Chickpea Shawarma Bowl (Printable Version)
Spiced roasted chickpeas with fresh vegetables and creamy tahini sauce in a colorful plant-based bowl.
# What You Need:
→ Spiced Chickpeas
01 - 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1½ tsp ground cumin
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1 tsp ground coriander
06 - ½ tsp ground turmeric
07 - ½ tsp ground cinnamon
08 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
09 - 1 tsp garlic powder
10 - 1 tsp onion powder
11 - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
12 - 1 tsp salt
→ Vegetable Base
13 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
15 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
16 - 2 cups shredded lettuce or mixed greens
17 - ½ cup pickled red cabbage or pickled onions
18 - ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
→ Tahini Sauce
19 - ⅓ cup tahini
20 - 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
21 - 2 tbsp water (plus more as needed)
22 - 1 garlic clove, minced
23 - ½ tsp salt
24 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ For Serving
25 - 2 cups cooked brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice
26 - Lemon wedges
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the drained chickpeas with olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and salt until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20–25 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until golden and crisp.
03 - While the chickpeas roast, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water, minced garlic, salt, and olive oil in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Add additional water as needed to reach a drizzly consistency.
04 - Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, and chop the fresh parsley. Shred the lettuce if needed and set out the pickled cabbage.
05 - Divide the cooked rice or grain of choice among 4 bowls. Layer each with roasted chickpeas, lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, pickled cabbage, and fresh parsley.
06 - Drizzle each bowl generously with tahini sauce. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- You get those incredible shawarma spices without marinating anything for hours
- The roasted chickpeas become impossibly crispy and satisfying
- Everything can be prepped ahead for the easiest weeknight assembly ever
02 -
- Dry your chickpeas really well after rinsing or they will steam instead of crisp up in the oven
- The tahini sauce will look thick and curdled at first but keep whisking and it will turn smooth and creamy
- Dont skip the pickled element because that acid is what ties all the rich spices together
03 -
- Spread the chickpeas in a single layer without overcrowding for maximum crispiness
- Let the chickpeas cool slightly on the baking sheet so they stay crunchy