This Mediterranean chickpea quinoa bowl is an excellent addition to your meal prep rotation. It is full of plant based protein and fiber that is not only healthy but delicious.
The crunch from the chickpeas, in addition to the zesty dressing make this flavorful dish a staple in my house.
Why Make A Roasted Chickpea Quinoa Bowl?
- loaded with colors and flavors of the Mediterranean
- very little prep goes into it, most of the dish is hands off cooking time
- power bowls are perfect for meal prep
- this grain bowl is full of heart-healthy nutrients
- an easy vegetarian meal to add to your meatless Monday rotation
Is it Heart Healthy?
The use of beans, quinoa and vegetables provide tons of fiber and plant based protein to help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure in a flavorful way.
Eating beans and legumes 4 times per week is associated with a 14% reduced risk of heart disease (1). More specifically, legumes are foods that can unclog arteries, and lower blood pressure.
This roasted chickpea quinoa bowl follows the recommendations from Mediterrean dietary pattern. This way of eating is well known for its beneficial effects on heart health, blood sugar control and brain health (2, 3, 4, 5).
Check out these articles if you are interested in learning more about eating out on the Mediterranean diet or the importance of olive oil and the Mediterranean way of eating.
Ingredients
- Quinoa – Excellent whole grain. You could substitute for brown rice or whole grain pasta here too.
- Vegetables – Broccoli is used in this recipe, but you could also try red onion, olives, red pepper, cucumber, tomato, avocado, or arugula.
- Chickpeas – A plant-based protein that contains cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. Lentils would also work well in this dish. Even hummus would be a nice addition.
- Cilantro, lime and spices – Add a wide variety of flavor to the dish.
How To Make Roasted Chickpea Bowl
1. Roast the chickpeas. Combine the dried spices into a bowl and mix well. Pour spice mixture over the chickpeas, and ensure chickpeas are well coated with mixture before roasting.
2. Prep the produce and herbs. This includes chopping the sweet potato, cilantro and steaming the broccoli.
3. Roast the sweet potato. This will take the longest to execute, but the good news it’s hands off cooking.
4. Cook the quinoa. If you haven’t cooked quinoa before, it cooks just like rice. Use a 1:2 ratio of quinoa to liquid. For example, use 1/2 cup of quinoa and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, and let simmer until water is absorbed.
5. Make the dressing. This is simple. Combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together.
6. Assemble the power bowl. Once everything is prepped, layer the ingredients on top of the quinoa and finish with a drizzle of dressing to finalize your roasted chickpea bowl.
Video Tutorial
How To Store A Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl
Leftover quinoa and chickpea bowls can keep in the fridge in an air tight container for 3-5 days.
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Final Thoughts
Enjoy filling up on heart healthy plant based protein and fiber with this quinoa chickpea bowl.
The recipe makes four servings, so it is a great recipe to make on Monday, and eat for lunch or dinner throughout the week. It can be served cold, or heated up in the microwave. Add it to your meal prep rotation today.
And if you are looking for other heart-healthy meals subscribe to my newsletter for a FREE 7-day heart-healthy meal plan to get you started on lowering your blood pressure or cholesterol today.
This quinoa and chickpea bowl recipe and photos were created by Noor Saleem, Nutrition Student. Medically reviewed by Veronica Rouse, MAN, RD, CDE.
Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
- 1 Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Roasted Chickpeas
- 2 tbsp olive oilÂ
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp oreganoÂ
- 1 tsp chaat masalaÂ
- 2 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cinnamonÂ
- 1 tsp brown sugarÂ
- 1 sweet potato diced
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 cup broccoli  chopped
- ½ cup quinoa rinsed
Tahini Cilantro Lime Dressing
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 1 tbsp cilantro minced
- ½ lime juiced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200F.
- Mix the paprika, chili powder, garlic, oregano and chaat masala in a small bowl.
- Coat the chickpeas in the olive oil, and then add the spice mixture.
- Place chickpeas on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes at 200F until roasted.
- In the meantime, cube the sweet potato.
- Toss the sweet potato in olive oil, paprika, cinnamon and brown sugar. Place on a baking tray.
- Once chickpeas are roasted, increase oven temperature to 380F.
- Bake the sweet potato for 30-40 mins at 380F or until roasted.
- While the sweet potato cooks, mix the dressing, make quinoa according to the package and steam the broccoli on the stove top.
- To mix the dressing, use a small bowl, and combine the tahini, water, cilantro and lime together to make the dressing.
- Once everything is cooked, assemble the dish. Start with a layer of quinoa, and then top with roasted chickpeas, sweet potato and broccoli.Â
- Drizzle the dressing over the top and enjoy!