Smoky aubergine, courgette and chickpea stir‑fry with lemon yoghurt
Bright, smoky veg and chickpeas tossed with lemony yoghurt — ready in 15 minutes for a speedy midweek supper.
This speedy smoky aubergine, courgette and chickpea stir‑fry is the sort of midweek magic that feels indulgent but lands on the table in 15 minutes. Smoky paprika and quick caramelisation give the veg heft while lemony yoghurt cools and brightens.
Make it when you want something nutritious, veggie and fuss‑free — it’s perfect with flatbreads or thrown over rice if you want to stretch it, but it’s perfectly happy served on its own.
Ingredients
- 400 g aubergine — cut into 1cm dice
- 200 g courgette — halved lengthways and sliced 1cm thick
- 1 red pepper — seeds removed, sliced into 1cm strips
- 200 g chestnut mushrooms — quartered
- 400 g tinned chickpeas — drained weight about 240 g
- 2 cloves garlic — finely sliced
- 30 ml olive oil
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 1 lemon — zest and juice
- 150 g natural yoghurt
- 5 ml salt
- 0 ml black pepper — freshly cracked
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 50 g rocket
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables: cut the aubergine into 1cm dice, slice the courgette, remove the seeds and slice the red pepper, quarter the mushrooms and thinly slice the garlic. Drain and rinse the tinned chickpeas.
Heat the frying pan over a medium–high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the aubergine and fry, stirring occasionally, until it has picked up colour and is beginning to soften, about 4 minutes.
Push the aubergine to one side, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, then add the garlic, chestnut mushrooms, courgette and red pepper. Cook, tossing, until the veg is tender and the mushrooms have lost their rawness, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the tinned chickpeas, smoked paprika and ground cumin. Zest half the lemon directly into the pan, squeeze in the juice of half the lemon, season with salt and black pepper and fry for a further 2 minutes so the chickpeas warm through and pick up the spices.
Meanwhile, mix the natural yoghurt with the remaining lemon juice in a small bowl and season to taste. Stir most of the fresh coriander through the yoghurt, reserving a little for garnish.
Remove the pan from the heat, toss the warm veg and chickpeas through the rocket, taste and adjust seasoning. Serve straightaway with dollops of the lemon yoghurt and the remaining coriander scattered on top.
Tips
- Salt the aubergine lightly before cooking only if you have 15–30 minutes to spare; for a true 15‑minute dish, cut small and cook over good heat instead.
- If your frying pan is small, cook the aubergine first, remove, then cook the other veg and return the aubergine at the end to avoid steaming.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2 days; reheat gently in a frying pan so the aubergine revives rather than turning mushy.
- For extra bite add a spoonful of harissa to the chickpeas when you add the spices.
- To make it more filling, serve with warmed flatbreads or a portion of couscous — both can be ready in the time the veg cooks.
Substitutions
tinned chickpeas → 400 g cooked/boiled chickpeas (same quantity by drained weight)
Stays closenatural yoghurt → dairy‑free yoghurt (soya or coconut), same quantity
Stays closefresh coriander → flat‑leaf parsley, same quantity
Noticeably differentsmoked paprika → sweet paprika plus a small pinch of ground chipotle or cayenne
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 250
- Calories
- 10 g
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 420 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegan?
Yes — swap the natural yoghurt for a dairy‑free yoghurt. The rest of the recipe is already plant‑based.
How can I stop the aubergine going soggy?
Cut it into small even dice and make sure your pan is hot before adding the aubergine so it seals and caramelises instead of stewing.
Can I use dried chickpeas?
You can, but they must be cooked first — use about 240 g cooked chickpeas to match the drained weight of the tin.
Is this suitable for batch cooking?
Yes — keep sauce and yoghurt separate and reheat the veg gently in a frying pan; the texture is best on day one or two.
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