Spiced Chickpea Bowls with Pistachio Rice and Creamy Garlic Sauce

These vibrant bowls bring all the warm, aromatic flavors of shawarma to a plant-based dinner. Crispy roasted chickpeas, tender onion wedges and juicy tomato are tossed in a fragrant spice blend, then served over fluffy basmati rice studded with crunchy pistachios. A drizzle of creamy garlic sauce and a dash of hot sauce finish the dish with tangy heat.

Perfect for a weeknight, this recipe comes together quickly with simple ingredients. The rice cooks while the veggies roast, so everything is ready at once. Feel free to adjust the hot sauce to your liking-or leave it out for a milder meal.

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Ingredients

1 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce PistachiosView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Basmati RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

13.4 ounce ChickpeasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Veggie Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Halve, peel and cut the red onion into ½-inch-thick wedges. Mince a few wedges until you have 2 tablespoons (4 tablespoons for 4 servings). Peel and mince or grate the garlic. Roughly chop the pistachios. Cut the Roma tomato into ½-inch-thick wedges. Drain and rinse the chickpeas; pat them very dry with paper towels. Roughly chop the cilantro. Zest and quarter the lemon.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small pot over medium-high heat (use 2 tablespoons butter and a medium pot for 4 servings). Add the minced onion, half the garlic, half the pistachios (save the rest for serving), half the shawarma spice blend and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the rice, ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4), the veggie stock concentrate and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until the rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to use.
3. Meanwhile, on a baking sheet, toss the onion wedges, tomato and chickpeas with a generous drizzle of olive oil, the remaining shawarma spice blend, pepper and a few pinches of salt. (For 4 servings, divide everything between 2 baking sheets; roast on the top and middle racks, tossing the veggies and swapping rack positions halfway through.) Roast on the top rack, tossing halfway through, until the veggies are tender and lightly charred and the chickpeas are crispy, 18-20 minutes. Note: It’s normal for chickpeas to pop a bit while roasting.
4. While the veggies and chickpeas roast, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream with the remaining garlic to taste. Season with salt. Stir in water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
5. Fluff the rice with a fork; stir in 1 tablespoon butter and half the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Once the veggies and chickpeas are done, toss them with the lemon zest.
6. Divide the rice among shallow bowls. Top with the roasted veggies and chickpeas. Drizzle with the garlicky white sauce and hot sauce to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining pistachios and remaining cilantro. Squeeze lemon juice over the top to taste; serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of rice?

Yes, but cooking times may vary. For best results, use basmati rice as it complements the spices and pistachios well.

What can I substitute for the shawarma spice blend?

You can make your own by combining cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne. Use about 1 tablespoon total.

Is this recipe vegan?

As written, it contains butter and sour cream. To make it vegan, substitute the butter with olive oil or a plant-based butter and use a vegan sour cream or yogurt.