Name: Loaded Moroccan Chickpea Baked Potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 6 russet potatoes (not too large; individual-sized); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 cups diced yellow onion; 4 large garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced; 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced; 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (use less if you don’t like too much spice); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses or maple syrup; 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes (preferably fire roasted); 3 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 14-oz cans, drained and rinsed); 1/2 cup tahini; Zest of one organic lemon; 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 large garlic clove; 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast; 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup; 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1/4 cup water; Pomegranate; Crumbled feta cheese; Cilantro or parsley

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These loaded Moroccan Chickpea Baked Potatoes are loaded with quick spicy Moroccan chickpea stew, lemon tahini sauce, herbs, pomegranate, and feta for the ultimate healthy plant-based comfort food meal!

I’ve had a slight obsession with loaded baked potatoes during this fall and winter season. I was always a baked sweet potato kind of gal, but my preference has changed over to the white potato side. They tend to stand up better to saucy fillings, and you really can’t beat their texture! There’s something deeply satisfying and comforting about tying into your very own baked potato that’s brimming with a tasty filling. And I must say that these Moroccan chickpea baked potatoes are one of my favourite loaded potato recipes yet!

In this hearty main dish, baked russet potatoes are loaded with a simple and quick spicy Moroccan chickpea stew, and garnished with a drizzle of lemon tahini sauce, pomegranate, herbs, and feta. Altogether, it’s an explosion of flavours, colours, and textures: A true feast for the senses! And this recipe could not come at a better time. As winter tightens it grip in the northern hemisphere, we need all the warming, comforting, immune-supporting meals we can get our hands- er, mouths?- on!

why you need loaded moroccan chickpea baked potatoes in your life

They’re:

A satisfying plant-based meal that the whole family will enjoy.
Bursting with nutrients, including fibre, folate, and protein from the chickpeas, calcium from the tahini and feta, and immune-boosting compounds in onion, garlic, ginger, and spices.
Easy to prepare on a weeknight, but special enough for a weekend. Pop the potatoes into the oven, and while they’re baking, whip up the simple Moroccan chickpea stew and sauce. The potatoes will be ready at the same time as the toppings!

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

Russet potatoes
For the Moroccan Chickpea Stew: Olive onion, onion, garlic, ginger, red bell pepper, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses or maple syrup, diced tomatoes, and chickpeas.
For the Lemon Tahini Sauce: Tahini, lemon, garlic, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, sea salt, pepper, and water.
For serving: Feta, pomegranate arils, and cilantro.

HOW TO MAKE THEM

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and pierce each one a few times with a fork to allow air to escape while baking. Bake for 1 hour or more- depending on the size of your potatoes, they may take a bit longer than an hour. They’re ready when tender all the way through. Nothing is worse than an under-baked potato, so err on the side of slightly over-baking rather than under-baking.
While the potatoes are baking, prepare everything else. To make the Moroccan Chickpea Stew, warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, red bell pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8. minutes. Stir in pepper to taste, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, and cayenne. Cook for a couple more minutes to allow the flavours to meld. Next, add the tomato paste, pomegranate molasses or maple syrup, died tomatoes, and chickpeas. Simmer over medium heat for a few minutes, then turn down heat slightly and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are out of the oven.
Make the lemon tahini sauce by adding all of the sauce ingredients to a blender and blending until smooth. Transfer into a jar or container until ready to serve.
To serve the loaded potatoes, slice the potatoes in half and fill with desired amount of stew, as in the photos. Drizzle with lemon tahini sauce and sprinkle with pomegranate, feta, and cilantro.

more loaded potato recipes

I hope you love these Loaded Moroccan Baked Potatoes as much as I do! If you make them, let me know how you enjoyed them by leaving a comment and rating below. And if you share a photo to Instagram, tag it @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen.

Enjoy!