These sweet potato and chickpea quinoa bowls are topped with an addicting maple tahini dressing and take little work to put together. While the veggies roast in the oven, all you have to do is cook the quinoa and whisk the dressing together. They pack up to 28g of protein per serving!
“the easiest and most delicious way to give your body a fulfilling healthy meal!!” –Sarah on Pinterest (reader comment shared from this pin)
I love this recipe because it shows eating vegan can be easy, flavorful, and satisfying. I also love how it makes for a perfect meal prep recipe! I enjoy switching up the veggies and grains I use, so it never gets boring.
Coming from a medical health sciences background, I like to create balanced, nourishing meals. The crispy chickpeas and quinoa provide protein to keep you energized, while sweet potatoes add complex carbohydrates. The brussels sprouts crisp up to perfection in the oven, adding fiber to the dish. Additionally, the maple tahini drizzle adds plant-based fats while perfectly complementing the warm winter flavors of this bowl!
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Ingredient notes
You’ll need these ingredients for these roasted veggie bowls.
- Brussels sprouts: I use fresh brussels sprouts, but feel free to substitute frozen brussels sprouts. Simply watch closely to make sure they don’t burn.
- Sweet potatoes: Any kind of sweet potatoes will work for this recipe, amounting to about 1 lb. of sweet potatoes.
- Quinoa: Any kind of quinoa, like white or tri-colored, works for these winter bowls.
- Vegetable broth: Instead of using 2 cups of vegetable broth, you can mix 2 teaspoons of vegetable bouillon with 2 cups of water to replace it. Simply be mindful of how much salt you add, as bouillon is often saltier than broth.
- Balsamic vinegar
- Chickpeas: I use canned chickpeas, but feel free to use an equivalent amount of cooked chickpeas.
- Turmeric and nutmeg
- Tahini: Use a high-quality, easily pourable tahini brand, like Tarazi.
- Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice for the best taste.
- Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup.
- Pepitas: Optional but recommended, pepitas add a delightful crunchy topping. Raw or roasted pepitas work.They add 1-2 grams of protein per serving, helping you get to 28g of protein!
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities.
Substitutions and variations
- Grains: Try wild rice, brown rice, or farro instead of quinoa!
- Veggies: Try switching up the veggies, like substituting the brussels sprouts with broccoli or the sweet potatoes with butternut squash!
- Tahini: Try cashew butter or almond butter instead of tahini, if you’re looking for a substitute.
- Chickpeas: You can try white beans instead of chickpeas.
- Protein: Add roasted tofu or tempeh for extra protein.
- Oil-free: Simply omit the olive oil for an oil-free version. Leave the chickpeas slightly damp before tossing with the spices, so they adhere.
How to make sweet potato and chickpea quinoa bowls
I love that these bowls are easy to make. There’s just a couple simple steps to complete while the veggies roast.
Step 1: Begin roasting the seasoned sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts. About halfway through roasting, add the seasoned chickpeas to the tray.
Step 2: Continue roasting the chickpeas with the veggies until browned and crispy.
Step 3: Cook the quinoa and fluff with a fork.
Step 4: Simply whisk the maple tahini dressing together.
Top tips
- For extra crispy chickpeas, pat them completely dry with a towel before tossing with olive oil and spices.
- Set timers when you roast the veggies to make sure you don’t overcook them. The brussels sprouts are ready once browned, and the sweet potatoes are ready once fork-tender.
- If the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid while cooking but still looks dry, you may have used too high of heat. Simply add a bit more liquid and cook, covered, until it’s evaporated. Fluff with a fork once done.
FAQs
Yes! They will roast quicker in the air fryer than in the oven, so make sure to check on them. Try air frying at 375F for 20-24 mins, checking halfway. If they start to brown quickly, reduce the temperature to 350F.
To reach the full 28g of protein per serving, make sure to include the pepitas, which have 2 grams of protein per serving. For even more protein, marinate and bake 7-8 oz of tofu or tempeh alongside the veggies, which will add an additional 8-15 grams of protein per serving. One of my favorite baked tofu recipes is za’atar tofu.
You can also sprinkle hemp seeds on top of your sweet potato quinoa bowls. They have a mild taste, pack up to 3 grams of protein per tablespoon, and add extra crunch.
Storage and reheating
Store roasted veggies, cooked quinoa, and maple tahini dressing separately in the fridge. They will last for 5 days in the fridge.
Reheat the roasted veggies and quinoa separately in the microwave before serving. Alternatively, warm up the quinoa in a small pot and bake the veggies, covered, in the oven at 375 for 15 mins, or until warmed through.
The dressing will thicken in the fridge. Simply thin it with some water and stir or shake before serving.
Meal prep
One of the things I love about this recipe is that it’s a perfect vegan main dish for meal prepping! Simply store roasted veggies, cooked quinoa, and sauce separately. Alternatively, portion the quinoa with roasted veggies on top and store in individual serving containers. Store the sauce separately. Reheat, and drizzle on the dressing before serving.
Sauces for quinoa bowls
Quinoa bowls are so versatile. One of the easiest ways to switch them up is to change out the dressing for another sauce! Here are some of my favorite sauces to serve with these bowls.
- Maple tahini dressing is a sauce I specifically created to match the flavors of this bowl. If you love sweetness and warm flavors– this is your dressing!
- Lemon tahini sauce is a citrusy, creamy sauce if you prefer something less sweet.
- If you prefer a savory, flavorful sauce, try my vegan roasted red pepper sauce! It dresses up any grain bowl with Mediterranean flavors.
More vegan mains you’ll love
If you like quinoa, chickpeas, and warm, hearty flavors, here are some more recipes I think you'll love!
If you made this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! Don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and review below.
Pin it on Pinterest for later or share your recreations with me on Facebook or Instagram @zenandzaatar! 🥰 I can’t wait to see how you serve it!
Recipe
High-Protein Sweet Potato and Chickpea Quinoa Bowls
Ingredients
Chickpeas
Maple Tahini Dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- pinch of salt (about ¼ teaspoon)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Peel and cube sweet potatoes into about 1 inch cubes. Trim the brussels sprouts by cutting off the brown end. Halve the brussels sprouts, if desired.1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, 1 lb brussels sprouts
- Place brussels sprouts and sweet potato cubes on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving room to add the chickpeas later. Toss the brussels sprouts in the balsamic vinegar. Drizzle olive oil over all the veggies and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.* Bake sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts for 30-40 minutes, until the brussels sprouts are browned and the sweet potato cubes are soft inside.2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Rinse and drain chickpeas. Toss with olive oil and coat in spices (salt, pepper, turmeric, and nutmeg).** Put them on the baking sheet with the rest of the vegetables 20 minutes into baking.1 15 oz. can chickpeas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- While veggies are roasting, prepare the quinoa. Rinse and drain quinoa. Bring quinoa and vegetable broth to a boil in a pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lower heat, cover pot, and simmer until quinoa is fully cooked and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork and set aside.1 cup quinoa, 2 cups vegetable broth
- Prepare maple tahini sauce by whisking together all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.***¼ cup tahini, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon water, 1 ½ tablespoon maple syrup, pinch of salt
- Assemble your bowls! Place roasted veggies over a bed of quinoa in a bowl. Drizzle with maple tahini and top with pepitas if desired. Enjoy!3 tablespoon pepitas or pumpkin seeds
Notes
- *Simply omit the olive oil if you are making this oil-free.
- **If making this oil free, leave the chickpeas slightly damp, so the spices will adhere.
- ***Read tips on how to make the perfect maple tahini dressing.
- You may find it helpful to set a timer for 20 minutes into baking to remember to add the chickpeas.
Cheyenne says
This looks super good! I can’t wait to try! Do you have a substitution for tahini in the sauce?
Cheyenne says
This looks super good! I can’t wait to try! Do you have a substitution for tahini in the sauce?
Cheyenne says
This looks super good! I can’t wait to try! Do you have a substitution for tahini in the sauce?
Zena | Zen and Zaatar says
I would recommend almond butter or peanut butter instead. It might be better with lime juice or vinegar instead of lemon juice if you do that, and just add water as needed at the end. Let me know how it goes!
Kristy colon says
Looks delicious. Any suggestions to keep it savory without maple syrup? Thanks!
Zena | Zen and Zaatar says
You can simply omit the maple syrup, and add water a little bit at a time if it needs more thinning. Hope you love it! 🙂
Rachel says
Just made this for meal prepped lunches. SOOOOOO good, than you!
Amber says
I cannot wait to make this for my lunches! Do you happen to know the calories per serving?
Thanks!