How to Make Za’atar Roasted Chickpea Bowls with Harissa Yogurt

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These bowls are packed full of feel good food. They’re vegetarian & meatless but have plenty of protein. They will even satisfy the “meat & potatoes” person in your family.

What is Za’atar & Harissa?

Za’atar is a seasoning blend of Middle Eastern herbs. The blend typically has “ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, or some combination thereof, mixed with toasted sesame seeds, and salt, though other spices such as sumac might also be added.” (Wikipedia)

Bonus – Za’atar seasoning blends are high in anti-oxidants. Woohoo!

Za’atar seasoning blends are readily available in the spice aisle of most grocery stores. You can also make your own blend if you prefer. I don’t have a recipe for a homemade blend but there are recipes available online.

Harissa paste is made from roasted red peppers. It typically includes garlic, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin & olive oil. You can usually find mild or spicy versions in the world foods section. I used a mild version for this recipe & added a little cayenne pepper to the sauce. You could use the spicy paste & omit the cayenne if you like more heat.

How do I prepare chickpea bowls?

This recipe requires one sheet pan & two bowls. One bowl for the harissa yogurt sauce & one bowl for the kale salad. You’ll need a few other tools as well, like a cutting board, knife, & measuring spoons.

First step is to prepare the vegetables & chickpeas to be roasted. While they roast, we have time to make the sauce & salad. Then we assemble the bowls with everything you just made & add a little crumbled feta on top.

These bowls are worth every minute you spend cooking. They are so good!

What do I serve with roasted chickpea bowls?

This recipe has just about everything covered! Lean protein – check. Carbs – check. Non-starchy vegetable – check. A little healthy fat to keep you fuller longer. And all the anti-oxidants in the seasoning plus a bunch of great fiber from all the plants.

Out of the food groups, the one that’s missing here is grains. It’s not lacking in carbs though, so you’ll definitely want to choose a whole grain that’s less processed. Like whole wheat pitas or wild rice.

Have you tried this recipe? Please let me know how it goes! I really appreciate all of your feedback & I love seeing your creations. Don’t forget to take a quick pic of your creation & tag This & That on Instagram or Facebook.

Za’atar Roasted Chickpea Bowls with Harissa Yogurt

Stephanie Ralya
Healthy & fresh one pan meal that's packed FULL of feel good food. It's totally meatless but still managers to satisfy the "meat & potatoes" person in your family.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 15 oz Canned Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans
  • 1 head Cauliflower
  • 1 lb Large Carrots or baby carrots
  • 4.5 T Olive Oil
  • 5 t Za'atar Seasoning Blend
  • 1 1/2 t Garlic Powder
  • 1 t Salt

Harissa Yogurt

  • 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt full fat
  • 4 t Harissa Paste mild (spicy optional, omit cayenne)
  • 1/8 – 1/4 t Cayenne Powder

Kale Salad

  • 4 cups Chopped Kale ribs removed
  • 1 Lemon
  • 1 1/2 T Olive Oil
  • 1/4 t Salt
  • 4 oz Feta crumbled

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 F.
  • Drain & rinse the chickpeas. Pat dry with a paper towel. Remove the husks from the beans by gently rolling them between 2 paper towels. If the skin/husk does not easily come off, do not worry about removing it. Add the chickpeas to a large sheet pan.
  • Prepare the cauliflower by cutting all of the florets off of the head. Cut them into bite size pieces. Add them to the sheet pan with the chickpeas.
  • Prepare the carrots. Cut large carrots into small sections, pinky finger length or shorter. Halve or quarter the carrots or baby carrots lengthwise to all be about the same size. Add them to the sheet pan.
  • Drizzle the olive oil, za'atar seasoning, garlic powder & salt all over the cauliflower, carrots, & chickpeas. Toss to evenly coat. Roast for 25- 30 minutes until carrots & cauliflower have softened & browned to your preference.

Make the sauce & salad:

  • Add all of the sauce ingredients to a small bowl. Stir to combine & refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Prepare the salad by adding all of the kale to a medium bowl. Zest the lemon & reserve zest for later. Roll lemon between your hand & the counter for 30 seconds before cutting & juicing into the kale. Add the olive oil & salt to the kale. Massage salad for 2 minutes & set aside until ready to use.

"Plate" & Serve

  • Take 1/4 of the yogurt sauce & make a large swoosh around the bottom/side of the bowl. Add a handful of the kale salad to the other half of the bowl. Top with the roasted vegetables & chickpeas. Add feta & lemon zest. Repeat for each bowl.
  • Enjoy!
Keyword easy, healthy, kid-friendly, meatless, Middle Eastern, one pan, vegetarian