The No-Prep Trader Joe's Pantry Staple For Vegan Weeknight Dinners

It's a weekday — or worse, it's Monday. Maybe you woke up late, leaving you with no time to run through the Starbucks drive-through on your way to work which, inevitably, set your entire day up for failure. Or, possibly, you went to work and all your "Sunday scaries" came true, and the workweek ahead is looking a lot more stressful than you ever could've imagined. Whatever it was, something went wrong, and now your whole day is out of wack. All there is to look forward to now is the hope of a better day tomorrow. Before then, however, all you want is to go home, disassociate on your couch for a couple of hours, and eat a quick, easy dinner. But, wait — you're vegan.

Now, everything in that scenario is completely vegan-friendly. But quick dinners, on the other hand, aren't typically conducive to how the vegan lifestyle is perceived. Many imagine vegans slaving away over pots and pans of nuts, seeds, beans, and veggies for hours, making all their plant-based alternatives from scratch. While that may have been the case back in the day, before products like Beyond Meat and plant-based cheeses were commonly available, it certainly isn't now. It turns out vegans enjoy a quick, no-prep weeknight meal just as much as the next guy — even if it does come in a can. At least, that much is true for Trader Joe's vegan pantry staple — the Greek Chickpeas with Cumin and Parsley.

Much like the vegetarian chili that packs a big protein punch, Trader Joe's Greek Chickpeas with Cumin and Parsley is a flavorful, protein-rich meal that's ready in seconds — all you need to do is crack open the can. In fact, no seasoning, or cooking, is required. These canned chickpeas come pre-seasoned with all the herbs and spices you'd taste in traditional hummus, including lemon juice, parsley, salt, cumin, garlic powder, and black pepper (via Trader Joe's). Of course, you can level them up if you choose.

While Trader Joe's claims they're equally as tasty eaten right out of the can, they also recommend serving the canned chickpeas as a side, either with grilled poultry or fish or including them in your homemade mezze platter alongside some vegan tzatziki and warm pita, of course. Comments on their Instagram post, which included a peak into an opened can of the chickpeas, provide even more recommendations — like mixing them into a Greek or quinoa salad, toasting them up like croutons, or popping them in the microwave and mixing in some (vegan) feta cheese and pita chips.

With products like Trader Joe's Greek Chickpeas in a can, cooking vegan meals doesn't have to feel daunting — even on those weeknights when the thought of cooking dinner feels like more than you can bare.