Description
A vibrant and wholesome Mediterranean Chickpea Bowl featuring spiced sautéed chickpeas, fresh veggies, and a creamy tahini sauce. Perfect for a quick, nutritious, and delicious vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
Tahini Sauce
- 1/4 cup tahini (at room temperature)
- 1/4 cup warm water
- Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon (1 to 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon honey, agave, or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup finely minced parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Spiced Chickpeas
- 1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas or 2 cups homemade chickpeas, drained and dried
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika (sweet or hot)
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh chili (optional)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley, mint, and cilantro)
Salad Components
- 6 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1/4 red onion, finely diced (about 2 tablespoons)
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Tahini Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, warm water, lemon juice, honey (or agave/maple syrup), minced garlic, minced parsley, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more lemon juice or salt as needed. Set the dressing aside to let flavors meld.
- Cook Chickpeas: Pat the chickpeas dry to remove excess moisture. Toss them with paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, pepper, and half of the olive oil. Heat a skillet over medium heat and sauté the chickpeas until warmed through and slightly crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the remaining olive oil, minced garlic, and optional minced fresh chili, sautéing for another minute. Finally, toss in the fresh chopped herbs and stir to combine well.
- Assemble Bowls: Divide the baby spinach evenly among four bowls. Layer each bowl with cooked brown rice, the warm spiced chickpeas, halved tomatoes, diced cucumber, and finely diced red onion. Drizzle each bowl generously with the prepared tahini sauce. Garnish with fresh mint leaves before serving.
Notes
- For a vegan version, substitute honey with maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Use homemade chickpeas for better texture and flavor, or canned for convenience.
- Adjust the amount of chili to control the heat level in the dish.
- This recipe is great for meal prep and can be served warm or at room temperature.
- Serve with pita bread or a dash of feta cheese for added richness, if not vegan.
