Chickpea Shawarma Bowl (Printable)
Spiced roasted chickpeas with fresh vegetables, pickles, and creamy tahini in a colorful plant-based bowl.
# What You'll Need:
→ Spiced Chickpeas
01 - 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 ½ 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 (optional)
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 (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large 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 (if using), 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 the chickpeas are golden and crisp.
03 - While the chickpeas roast, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, minced garlic, salt, and olive oil in a small bowl until smooth. Add additional water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the sauce reaches a drizzle-able consistency.
04 - Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, shred the lettuce, and chop the fresh parsley. Set aside.
05 - Divide the cooked grain or cauliflower rice among 4 bowls. Arrange the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, pickled cabbage, and parsley over the base. Top each bowl with the roasted chickpeas.
06 - Drizzle each bowl generously with tahini sauce. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It delivers every bold, street food flavor you crave without needing a grill, a spit, or any special equipment whatsoever.
- The chickpeas get so crispy and deeply spiced that even devoted meat eaters will forget they are eating something plant based.
02 -
- Wet chickpeas will steam instead of roast, so drying them thoroughly is the single step that determines whether you get crunch or mush.
- Tahini sauces thicken as they sit, so always make the sauce a little thinner than you think it needs to be.
03 -
- Let the chickpeas cool for just two minutes on the pan before serving so the crust sets and they stay crispy in the bowl.
- A final squeeze of lemon over the assembled bowl right before eating brightens every single flavor at once.