Chickpea Power Bowl (Printable)

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

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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 chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
24 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, optional

# How-To:

01 - Set oven to 425°F (220°C).
02 - Rinse quinoa or rice thoroughly. Combine with water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender (quinoa requires 15 minutes; brown rice requires 30 to 40 minutes). Fluff with a fork.
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, until tender and lightly caramelized.
04 - Toss drained chickpeas with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Spread on a separate baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until edges crisp slightly.
05 - Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Add water gradually while whisking until desired consistency is achieved.
06 - Divide cooked grains equally among four serving bowls. Distribute roasted vegetables and chickpeas over grains. Top with cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, fresh herbs, and seeds if desired. Drizzle generously with tahini sauce.
07 - Serve bowls immediately while components are warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels like a restaurant-quality meal but comes together in under an hour with mostly pantry staples.
  • Every bite has texture: crispy chickpeas, tender roasted veggies, creamy avocado, and that luscious tahini drizzle.
  • You can swap out vegetables or grains based on what you have, and it still works beautifully every single time.
02 -
  • Pat the chickpeas really dry before roasting or they'll steam instead of crisp—I learned this after too many soggy batches.
  • Don't crowd the baking sheet with vegetables or they'll release moisture and turn mushy instead of caramelizing beautifully.
  • Add water to the tahini sauce slowly because it can go from thick paste to runny soup in one extra tablespoon.
03 -
  • Roast an extra batch of chickpeas—they're dangerously good as a snack and rarely make it to the bowl.
  • Use a lemon zester to add a little fresh zest to the tahini sauce for an extra bright, citrusy punch.
  • If your tahini sauce tastes too bitter, add a small pinch of maple syrup or a drop of honey to balance it out.
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