Chickpea Power Bowl (Printable Version)

Protein-packed bowl with spiced chickpeas, roasted vegetables, quinoa, and creamy 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, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Set oven to 425°F (220°C).
02 - Rinse quinoa or rice. Combine with water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until cooked (quinoa: 15 minutes; brown rice: 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 on a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and lightly browned.
04 - Toss chickpeas with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Spread on a second baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly crispy.
05 - Whisk tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and water together in a small bowl. Add water gradually to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Divide cooked grains among four bowls. Top with roasted vegetables, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, avocado, fresh herbs, and seeds. Drizzle generously with tahini sauce.
07 - Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The spiced chickpeas get crispy in the oven, giving you that satisfying crunch without any frying involved.
  • Everything comes together in under an hour but feels fancy enough for company.
  • You can prep components ahead and assemble in minutes, making it perfect for chaotic weeknights.
  • The tahini sauce is silky and alive with lemon—it transforms simple roasted vegetables into something memorable.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing your chickpeas—that canned liquid makes them stick together and prevents crisping, which is basically the whole point of roasting them.
  • Make your tahini sauce while everything is hot, then let it cool slightly; cold tahini is thick and stubborn, but room temperature tahini is creamy and cooperative.
03 -
  • Make the tahini sauce ahead of time and store it in a jar; it actually tastes better the next day once the garlic has mellowed and the flavors have married.
  • Roast your vegetables on two separate sheets from the chickpeas—they release moisture that will steam the chickpeas rather than crisp them if they're too close together.
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