Harissa roasted aubergine & chickpea traybake with tahini yoghurt
Bold, budget-friendly traybake for a student dinner party — roast aubergine, courgette and chickpeas with tahini yoghurt and flatbreads.
This traybake is the sort of dinner-party trick students love: minimal fuss, maximal impact. Harissa-coated aubergine and chickpeas roast until sweet and smoky, then get brightened with lemony tahini yoghurt and pomegranate sparkles.
Make it on a single tray, warm some flatbreads and you’ve got a sharing feast that’s cheap, colourful and impossible to hate. Perfect for informal evenings with friends — bring a bottle and forget the washing up.
Ingredients
- 800 g aubergine — cut into 2cm chunks
- 2 tinned chickpeas — approx 240g drained per tin; drain and rinse
- 200 g courgette — cut into 1cm half-moons
- 1 red pepper — deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1 brown onion — thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic — finely sliced or crushed
- 30 ml harissa paste
- 45 ml olive oil
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 10 ml sea salt — plus extra for salting aubergine
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 1 lemon — zest and juice
- 200 g natural yoghurt — full-fat or low-fat as preferred
- 45 g tahini — approx 3 tbsp
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 50 g pomegranate seeds — optional, for garnish
- 4 flatbreads — store-bought or homemade
- 75 g rocket — for a simple dressed salad
Equipment
- large baking tray
- zester or fine grater
- measuring spoons
- kitchen paper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional and line a large baking tray with foil or baking paper.
Put the aubergine chunks in a colander, sprinkle with 1 tsp sea salt, toss and leave to sit for 20 minutes to draw out moisture.
While the aubergine rests, drain and rinse the tinned chickpeas then pat dry on kitchen paper. Chop the courgette, red pepper and brown onion; slice or crush the garlic.
Rinse the aubergine under cold water to remove excess salt, then pat thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.
In a large bowl whisk together the harissa paste, olive oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, the zest and juice of the lemon and ½ tsp sea salt and the black pepper. Add the aubergine, chickpeas, courgette, red pepper, brown onion and garlic and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Spread the mixture in a single layer on the prepared large baking tray — overcrowding will steam not roast. Roast for 35 minutes, turning once at 17–18 minutes, until aubergine is tender and edges are caramelised.
While the traybake roasts, make the tahini yoghurt: whisk the tahini with the natural yoghurt, a squeeze of lemon juice and a splash of cold water to loosen. Season with a pinch of sea salt to taste.
Warm the flatbreads for 2–3 minutes under the grill or directly in the oven for the final 3 minutes of roasting.
Dress the rocket with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a small pinch of sea salt.
Transfer the roasted veg and chickpeas to a large sharing platter, drizzle over the tahini yoghurt, scatter with fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds, and serve with the warm flatbreads and dressed rocket.
Tips
- If your oven is small, roast in two shallower trays rather than piling everything on one — space is the difference between caramelised veg and soggy mush.
- Pat both chickpeas and aubergine very dry before roasting; excess moisture prevents browning.
- Make the tahini yoghurt up to a day ahead and keep chilled; it thickens in the fridge — add a little water or lemon juice to loosen before serving.
- To save time, use a ready-made harissa paste; add more or less to taste if you prefer milder heat.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2–3 days; reheat in the oven to revive some crispness or serve cold in a salad wrap.
Substitutions
tinned chickpeas → dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked until tender (use ~250g dried)
Stays closeflatbreads → pita breads or warmed tortillas
Stays closenatural yoghurt → plain dairy-free yoghurt for a dairy-free version (use same quantity)
Noticeably differentharissa paste → 2 tsp smoked paprika + 1 tsp chilli flakes plus a little tomato paste
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 605
- Calories
- 22 g
- Protein
- 66 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegan?
Yes — swap the natural yoghurt for plain dairy-free yoghurt for a vegan version. The flavours remain very similar.
How do I avoid soggy aubergine?
Salt the aubergine and let it rest 20 minutes, then rinse and pat dry. Roast with plenty of space and enough oil so pieces brown rather than steam.
Can I prepare anything in advance?
Make the tahini yoghurt and chop the veg ahead of time. Store them chilled and assemble/roast when guests arrive.
Can I add a protein?
Grilled chicken or lamb kofta would work as additions; for vegetarian protein add roasted halloumi or use an extra tin of chickpeas.
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