Chickpea: We’ve got to stop meeting like this. Quinoa: Why, when we fit together so beautifully, your Rubenesque form nestled in my bed of tiny spheres and tendrils… Chickpea: Stop it, you’re making me blush. Or is that the smoked paprika? Whatever. It was good while it lasted, but I want to see other grains. Real grains, not some little pseudocereal. Someone big and meaty, like Farro. Quinoa: Farro! He’s not even gluten-free! Go ahead, give him a whirl, but you’ll be back. The smaller the package, the bigger the gift. Chickpea: Uh, yeah, right. And so it was that Quinoa and Chickpea decided to give their relationship a break, but not before one last roll in the, er, bowl:

Okay, that little scenario was weird. But probably not as weird as the fact that I keep pairing chickpeas with quinoa. I didn’t realize how often I was combining them until I looked back to see what I was making in September of 2008: Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas with Tomato Charmoula and Quinoa. Which looks a lot like the Cumin-Infused Vegetables and Chickpeas Over Quinoa that I posted a couple of weeks ago. And then there’s Ridiculously Easy Curried Chickpeas and Quinoa, International Quinoa Salad, Cosmic Cashew Kale and Chickpeas with Confetti Quinoa, and so on. I have to find some new favorite ingredients!

Honestly, you don’t need quinoa for this bowl. It’s just as good with brown rice or any other grain. As so often happens, I was running short on time and needed to get supper on the table quickly, and quinoa has the wonderful quality of cooking in about 20 minutes.

Cooking the quinoa is the most time-consuming part of this recipe, and if you have some already cooked, so much the better.

The chickpeas, which I call “dry-spiced” because they’re cooked with very little liquid so that the spices form a coating around them, take about 15 minutes to cook and the broccoli about 5 minutes to steam. Put them all together with a creamy tahini sauce (modeled on my Tahini-Chickpea Dressing) and you have a delicious, Middle Eastern-inspired one-bowl meal.

Print 5 from 5 votes Add to Recipe BoxGo to Recipe Box Chickpea and Broccoli Bowl with Tahini Sauce If you use sweet (dulce) smoked paprika, these dry-spiced chickpeas will be smoky and cuminy but not spicy. You can change this by using hot smoked paprika , adding a little cayenne pepper, or serving with Sriracha or other hot sauce. Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Total Time 40 minutes Servings 6 Author Susan Voisin Ingredients 3 cups cooked quinoa made from 1 cup uncooked grain, brown rice, or other grain 3 cups cooked quinoa made from 1 cup uncooked grain, brown rice, or other grain SAUCE 2/3 cup water 2/3 cup water

1/3 cup chickpeas 1/3 cup chickpeas

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini 2 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon chia seed optional, for thickness 1 tablespoon chia seed optional, for thickness

2 cloves garlic 2 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin CHICKPEAS 2 medium onions chopped 2 medium onions chopped

4 cloves garlic minced 4 cloves garlic minced

2 teaspoons cumin seeds 2 teaspoons cumin seeds

3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 cans, drained 3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 cans, drained

1/4 cup water 1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika hot or mild or a combination 2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika hot or mild or a combination

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt to taste salt to taste VEGETABLES 1 large bunch broccoli cut into small florets 1 large bunch broccoli cut into small florets

1 cup baby carrots or sliced carrots 1 cup baby carrots or sliced carrots Instructions Make sure you have 3 cups cooked quinoa or other grain on-hand. If not, cook 1 cup according to package directions.

Place the sauce ingredients into a blender and blend at high speed until completely smooth. Set aside. (If you’re using chia seeds, the sauce will thicken as it sits and may need additional water blended in just before using.)

Cook the chickpeas: Heat a large, non-stick saucepan. Add the onions and cook until they soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. (Add water by the tablespoon if necessary to prevent sticking.) Add the garlic and cumin seeds and cook 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the chickpeas, water, paprika, and cumin. Stir well, cover, and cook on low, stirring often, for 10-15 minutes. (Most of the liquid will evaporate, but if they get too dry, add water by the tablespoon.) Check seasoning and add salt to taste.

While the chickpeas are cooking, steam the broccoli and carrots for about 5 minutes, until tender but still brightly colored.

Assemble the bowl with grain on the bottom and chickpeas and vegetables on top. Stir or blend the sauce, adding water if it’s too thick, and drizzle over all. Nutrition Facts Chickpea and Broccoli Bowl with Tahini Sauce Amount Per Serving (1 bowl) Calories 363 Calories from Fat 68 % Daily Value* Fat 7.6g 12% Sodium 286mg 12% Carbohydrates 61g 20% Fiber 14.4g 60% Sugar 9.9g 11% Protein 17.2g 34% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Tried this recipe? Post a photo to Instagram and tag @susanffvk

More Creative Vegan Bowls:

Enjoy!

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