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    Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

    Chickpea Bowls with Peanut Sauce

    Published: Jun 21, 2020 · Modified: Aug 29, 2022 by Cassidy Reeser · This post may contain affiliate links.

    2.3K shares
    jump to recipe

    Creamy peanut sauce is combined with chickpeas, black pepper broccoli and rice for a healthy and flavorful meal that takes under 30 minutes to make!

    Gray bowl filled with chickpeas, broccoli, rice and a lime wedge
    Jump to:
    • 🍚 Recipe features
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 📋 Tips and customization
    • 💭 Recipe FAQ
    • Looking for more vegetarian bowls?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🍚 Recipe features

    • Diet-friendly: vegetarian, vegan, gluten and soy-free optional (just use tamari in place of soy sauce)
    • Quick & easy: ready in just 20 minutes using mostly pantry staples
    • Great for weeknight meals or meal prep
    • Balanced with healthy ingredients like black pepper broccoli and chickpeas

    This recipe was born out of a desire to make my peanut sauce tofu recipe when I didn't have any tofu on hand. These bowls definitely fall into the "nourish bowl" category because they are a balanced combination of grain, protein, veggie and sauce.

    🧾 Ingredients

    Sauce pot filled with chickpeas and peanut sauce
    • Chickpeas are an easy and healthy protein source and when paired with peanut sauce they are simply delicious.
    • White rice is my grain of choice, but brown rice, quinoa, etc. would work well here.
    • The sauce is made up of a few aromatic ingredients like ginger and garlic combined with the creaminess of coconut milk and creamy peanut butter. You can use reduced or full fat coconut milk.
    • Soy sauce can be replaced with tamari to make this recipe gluten-free and soy-free. I use reduced sodium soy sauce to limit added salt.
    • I use "natural" peanut butter because that's what I keep on hand, but any creamy peanut butter should work. Crunchy can even work in a pinch.
    • Broccoli: I use frozen broccoli florets because they are already par-cooked. This makes them cook very quickly in a hot pan.
    Close up of broccoli in cast iron pan

    📋 Tips and customization

    • Customization ideas: This recipe can easily be customized using whatever grain or bean you have on hand. Try the peanut sauce white black-eyed peas, white beans or even kidney beans.
    • Make it spicier by adding one teaspoon red pepper flakes or by doubling the sriracha.Ginger and garlic: You can use ½ teaspoon dry ginger or garlic powder in place of fresh. Just skip the sautéing step and add all ingredients to the pot at once.

    💭 Recipe FAQ

    Can I use fresh broccoli?

    Yes! I use frozen broccoli in place of fresh because it's easy to keep a bag on hand for last minute meals like this.

    If using fresh broccoli you will first need to steam it using your preferred method. It should be fork-tender and able to stand another 4 minutes of sautéing in a hot cast iron pan.

    Can I use another kind of nut butter?

    Almond butter would probably be the best substitute for peanut butter. The flavor will be slightly different but should still taste great.

    How long do leftovers keep?

    For best quality, enjoy leftovers within 3-4 days. Keep refrigerated in a closed container. You can reheat any leftovers in the microwave or reheat separate components on the stove.

    Two gray bowls filled with chickpeas, broccoli and rice on a gray background

    Looking for more vegetarian bowls?

    • Miso Roasted Sweet Potato Grain Bowls
    • Chickpea Curry Bowls with Roasted Vegetables
    • Black Eyed Pea Veggie Bowls
    • BBQ Tofu Bowls

    Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in the recipe card or a review down in the comments section. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow along on my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest or sign up for my newsletter!

    📖 Recipe

    Gray bowl filled with chickpeas, broccoli, rice and a lime wedge
    Print Recipe
    5 from 9 votes

    Peanut Sauce Chickpea and Broccoli Bowls

    Creamy peanut sauce is combined with chickpeas, black pepper broccoli and rice for a healthy and flavorful meal that takes under 30 minutes to make!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Servings: 5 servings
    Author: Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD

    Ingredients

    • 2 cans (15-16 ounces) chickpeas drained and rinsed (about 3 cups chickpeas)
    • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon peanut oil, divided can also use olive or canola oil
    • 1 tablespoon minced garlic see note #1
    • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
    • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
    • 1 can (14 ounces) lite coconut milk
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce preferably reduced sodium
    • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon sriracha
    • 16 ounces frozen broccoli cooked according to package instructions (see note 2)
    • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • fresh ground black pepper to taste
    • 2 cups cooked white rice for serving
    • fresh chopped cilantro for serving
    • 5 lime wedges for serving

    Instructions

    • Heat 1 teaspoon peanut oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Once hot, add ginger and garlic. Saute until lightly browned and aromatic, about 1 minute.
    • Add the peanut butter, lite coconut milk, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Whisk to combine.
    • Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to simmer over low, whisking occasionally to prevent sticking. Once thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon without sliding off, add the two cans of drained chickpeas. Stir to coat. Let simmer while you prepare the broccoli.
    • To make the broccoli, heat a large cast iron pan (or other large skillet) over medium-high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon peanut oil. Add steamed broccoli and black peppercorns to the hot oil. Allow broccoli to cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until browned. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ample black pepper after cooking.
    • Assemble rice, chickpeas and broccoli in individual bowls. Top with a squeeze of lime juice, cilantro and black pepper to taste.

    Notes

    1. Ginger and garlic: You can use ½ teaspoon dry ginger or garlic powder in place of fresh. Just skip the sautéing step and add all ingredients to the pot at once.
    2. Broccoli: I use frozen bags of broccoli florets because they are easy to keep on hand. You can the same amount of use steamed fresh broccoli if you prefer. 
    3. Leftovers: For best quality, enjoy leftovers within 3-4 days. Keep refrigerated in a closed container. You can reheat any leftovers in the microwave or reheat separate components on the stove.

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    Serving: 1bowlCalories: 537kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 20gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 621mgPotassium: 786mgFiber: 12gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 592IUVitamin C: 85mgCalcium: 115mgIron: 4mg

    More Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

    • Baked Sweet Potato Bowls with Tempeh
    • One Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac
    • Rice and Bean Casserole with Sweet Potatoes
    • Vegetarian Red Curry Noodles (One Pot)
    2.3K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sage

      October 09, 2022 at 4:34 pm

      So good! I used almond butter instead of peanut, and the chickpeas are so delicious!!

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        October 10, 2022 at 11:29 am

        Thank you for the review! I bet the almond butter swap was delicious.

        Reply
    2. K

      June 19, 2022 at 9:01 am

      I LOVE anything made with peanut sauce and this recipe really delivers it. I'll make it again and again

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        June 20, 2022 at 10:23 am

        Thanks so much for the review! 🙂

        Reply
      • Tahlia

        August 14, 2022 at 6:59 am

        I don't usually post reviews but had to with this one it is so good! I did make a few changes in adding more garlic and some sesame oil to the sauce, cooking up asparagus with the broccoli and serving with avocado on the side as well!

        Reply
        • Cassidy Reeser

          August 15, 2022 at 8:23 am

          Sounds delicious! Thanks for the review 🙂

          Reply

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    Hi, I’m Cassidy! I’m the registered dietitian behind Cozy Peach Kitchen, a food and nutrition blog sharing easy vegetarian recipes for every occasion.

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