Harissa Chickpea Bowl

This harissa chickpea bowl tastes a lot more nuanced than it is. In fact, I’ve been leaning on this recipe recently when I’ve felt tired, lazy, and hungry and want to order take-out instead of cooking because it really doesn’t require much thought or effort, yet it is so delicious, spicy, savory, and fresh - it hits the spot every time!

For being so easy to throw together, this bowl is super satisfying, nourishing, and packs a whopping punch of flavor. The crispy chickpeas provide textural interest, and the fresh, cooling vegetables and creamy tahini dressing add harmonious contrast to the spiciness of the chickpeas.

With just the simple addition of some Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base and turmeric, the rice becomes more special and contributes to the overall flavor of the dish. If you don’t have the bouillon base, simply use vegetable broth instead of water.

I’ve used several different brands of harissa. Some are quite spicy, and some are mild. If you are sensitive to spice, make sure you taste it before hand and cut back on the amount below. If yours is mild and you like more heat, add a few dashes of cayenne or some dried chili flakes.

Note

Not all tahini is created equal and the flavor can vary a lot from brand to brand. You may need to add more sweetness (and possibly a bit more salt) to the sauce to balance out the tahini if it is too bitter. I’ve had good luck with the Trader Joes tahini, as well as brands I’ve picked up from the Mediterranean & Middle Eastern sections of our grocery store (particularly the Sadaf brand is good).

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the recipe

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Harissa Chickpea Bowl

Yield: 2

Author: MADELINE APPEL

Ingredients

Harissa Chickpeas

• 16oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 TBS harissa 
• 1 TBS grapeseed or olive oil
• 1/2 TBS maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Yellow Rice

• 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base
• 1/8 tsp turmeric

Vegetables

• 1 cucumber, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1-2 cups cabbage, finely shredded (or salad greens)

Tahini Dressing

• 3 TBS tahini
• 3 TBS hot water
• 1.5 TBS lemon juice
• 1 TBS maple syrup
• 1 tsp soy sauce 
• 1/4 tsp sriracha 

Instructions

Harissa Chickpeas

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Mix the rinsed chickpeas in a bowl with the other ingredients. 
3. Spread the chickpeas on a parchment lined baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, until crispy.

Yellow Rice

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve for about a minute.
2. Put the rice and remaining ingredients into an Instant Pot and pressure cook for 3 minutes on high and then natural release for 15 minutes*

Vegetables, Tahini Dressing, and Assembly

1. Chop the vegetables and set aside. 
2. Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together. Since some tahini brands are more bitter than others, add more maple syrup, soy sauce, and lemon juice to taste (with the most focus on the maple syrup/sweet element). Set aside.
3. Arrange the rice, crispy chickpeas, and vegetables in your bowl and drizzle the tahini dressing on top!

Notes:

*If you do not have an instant pot, cook it on the stove as you normally would, but with the addition of the bullion base and turmeric.