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Bowl of warm chickpeas and tahini, garnished with parsley and pine nuts served with sliced cucumbers and pita.
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5 from 7 votes

Musabaha (Creamy Warm Chickpeas with Tahini)

Musabaha is a popular Levantine breakfast dish of creamy warm chickpeas with tahini. It’s an affordable, comforting and hearty dish that will start your day off just right. My version is drizzled with a spiced Aleppo pepper oil and toasted pine nuts.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: Levantine, Middle Eastern
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Luay Ghafari
Cost: $5

Ingredients

For the warm chickpeas

  • 1 can Chickpeas - 19oz/540grams
  • 2-3 tbsp Lemon juice - 30-45 ml
  • 1-2 Garlic cloves - minced (Optional)
  • 2 tbsp Tahini - 30ml
  • 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil - 30ml
  • ¼ cup Chickpea cooking water - 60ml
  • Salt and kosher salt to taste

Garnish

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil - 30ml
  • 2 tbsp Pine nuts - 16 grams. You can use slivered almonds instead
  • 1-2 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes - 2-3 grams. Use more or less depending on taste
  • Fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Boil chickpeas. To a small pot set on medium-high heat, add the canned chickpeas with their water. Boil until the chickpeas soften, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Dress. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the warmed chickpeas to a serving bowl. Add the lemon juice, minced garlic (if using), tahini, a big pinch of salt, fresh cracked pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine.
  • Mash. Using the back of a fork, mash some of the chickpeas. Add a splash of the cooking water to help loosen up the chickpeas. The final product should be chunky with some whole chickpeas still present. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  • Prepare topping. In a small frying pan, add olive oil and pine nuts. Fry on low-medium heat until the pine nuts begin to brown lightly, about 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat. Add the Aleppo pepper flakes and swirl the pan to combine.
  • Garnish. Quickly pour the warm oil and pine nut mixture over the chickpeas. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy.

Notes

Refer to the blog post above for step-by-step recipe photos.
Fun additions/garnishes: ground cumin, green chilis, green onion, fried sliced garlic or a bit of yogurt. You can also add some Shattah (Levantine chili sauce – find the recipe in my book, Seed to Table) or Fermented Hot Sauce. To make it even heartier, top with spiced and cooked minced lamb or beef.
Looking to cook chickpeas from scratch? Check the blog post above for directions on how to cook dry chickpeas. 

Nutrition

Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 326IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3mg