Roasted Chickpea & Veggie Bowls With Green Tahini Sauce

What about a nourishing, tasty bowl that you can make quickly and with minimal cleanup? This is our kind of food! These Mediterranean-inspired veggie bowls combine spicy roasted chickpeas, vibrant roasted veggies, and optional grains with a herby green tahini sauce. Get ready to fall in love with this recipe!

Chickpeas are first on the agenda for the nourish bowl! Toss with olive oil for crispiness, cumin and cinnamon for sweetness, cayenne to heat, and cumin to add smokiness.

Colorful vegetables such as eggplant, red onions, red bell peppers, and zucchini can be added to the chickpeas. The result is fresh, sweet, and savory. Are you hungry yet?

The veggies and chickpeas will be crispy and caramelized after roasting. They are ready to become veggie bowls. These are delicious with a drizzle of green tahini, but they’re also great served over quinoa and rice.

You can prepare the sauce and grains 2-3 days in advance if you are into meal preparation. You can also chop the zucchini, bell pepper, and onion in advance! Chickpeas, veggies, and bell peppers are best when they’re freshly roasted. However, you can reheat them in a pan to crisp them up a bit if needed.

Ingredients

Vegetables

We used both, about 1/2 large eggplant and one small zucchini.

Cut into bite-size pieces 1/2 red bell pepper

Cut into bite-size pieces 1/2 small red onions

This recipe calls for 1/3 cup pitted and half-sized kalamata Olives ( optional).

2 Tbsp olive oil

Sea salt, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon

CHICKPEAS

1 (15.5 oz.) Can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or 1 1/2 cups home)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Half a teaspoon of ground cumin

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne

Instructions

Preheat the oven to a temperature of 425 F (218 C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Optional: Use your hands to gently dry and roll the chickpeas after they have been drained. Eventually, some of the skins will start to come off. Peeling all the chickpeas can give them a crispier texture. You can peel the chickpeas or remove their skins.

VEGETABLES: Place the bell peppers, olives, eggplant, and zucchini on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with olive oil, and then toss the vegetables to distribute them evenly. Add salt evenly and continue tossing. Move the vegetables to one side of the pan so that there is room for the chickpeas. You can let them overlap or use another baking sheet to spread them.

CHICKPEAS: Combine the chickpeas with olive oil, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl or directly on a baking sheet. Toss the chickpeas with the spices and oil to coat them evenly. Transfer to a baking sheet.

Divide the grains (optional), vegetables, and chickpeas into bowls. Top with green tahini (there will be leftover sauce*). The leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. It’s not freezer-friendly.