Chickpea Power Bowl (Printable)

Protein-packed bowl with spiced chickpeas, roasted vegetables, grains, and tahini sauce.

# Ingredient List:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa or brown rice, uncooked
02 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth

→ Chickpeas

03 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Roasted Vegetables

09 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
10 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
11 - 1 small zucchini, sliced
12 - 1 red onion, sliced
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Tahini Sauce

16 - 1/3 cup tahini
17 - Juice of 1 lemon
18 - 1 clove garlic, minced
19 - 2 to 4 tablespoons water
20 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Toppings

21 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
22 - 1 avocado, sliced
23 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
24 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

# How To Make:

01 - Set oven temperature to 425°F (220°C).
02 - Rinse quinoa or rice under cold water. Combine with water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until cooked (quinoa requires 15 minutes; brown rice requires 30 to 40 minutes). Fluff with a fork and set aside.
03 - Toss sweet potato, bell pepper, zucchini, and red onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking, until tender and lightly browned.
04 - Toss drained chickpeas with olive oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Spread on a separate baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until edges are crispy.
05 - Whisk tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt together in a small bowl. Gradually add water while whisking until sauce reaches desired consistency.
06 - Divide cooked grains equally among four serving bowls. Top each bowl with roasted vegetables, spiced chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, fresh herbs, and toasted seeds. Drizzle generously with tahini sauce.
07 - Serve bowls immediately while components are warm.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-quality but takes less time than ordering delivery and waiting around.
  • Those roasted chickpeas hit like a savory snack you didn't know you needed, crispy and spiced just right.
  • The tahini sauce is secretly the MVP—creamy, garlicky, and it ties everything together without needing a single dairy product.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned chickpeas—that starchy liquid makes them stick together and prevents them from getting crispy, even if they spend extra time in the oven.
  • The tahini sauce needs whisking, not just stirring, because tahini has oil that separates and needs to be incorporated smoothly for that silky texture that makes people pause mid-bite.
03 -
  • Make a double batch of tahini sauce and store it in the fridge for up to a week—it's brilliant on grain bowls, roasted vegetables, or even drizzled over toast.
  • If your roasted chickpeas aren't crispy enough after cooking, let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and they'll crisp up further as they cool down.
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