20-Minute Italian Chickpea, Zucchini & Tomato Skillet with Basil
A brothy Italian chickpea zucchini tomato skillet: browned zucchini, burst cherry tomatoes, garlic and basil, with garlic-rubbed sourdough for dipping.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- 14 min
- Serves
- 2
20-Minute Italian Chickpea, Zucchini & Tomato Skillet with Basil is a vegan lunch recipe made with extra-virgin olive oil, zucchini, fine sea salt. It takes 22 minutes of hands-on time, serves 2, and each serving has 534 calories, 18 g of protein and 14 g of fiber.
Browning the zucchini first and setting it aside keeps it from turning watery and gray. Then the cherry tomatoes burst in garlicky oil with oregano and chili, and you crush half of them so they turn into a quick broth that the chickpeas simmer in. Toasted sourdough rubbed with raw garlic goes alongside for soaking up the juices, and the basil goes in at the very end so it stays bright.
A cuisine (Italian) + quick brothy tomato version with late-summer zucchini take on our Smoky Chickpea & Spinach Skillet.
Ingredients
Skillet
- 3 tbsp41 gextra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large323 gzucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch half-moons
- ¾ tsp4.5 gfine sea salt, divided
- 3 cloves9 ggarlic, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp0.5 gdried oregano
- ¼ tsp0.5 gred pepper flakes
- 2 cups298 gcherry tomatoes (1 pint)
- 1 can240 gchickpeas, drained and rinsed, 15-oz can
- ¾ cup180 gvegetable broth
- ¼ tsp0.6 gblack pepper, freshly ground
- ½ cup11 gfresh basil leaves, torn
Garlic toast
- 2 slices64 gsourdough bread, thick slices
- 1 clove3 ggarlic, peeled and halved
- 1 tbsp14 gextra-virgin olive oil, for finishing (optional)
Kit: large (12-inch) skillet with lid, wooden spoon or potato masher, toaster or grill pan
Tips
- Keep the zucchini in one layer and don't stir it too soon. If it's crowded it will steam instead of browning, so cook it in two batches if your pan is smaller than 12 inches.
- The broth should be loose enough to soak into the bread. If it reduces too far, add a splash of water or broth.
- Add the basil off the heat so it stays green and fragrant.
Swap ideas
- Cannellini beans instead of chickpeas
- Softer and creamier, and the broth gets a little thicker as some of the beans break down.
- A splash of balsamic vinegar at the end
- Adds a little sweetness and tang, which helps when the tomatoes are out of season.
- Serve over pasta instead of with toast
- Toss with about 6 oz of cooked short pasta and a spoonful of pasta water to make a fuller meal.
- A handful of spinach or arugula stirred in with the basil
- Adds more greens and a slightly peppery bite (arugula) with no extra cooking time.
The numbers
Nutrition per serving
534kcal per serving
Everything else · 2 servings per recipe
- Saturated fat
- 3.5 g 18%
- Sugars
- 15.8 g
- Sodium
- 1362 mg 59%
- Potassium
- 1230 mg 26%
- Calcium
- 145 mg 11%
- Iron
- 6.3 mg 35%
- Vitamin C
- 54 mg 60%
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg 0%
% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.
Sources: Oil, olive, salad or cooking, Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, raw, Salt, table, Garlic, raw, Spices, oregano, dried, Spices, pepper, red or cayenne, Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average, Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, Soup, vegetable broth, ready to serve, Spices, pepper, black, Basil, fresh, Bread, french or vienna (includes sourdough)
Method
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the zucchini in a single layer, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and leave it alone for 3 minutes, then stir and cook until golden in spots but still slightly firm, 2–3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, the sliced garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir until the garlic is fragrant and just pale gold at the edges, 45–60 seconds; don't let it brown.
Add the cherry tomatoes and 1/4 tsp salt, then cover and cook, shaking the pan now and then, until most of the tomatoes have split and slumped, 3–4 minutes.
Uncover and press about half the tomatoes with a wooden spoon or masher so they release their juice. Stir in the chickpeas, broth, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and the black pepper. Simmer briskly until the liquid reduces slightly and turns into a loose, rosy broth, 4–5 minutes.
While it simmers, toast the sourdough until deep golden and crisp. Rub one side of each slice with the cut garlic clove and drizzle with the finishing oil, if you like.
Return the zucchini and any juices to the skillet and warm through, about 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat, stir in most of the basil, then taste and add salt as needed.
Spoon into shallow bowls, scatter over the rest of the basil and serve the garlic toast alongside for dipping.
Storage: Store the skillet mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The zucchini softens and the basil darkens, so stir in fresh basil when you reheat it. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water. Toast the bread fresh just before serving.
Questions
- How much protein is in 20-minute italian chickpea, zucchini & tomato skillet with basil?
- Each of the 2 servings has 18 g of protein, 14 g of fiber and 534 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
- Is 20-minute italian chickpea, zucchini & tomato skillet with basil vegan?
- Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
- How long does 20-minute italian chickpea, zucchini & tomato skillet with basil take to make?
- 8 minutes of prep and 14 minutes of cooking, so 22 minutes of hands-on time.
- Can you make 20-minute italian chickpea, zucchini & tomato skillet with basil ahead?
- Store the skillet mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The zucchini softens and the basil darkens, so stir in fresh basil when you reheat it. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water. Toast the bread fresh just before serving.
- What can I substitute in 20-minute italian chickpea, zucchini & tomato skillet with basil?
- Cannellini beans instead of chickpeas — softer and creamier, and the broth gets a little thicker as some of the beans break down.. A splash of balsamic vinegar at the end — adds a little sweetness and tang, which helps when the tomatoes are out of season.. Serve over pasta instead of with toast — toss with about 6 oz of cooked short pasta and a spoonful of pasta water to make a fuller meal.. A handful of spinach or arugula stirred in with the basil — adds more greens and a slightly peppery bite (arugula) with no extra cooking time..
- Is 20-minute italian chickpea, zucchini & tomato skillet with basil nut-free?
- Based on the ingredients, yes. Always check the labels on the products you buy if you're cooking for an allergy.
Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.
Published September 19, 2026 ·Italian
