A few tips for these easy Chickpea Shawarma Bowls:
The roasted, spiced chickpeas add flavor, crunch, and protein to the bowls. While the chickpeas are roasting, you can prep everything else for the bowls.- For the base of the bowls, you can use brown rice, basmati rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. We like to use quinoa for a double dose of protein. If you prefer a salad, you can use greens as the base of the bowls.
- The lemon tahini dressing is super simple to make and so good drizzled over the bowls. You can find tahini at any grocery store. FYI-tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds.
- Top the bowls with tomatoes, cucumbers, the roasted chickpeas, red onion, tzatziki sauce, pita chips, feta cheese, parsley, and the lemon tahini dressing.
- You can use store bought pita chips or make easy homemade pita chips.
- These bowls are very customizable. If you are vegan, you can leave off the tzatziki sauce and feta cheese. If you are gluten-free, you can leave off the pita chips. Feel free to add more toppings if you wish. Chicken, roasted vegetables, or kalamata olives would also be good.
- You can meal prep these bowls in advance and keep them in the fridge for easy, on the go lunches. Just keep the tzatziki sauce and tahini dressing in little containers on the side. Also, don’t put the pita chips on until ready to eat.
Ingredients:
For Roasting the Chickpeas:
- 15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon tumeric
For the Lemon Tahini Dressing:
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 lemons, juiced (about 4 tablespoons)
- 1/3 cup hot water
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Other Ingredients:
- Cooked quinoa, rice, or cauliflower rice
- 1 1/2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped seedless cucumber
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- Pita chips, or store bought
- Tzatziki sauce
- 1/4 chopped Italian parsley
- Crumbled feta cheese
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, olive oil, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and tumeric. Stir until chickpeas are well coated. Place on a large baking sheet and roast the chickpeas for 25-30 minutes, or until chickpeas are crispy.
- While the chickpeas are roasting, make the lemon tahini dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and, water. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the dressing is too thick, add a little more water and whisk again.
- To assemble the bowls, place quinoa, rice, or cauliflower rice in the bottom of a bowl. Top with roasted chickpeas, chopped lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, pita chips, tzatziki sauce, parsley, and feta cheese. Drizzle with lemon tahini dressing. Serve immediately.
- Note-you can prepare these bowls in advance. Place ingredients in a container and store in the fridge. Make sure you keep the tzatziki sauce and tahini dressing on the side until ready to serve. Also, leave off the pita chips until ready to eat. Will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
