden.
How do I serve chickpea tray bake?
Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve warm as a main course with crusty bread or as a flavorful side dish to chicken or fish. It’s also good over rice or couscous with a fresh green salad for a complete vegetarian meal.
What’s the best way to store and reheat this bake?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warm.
Can I make it vegan?
Omit the feta cheese or use a plant-based feta alternative.
Is this meal prep friendly?
You can prep the sauce and veggies ahead of time. Assemble and bake when ready to serve.
Do you have more easy chickpea recipes?
Revithada: Baked Chickpea Stew
30-Minute Mediterranean Chickpea Stew
Revithosoupa: Greek Chickpea Soup
Revithokeftedes: Greek-Style Chickpea Patties
One Pan Roasted Chicken with Chickpeas: Greek Revithada me Kotopoulo sto Fourno
30 Minute Meal: Mediterranean Fish & Chickpea Skillet
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Chickpea Tray Bake
A quick and easy vegetarian tray bake that's hearty, wholesome, and bursting with bold Mediterranean flavor. Chickpeas, mushrooms, bell peppers, and a rich tomato sauce come together in one dish, finished with creamy feta and fresh parsley. Perfect as a main course or a vibrant side!
Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 8–10 mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1–2 teaspoons sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
- 1½ teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Feta cheese chunk, crumbled (to taste)
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
Optional Add-ins:
- Sliced olives
- Sundried tomatoes
Instructions
1.Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Prepare the Tomato Sauce
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook for 8 minutes, until soft and golden.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar (if using), salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Reduce heat and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
3. Assemble the Tray Bake
- In a large baking dish, add the chickpeas and sliced mushrooms.
- Pour the tomato sauce on top.
- Add the diced bell peppers and gently toss everything to coat evenly.
4. Bake
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring once halfway through to ensure even roasting.
5. Add Feta and Finish Baking
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle crumbled feta over the top, and return to the oven.
- Bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is soft and slightly golden.
6. Garnish and Serve
- Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
- Serve warm as a main course with crusty bread or as a flavorful side dish.
Notes
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I thought this recipe sounded absolutely delicious – and it most certainly was! It was easy to make and turned out exactly as it should have. I was worried it might dry out in the oven uncovered, but it was perfect. I did add the optional ingredients of sundried tomatoes and olives, which I think added to the wonderful flavour. It looked really nice with the different colours and I will definitely be making this recipe again and again.
Hallo Dimitra
I LOVE your blog!
Last night I made the Chickpea Tray Bske.
It was simply exquisite! Added olives and sundried-tomatoes.
Would I be making a mistake to add mozzarella?
I thought it might be a good addition.
Many thanks
Beanie Beard
Hi Beanie Beard!
Thank you so much—I’m so glad you loved the Chickpea Tray Bake! Your additions of olives and sun-dried tomatoes sound *delicious*! Mozzarella would definitely work if you’re going for a melty, creamy element—it won’t be a mistake at all. Just keep in mind that mozzarella is mild, so I’d pair it with a touch of feta or a sprinkle of oregano to keep that bold Mediterranean flavor.
Let me know how it turns out if you try it with the cheese!
I made this earlier this week Dimitra and it turned out great! So easy and can be made with pantry ingredients. It was surprisingly delicious for something so simple. The mushrooms add a nice texture to it. Will definitely be making this one again!