Chickpea Buddha Bowl with Tahini Lime Dressing

The chickpea bowl comes together with simple ingredients like chickpeas, rice, corn, cucumber, lettuce, and red bell pepper, so it feels hearty without being complicated. The warm chickpeas and rice pair well with the cool, crunchy vegetables and the creamy dressing, keeping every bite balanced and flavorful.

Try this Buddha bowl with your favorite vegetables, use cilantro brown rice, or swap the lime tahini dressing for a vegan chipotle dressing.  For more chickpea recipes, try a potato Buddha bowl with roasted red pepper dressing, a chickpea couscous bowl, or a Mediterranean hummus bowl.

Recipe features

• Salsa-simmered chickpeas add lots of flavor with pantry-friendly ingredients
• Creamy cilantro lime tahini dressing adds a fresh, zesty finish
• Easy to customize with different grains, vegetables, and toppings
• Great for easy lunches or quick dinners
• Vegan, dairy-free, and easy to keep oil-free

Ingredient notes and substitutions

A Buddha bowl usually includes a grain, vegetables, plant-based protein, and a flavorful sauce. This version uses rice, salsa-simmered chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and tahini lime dressing.  The recipe uses simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for the full list and exact measurements.

Rice or grain - We enjoy this easy meal with basmati rice or millet.  Brown rice, white rice, and quinoa also work well in these veggie rice bowls.  Leftover rice is a great option if you want faster assembly.

Chickpeas - The recipe calls for two cans of chickpeas for convenience, but about three cups of cooked chickpeas can be used if you're not using the canned variety. For another recipe with chickpeas, try tomato chickpea stew with spinach. 

Chunky salsa - Salsa adds flavor to the chickpeas without needing a long list of ingredients. We use store-bought mild chunky salsa to season and flavor the chickpeas.  I haven't tried it with a fresh pico de Gallo or a thin salsa, so I can't say for sure how well they would work.  Pico de Gallo should work fine, but a thin salsa might make the chickpeas more saucy.

Red bell pepper - The red bell pepper can be enjoyed raw instead of cooked.  For a substitution, try sliced cherry tomatoes, chopped broccoli, or any vegetable that sounds good and is in season.

Frozen roasted corn - Corn adds a little sweetness and texture. We love the flavor of frozen roasted corn, but feel free to substitute with regular frozen sweet corn, canned corn, or corn fresh off the cob when it's in season.

Romaine lettuce - Lettuce adds freshness and crunch. Romaine works well, but spinach or mixed greens can also be used.

English cucumber - We enjoy English cucumbers; they don't have to be peeled, and the seeds are small.  If you prefer, substitute them with chopped tomatoes, fresh chopped broccoli, thinly sliced radishes, or more red bell pepper.

Lime tahini dressing - The tahini-based sauce pairs tahini, fresh lime juice, and cilantro for an easy, flavorful sauce.  The vegan oil-free salad dressing can be substituted with vegan chipotle dressing, cilantro cashew dressing, vegan lemon tahini dressing, or smoky tahini dressing.

How to customize this chickpea bowl

This chickpea tahini bowl is easy to customize with different grains, vegetables, toppings, or sauces depending on what you have on hand.

Grain swaps - Brown rice, salsa brown rice, basmati rice, cilantro lime brown rice, quinoa, millet, or cauliflower rice all work well in this bowl.

Vegetable swaps - Try spinach, romaine, arugula, shredded cabbage, cherry tomatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli, thinly sliced radishes, cucumber pico, zucchini, and red, orange, or yellow bell peppers.

Topping ideas - Avocado, pickled red onions, pickled white onions, pickled balsamic onions, pickled jalapeños, fresh chopped cilantro, roasted pumpkin seeds, or crunchy tortilla strips all add great flavor and texture.

Sauce swaps - Swap the lime tahini dressing for lemon herb tahini, chipotle sauce, smoky tahini dressing, cilantro cashew dressing, or cashew lime crema.

Tips

• If you prefer, the corn and red bell pepper don't need to be cooked.  Instead, thaw the corn and add raw sliced red bell pepper to the chickpea veggie bowl.
• Let the chickpeas simmer long enough for some of the salsa liquid to cook off. That helps the chickpeas stay flavorful without making the bowl watery.
• Chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces so the bowl is easier to eat and everything mixes well.

How to make a chickpea Buddha bowl

1. Cook the rice according to the package instructions.  When it's done, remove the pot from the burner and leave the lid on for 10 minutes.  Then remove the lid and fluff the rice.

2. Cook the red bell pepper and frozen corn in a preheated medium saucepan on medium heat just until the bell pepper has softened but isn't mushy and the frozen corn has thawed, about 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Then set it aside.

3. Reuse the saucepan and heat the chickpeas with the salsa until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes.  Stirring occasionally.

4. Meanwhile, make the tahini lime dressing.

5. Add the rice, red bell pepper, corn, chickpeas, cucumbers, and lettuce to each bowl.  Then top the bowls with tahini dressing.