creamed chickpeas and mushrooms

Chickpeas and mushrooms are simmered in a rich, luscious, and oh, so creamy, savory, and tangy plant-based sour cream sauce.

You don’t need an excuse, like a rainy day or an intention (or unintentional) binge, to treat yourself to something this savory and creamy. This is plant-based eating at it’s best. Besides, we’re talking mushrooms, chickpeas, and sour cream! You know that’s a winner already.

The idea for this recipe is rooted in a dish that my mom used to make. Although it’s gone through a complete transformation. Seriously, it’s just down to an idea about mushrooms in a creamy sauce. That’s about the flavor that's a bit earthy mushroom, a bit tangy sour cream, and a luscious sauce that melts into rice, pasta, or even mashed potatoes.

Thanks for the inspiration Mom, but my version is definitely tastier!

Tips for making this dish

Even if you make your own plant-based sour cream (and I highly recommend this), you will spend more time eating than cooking with this one. No unusual ingredients, no special techniques. And if you want to make the cooking process even smoother, here are a few tips:

1. Make the sour cream first

Ahoy, my favorite plant-based sour cream! It’s going to take 10 minutes or less. Use a spice grinder (or coffee grinder) to turn raw cashews into a fine powder. Then, all the ingredients go into a blender, and you're done on the quick. 

You want to add ½ a cup of sour cream, so use the following measures:

½ cup of raw cashews

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

A pinch of salt

1/4 - 1/2 cup of water (as needed)

I always make the full recipe because that’s all the motivation I need for making tacos or a creamy dip. Chowhound that I am. 

In case you don’t want cashews…

It is my firm belief that vegan sour cream, specifically, the kind made with cashews, is essential for making this recipe. However, I appreciate that some folks want to avoid nuts. Here’s my best, unsolicited advice for a substitute:

In a small dish, mix together ½ cup of plant milk with 1 tablespoon of arrowroot and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. When you add the lemon juice at the finish of the creamed chickpeas, give it a taste and add more until it’s a bit zippy. This substitution won’t be precisely the same, but it will yield a creamy sauce, sans nuts. 

2. Aquafaba

When you drain the chickpeas, don’t forget to reserve 1 ½ cups of the liquid (aquafaba). That’s one of the secrets for making the sauce creamier and thicker. The recipe calls for 1 cup, but reserve a little extra just in case you want to add more. 

3. Make a plan for your rice, pasta, or potatoes

How many times had I started a quick-cooking main only to realize that I hadn’t started the rice or pasta water? How many? A lot.

I served this dish with brown basmati rice. That takes about 30 minutes to cook, plus another 5-10 minutes for it to settle in the pot. Make a plan for that.

If you are making rice, use a ratio of 2: 1 (liquid to dry rice) as a guide. Rinse the rice before you add it to the cooking water. That spruces it up, rids away any dust, and makes it taste better.

4. Wipe the mushrooms

It took me a long time to figure out that rinsing the dirt from porous mushrooms under a running faucet was cooking sabotage. Mushrooms will soak up all that water, and it goes straight into the pan. Either you end up trying to saute away all the liquid leaving you with little shriveled mushrooms, or you end up with a thin, less robust sauce. 

All this can be avoided when we stop washing mushrooms. Take a damp paper towel or, if you want to get fancy, a soft mushroom brush and gently wipe away any dirt.

For our creamy mushrooms, just cut off the end of the stems and slice them lengthwise. This allows them to retain their 'mushroom-like’ appearance.

5. Mise en place, people!

That’s a fancy term for getting everything ready before you fire up the burner. This is a quick recipe, so be sure everything is within reach, not somewhere in the pantry or fridge. 

Mise en place is a kitchen religion for me. I always prep all the veggies I'll be using, but I also gather any herbs and spices, and more often than not, I combine them in a small dish so that I don't need to think about it. At the very least, I make sure I have the jars in order, and my tablespoon and teaspoon measures grabbable.

Let's cook!

Now that you’ve timed out the rice or pasta you want to help soak up all the sauce, cooking this dish is a breeze. Heat the pan to medium first, so the onions don’t stick so much. Sauté them for about 5 minutes to soften them, then add the garlic, rosemary, and thyme. You might notice at this point that the onions are sticking (mine did). Not to worry. Add the soy sauce and the mushrooms. Once you add the mushrooms, they will start to release their natural moisture. This will deglaze the pan.

Don’t let the mushrooms get too dry before you get the sauce brewing. That’s a combination of that yummy plant-based sour cream, 1 cup of aquafaba (the reserved chickpea liquid), and the veggie broth.

If you are worried that your sauce might be thinner than you like, start by adding just 1 cup of the broth. Allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes and then add more. Remember, you still have chickpeas to add.

I like to bring out just a touch of tanginess by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice. It brings a crispness to the dish and balances out the mushrooms.

As the smell wafting from the pan makes your mouth water, you might take a taste, give it a stir, and wonder if it’s too thin. It happens. Sometimes, the mushrooms have more moisture than we expect, or we get overzealous with the veggie broth or lemon juice. No worries. Give it a good stir and simmer it for another 10 minutes. Don’t forget, you’ll be smothering rice or pasta, and you want the sauce to penetrate every food surface and then some. 

Final Thoughts

I finished the chickpeas and mushrooms with a bit of chopped parsley. Just a bit green to freshen up your eating experience. Now, sit down and relax with a luscious, well-deserved meal. Peace.

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