This hearty and flavorful cuban style garbanzo dish is pure comfort food in a bowl. It’s easy to whip up and made with simple ingredients.
Made with garbanzo beans, Spanish chorizo, bacon, sautéed vegetables, and savory spices, this dish is warm and full of bold Spanish flavors.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: Side dish – 4 / main course over rice – 2
What You’ll Love
- Big Flavor, Simple Ingredients – Made with everyday staples like onion, garlic, bell peppers, dry seasonings, and tomato sauce.
- Fast & Easy – Ready in under 30 minutes with minimal prep.
- Budget Friendly – Recipe calls for affordable ingredients like canned beans and tomatoes.
- Versatile – Serve with white rice or crusty bread as a side or a main dish.
Ingredients
Variations & Swaps
- Skip the chorizo and bacon for a vegetarian dish. If you omit the meat, heat up a little olive oil to saute the red peppers, onion, and garlic.
- Red pepper – Green pepper, orange, or yellow will work.
- Salt and pepper – Try a little seasoning salt or sazon seasoning.
- Canned tomatoes – Use chopped fresh tomatoes. who doesn’t love dipping sauce?
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Drain garbanzo beans and set aside.
- Rinse and chop the red pepper and onion. Mince garlic cloves.
- Slice chorizo and cut bacon in small bits.
- Heat pan over medium-high heat. Cook bacon until brown but not crispy, then transfer bacon to a paper towel lined bowl.
- Saute red pepper, onion, and garlic in the bacon grease for a few minutes.
- Put the bacon and the remaining ingredients into the pot and blend throughly. Reduce the flame to medium low heat and continue to cook. Give the beans a few stirs, serve and enjoy!
See the recipe card below for complete measurements and cooking times.
Chickpeas vs. Garbanzo Beans
The difference between chickpeas and garbanzo beans is, actually, nothing! It’s all just semantics.
The word chickpea derives from the Latin word cicer arietinum, which is the scientific name for the plant. The name garbanzo comes from the Spanish-speaking bean eaters.
Both words are used to describe the same, wonderfully healthy superfood.
To Cover or Not Cover Beans When Cooking
If you simmer beans in an uncovered pot, they will end up firmer and more intact which is great for salads or pasta dishes.
Beans simmered in a pot with the lid on but slightly ajar will end up much creamier, tender and some beans tend to fall apart. This technique is what I do for soup recipes.
More International Influenced Dishes
- Easy Mexican Macaroni Salad with Ham – A delicious twist on a classic macaroni salad.
- Outbakck’s Chicken Tortilla Soup – Packed full with the Tex-Mex flavors.
- Easy Cuban Shrimp Creole (Camarones Enchilados) – Shrimp simmered in a tomato-based sauce with bell peppers, garlic, onions, and spices.
- Easy Ground Beef and Potatoes (Picadillo) – Quick, easy, and perfect for tacos, rice bowls, or warm tortillas.
- Easy Mexican Cheesecake made with Dulce De Leche – A combination of a creamy cheesecake filling, topped with the sweet flavor of dulce de leche.
- Fried Ice Cream Cake – from South Your Mouth.
How To Make Delicious Cuban Style Garbanzos Fritos
This cuban style garbanzo dish is easy to prepare and flavorful. These beans are packed with Spanish chorizo, bacon, sauteed vegetables, and spices.
Ingredients
- 1 can 15 ounces garbanzo beans
- 3 garlic cloves – minced
- 1 small red pepper – chopped
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes in plain tomato sauce
- 1 large Spanish chorizo link – approximately 15 slices
- 3 strips bacon – roughly chopped
- 1/2 sweet onion – diced (approximately 1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- Chopped parsley (optional topping)
Instructions
- Rinse and chop the red pepper and onion.
- Mince garlic cloves.
- Slice chorizo and cut bacon in small bits.
- Drain garbanzo beans and set aside.
- Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown but not crispy, then transfer bacon to a paper towel lined bowl.
- Saute red pepper, onion, and garlic in the bacon grease for approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Lower flame to medium heat and return the bacon to the pan, add the remaining ingredients and blend throughly.
- Reduce to flame to medium low heat and cook for 20-25 minutes.
- Give the beans a few stirs and serve.
- Add chopped fresh parsley (optional).
Notes
Helpful Tools
- Large pot or large bottomed skillet
- Cutting board
- Large kitchen knife
- Measuring spoons
Variations
Skip the chorizo and bacon for a vegetarian dish. If you omit the meat, heat up a little olive oil to saute the red peppers, onion, and garlic.
Red pepper – green pepper, orange, or yellow.
Salt and pepper – try a little seasoning salt or sazon seasoning.
Canned tomatoes – chopped fresh tomatoes.
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