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    Home » Recipes » Main Course

    Chickpea Vegetable Rice Bowl

    Published: May 21, 2020 . Modified: Apr 18, 2025 by Allie

    This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    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 dijon cashew 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.  

    chickpea vegetable rice bowl

    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.

    For more easy chickpea recipes, try a vegan chickpea broccoli rice salad, Mediterranean hummus bowl, spiced chickpea couscous bowl, or a chickpea tahini bowl with roasted sweet potatoes.

    Jump to:
    • How to make chickpea rice bowl
    • Tips for easy chickpea bowl
    • Oil-free dressings
    • More rice and quinoa bowl recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    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.  Instead of creamy dijon cashew dressing, top your brown rice and chickpeas with roasted red pepper salad dressing, vegan cashew ranch, or maple dijon tahini 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.
    chickpea vegetable rice bowl

    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
    • Vegan taco bowl with lentil taco meat, brown rice, limes, corn, tomatoes in a bowl.
      Vegan Taco Bowl Recipe
    • Vegan deconstructed sushi bowl with vegetables in a bowl.
      Deconstructed Sushi Bowl (Vegan)
    • Peanut tofu Buddha bowl with mango and a peanut sauce.
      Peanut Tofu Buddha Bowl
    • Mustard tempeh buddha bowl with avocado, sweet potato, kale, quinoa, and apple in a bowl.
      Maple Mustard Tempeh Buddha Bowl with Quinoa

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

    Print

    Recipe

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    chickpea vegetable rice bowl

    Chickpea Vegetable Rice Bowl


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 2 reviews

    • Author: Allie
    • Total Time: 45 minutes
    • Yield: 5-6 servings 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
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    Description

    This easy chickpea vegetable rice bowl is ready in 45 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner. The dish is loaded with veggies, my Chipotle inspired cilantro lime rice, and cashew dijon dressing for some more flavor.  


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
    • 1 recipe cilantro lime brown rice
    • 1 recipe cashew dijon dressing (recipe calls for soaked cashews)
    • ¼ bunch fresh cilantro (chopped)
    • 5 cups kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, or your favorite fresh greens chopped
    • 4 cups fresh vegetables (chopped cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, or cucumber)

    Instructions

    1. Make the recipe for cilantro lime brown rice.
    2. Meanwhile make the cashew dijon dressing and chop all the vegetables.
    3. To assemble the bowls place the desired amount of rice, chickpeas, greens, and other vegetables in each bowl.
    4. Top it off with chopped fresh cilantro and cashew dijon dressing.
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 40 minutes
    • Category: Main Course
    • Method: stovetop
    • Cuisine: American

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @threelittlechickpeasblog on Instagram and hashtag it #threelittlechickpeasblog

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    1. Joan

      April 06, 2021 at 7:45 am

      I love the rice with the cashew dressing, the whole family enjoyed it!

      Reply
      • Allie

        April 06, 2021 at 10:46 am

        I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply
    2. Sara

      July 09, 2020 at 6:10 pm

      Love the recipe!

      Reply
      • Allie

        July 09, 2020 at 6:27 pm

        I'm so glad you like the recipe!

        Reply

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    Chickpeas, cilantro lime rice, tomatoes, cauliflower, lettuce, with a cashew dressing