Savory Chickpea Loaf with Barbecue Glaze

Bean loaves are a great way to feed a large family, or a small family for a number of days. Loaded with beans and any assortment of grains, vegetables or seasonings you like, these loaves are a great template for a cook's creativity and can provide all the nourishment you need in a single dish. Additionally, slices of this loaf may be served up as burger patties. This delightful loaf also freezes well, and slices can be reheated in a lightly oiled skillet for a quick and easy meal solution.

This chickpea loaf is made with brown rice, mushrooms, and an assortment of healthy vegetables and warming spices, all topped with a glaze of barbecue sauce . Instead of using eggs to bind the ingredients, I've used aquafaba — the viscous water in which chickpeas have been cooked or the liquid found in a can of cooked chickpeas. This is the second time I've used aquafaba to bind ingredients in something to be baked or roasted — the first time was in a batch of lemon poppy seed muffins that came out perfectly.

Savory Chickpea Vegan Loaf with Barbecue Glaze

The use of aquafaba — from the Latin aqua (water) and faba (bean) — was only discovered by a vegan French musician in 2014, but it has turned out to be a marvelous discovery for vegans who are looking for a substitute for eggs for baking and binding. The starch and protein composition of aquafaba makes the liquid act so much like an egg in its abilities to foam, thicken, gelatinize, stabilize and bind that it can be even be whipped up to make meringues or marshmallows.

Many guides are available on the internet to help you make your own aquafaba — such as this one — but the easiest way to obtain it is to reserve the liquid found in a can of cooked chickpeas. If you don't want to use aquafaba, feel free to use two beaten eggs in this recipe or, if you want to keep it vegan, two flax eggs made by whisking 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds with 6 tablespoons water and letting the mixture sit for 15 minutes before using.

Savory Chickpea Loaf with Barbecue Glaze

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Published on March 30, 2020

Hearty and nourishing chickpea loaf with rice, vegetables and mushrooms glazed with barbecue sauce

Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 60 to 65 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 14 oz can)
1/2 cup cooked cannellini (white kidney) beans
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 to 2 red or green chilies, seeded and minced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup cremini or white mushrooms, diced
1/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted
2 tablespoons tamari (soy) sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons potato starch
1/4 cup fresh parsley, trimmed and chopped
2/3 cup rolled oats, or more as needed
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce + more for glazing
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chipotle or chili powder, to taste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 cup aquafaba
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Line a loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper large enough to have some hanging over the sides of the pan for easy removal. Preheat an oven to 400°F.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, chilies, celery, carrot, bell pepper and mushrooms, increase the heat slightly, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the peas, cook for another minute, and then stir in the tamari and Dijon mustard and cook for another minute or until the liquid evaporates. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the potato starch.
In a food processor, process the chickpeas and cannellini beans for 30 seconds, and then add the rice, cooked vegetables, parsley and oats. Process until the mixture is mostly mashed and combined but still has texture. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and stir in the nutritional yeast, barbecue sauce, cumin, coriander, paprika, chipotle or chili powder, thyme, oregano and sage until well combined.
In a medium bowl, beat together the aquafaba and lemon juice with an electric hand mixer over medium-low speed for 5 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 3 to 5 minutes until firm peaks form. Fold into the loaf mixture until the foam is incorporated and is no longer visible. Stir in salt and black pepper to taste. If the mixture seems too moist, stir in more oats.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press down evenly. Brush the loaf with barbecue sauce. Cover the pan with parchment paper or foil and bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the parchment paper or foil from the top of the loaf and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before gently lifting from the pan. Let cool for another 5 minutes and then slice and serve.

Makes 8 to 10 servings