Roasted Chickpea Buddha Bowl (Printable)

A wholesome bowl featuring crispy chickpeas, roasted vegetables, brown rice, and creamy tahini sauce for a vibrant meal.

# What You Need:

→ Roasted Chickpeas

01 - 1 can (14 fl oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Roasted Vegetables

08 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
09 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
10 - 1 small red onion, sliced
11 - 1 small zucchini, sliced
12 - 2 tbsp olive oil
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Rice

15 - 1 cup brown rice
16 - 2 cups water
17 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Tahini Sauce

18 - 1/4 cup tahini
19 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
20 - 2 tbsp water
21 - 1 clove garlic, minced
22 - 1/2 tsp maple syrup or honey
23 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Assembly

24 - 100 g (3.5 oz) baby spinach or mixed greens
25 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
26 - Lemon wedges (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Set the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Pat chickpeas dry with a paper towel. Toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread on one baking sheet.
03 - Combine sweet potato, bell pepper, onion, and zucchini with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on the second baking sheet.
04 - Roast both baking sheets for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until chickpeas are crispy and vegetables are tender with caramelized edges.
05 - Rinse brown rice under cold water. Bring rice, water, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork.
06 - Whisk tahini, lemon juice, water, minced garlic, maple syrup, and salt in a bowl until smooth. Adjust consistency with additional water if needed.
07 - Divide cooked rice among four bowls. Top with roasted chickpeas, roasted vegetables, and baby spinach or mixed greens. Drizzle with tahini sauce and garnish with chopped herbs and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The roasted chickpeas get wonderfully crispy and salty, like a snack you can't stop eating while building your bowl.
  • Everything roasts simultaneously, so you're really just managing two sheet pans while rice simmers in the background.
  • The tahini sauce ties everything together with this creamy, tangy richness that tastes more complicated than it actually is.
02 -
  • The key to crispy chickpeas is patting them completely dry and not overcrowding the pan—they need room to breathe and roast, not steam.
  • Whisking tahini with lemon juice first, before adding water, prevents the grainy separation that happens when you add liquid to tahini alone.
  • The sauce thickens as it cools, so make it slightly looser than your final desired consistency while it's warm.
03 -
  • If your tahini sauce breaks or seems grainy, start fresh with a tablespoon of tahini in a clean bowl and slowly whisk in your existing sauce to emulsify it properly.
  • Roasting at a higher temperature (even 425°F) will give you more caramelization and crispiness in about twenty minutes, though you'll need to watch more carefully.
Go Back