Chickpea Vegetable Rice Bowl

This easy chickpea vegetable rice bowl is ready in 45 minutes for a healthy weeknight dinner.  The only reason it takes so long is that the brown rice takes some time to cook.  Everything else can be prepared while you wait for the rice to finish cooking. 

The dish is loaded with veggies and simple ingredients! I like to use raw cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, and romaine lettuce (or baby kale). The recipe uses Chipotle-inspired cilantro lime brown rice, creamy cashew dijon dressing, and fresh chopped cilantro for more flavor. This chickpea rice bowl is adaptable to whatever you have on hand or your preferences for veggies.  

This simple chickpeas and brown rice recipe came out of having no inspiration for dinner, not wanting to cook, yet wanting a filling healthy dinner. That's what I love so much about grain/rice bowls, they're satisfying and so adaptable. Now it's one of my family's favorite meals.

For a basic outline for grain/rice bowls: fill a quarter of your bowl with a cooked grain, a quarter of your bowl with a legume, a quarter of your bowl with leafy greens, the last quarter with another vegetable, then top it with a flavorful dressing.

How to make chickpea rice bowl

The dressing recipe calls for soaked raw cashews.  They’re best if soaked overnight in the refrigerator unless you know your high-speed blender can handle them.  If you forget to soak the cashews, try soaking them in hot water for at least a couple of hours. Honestly, if I decide to make the dressing at the last minute any soaking time is better than none and my sauce just won’t be as smooth. 

Onto the rice, make two cups of brown rice according to its package instructions.  Meanwhile, chop your veggies, drain your chickpeas, and make the dressing.  Once the rice is done, add the salt, garlic powder, lime juice, and fresh cilantro. 

Stir to combine.  Add your desired amount of rice, chickpeas, vegetables, and your favorite greens to a bowl.  Then top your brown rice and chickpeas with the cashew dijon dressing.

Tips for easy chickpea bowl

• Soak the cashews the night before or 6-8 hours for a smooth consistency.
• Prep your vegetables while waiting for the rice to cook or in advance.
• Substitute the raw vegetables for ones that suit your preferences.
• Everything can be prepped ahead of time for meal prepping or to make your weeknight dinner routine easier. Store the raw vegetables, sauce, and rice separately. The chickpeas can be stored with rice or separately.
• Chickpeas can be substituted for any cooked bean, I just like the versatility of chickpeas.
• The brown rice can be substituted with white rice, just cook according to the instructions on the rice package. Then add the rest of the ingredients according to the recipe.
• If you don't have cashews I have a dijon tahini dressing that will also work for this vegetable bowl or try it with my smoky tahini dressing.

Oil-free dressings

• Peanut dipping sauce
• Cashew dijon dressing
• Dijon tahini dressing
• Smoky tahini dressing
• Strawberry vinaigrette
• Oil-free hummus

More rice and quinoa bowl recipes

• Butternut Squash Buddha Bowl
• Burrito Bowl
• Roasted Sweet Potato Nourish Bowl
• Vegan Southwest Sweet Potato Bowl
• Tahini Chickpea Sweet Potato Bowl

I hope you enjoy the recipe for the chickpea bowl with rice!