Bursting with flavor from a lemon-honey glaze and warming spices, these Carrot & Chickpea Bowls are fantastic for weeknight dinners. All you need is 10 minutes of active cooking time to make this protein-packed vegetarian meal!
Carrots and chickpeas on their own may not be the most exciting, but when combined with cozy spices (coriander! cinnamon! nutmeg!) and a honey-lemon glaze, the results are fabulous.
Make these Spiced Carrot & Chickpea Bowls if you're craving a nourishing vegetarian lunch that doesn't skimp on flavor. This is also a part of my high protein vegetarian meals series, because it makes 3 servings that each clock in at over 20 grams of protein!
By the way, I said over on Instagram that this is one of my top 10 favorite recipes on the blog, and I'm not kidding! Something about the simplicity of the ingredients and the complexity of the flavors will hopefully make this one of your favorites as well.
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Recipe highlights
- Low effort, high reward. Ready in just over 30 minutes. The carrots can be prepped several days in advance, so all you have to do is toss the ingredients together and roast when you're ready to cook.
- Sheet pan meal. The grain (I like quinoa or couscous) cooks while the carrots and chickpeas roast.
- Protein-packed. Thanks to the combination of chickpeas, feta, and walnuts, these bowls pack in 20+ grams of plant-based protein when served with quinoa.
Ingredients
- Carrots: Choose whole carrots. Peel them before slicing and roasting. For a quicker option, use an equal amount of baby carrots. The texture and flavor will be slightly different but they require a similar amount of oven time.
- Chickpeas: One can of drained and rinsed chickpeas. They crisp up nicely in the oven.
- Feta: I typically prefer cow's milk feta to sheep's milk and use Presidente or similar brands. You can also buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself.
- Pecans or walnuts: Adds a nice toasty flavor and depth. An equal amount of walnuts also works, and makes the meal a bit higher protein.
- Lemon-honey glaze: This adds a punch of acidity and sweetness to the spiced carrots and chickpeas. An equal amount of maple syrup in place of honey works, but will result in a subtle flavor change.
- Spices: Cumin seed, coriander, oregano, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This blend creates a cozy warmth. If you don't have cumin seed, use half the amount of ground cumin. But note that it's worth picking up cumin seed for recipes like this Orange Couscous Stuffed Squash!
- Green olives: Olives take the bowls over the top by adding a punch of acidity and brininess. If you're not a fan of olives, feel free to skip this ingredient, but know that it adds a lot to the dish!
Step-by-step instructions
Equipment note: I use a half sheet pan to make 3 servings. Use a full sheet pan if doubling the recipe.
I recommend using parchment paper to keep the carrots and chickpeas from sticking to the sheet pan and to help with clean-up. I like to toss the carrots and chickpeas with the seasonings directly on the parchment paper to cut back on unnecessary dishes.
Roast the carrots and chickpeas at 400F for 25 minutes. The chickpeas will be golden but not quite crunchy, and the carrots will be tender but not fully cooked through.
Drizzle with the lemon-honey glaze, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with the crumbled feta and walnuts. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and the feta is melted.
Serve in a bowl over couscous or quinoa. I prepare the grain while the carrots and chickpeas roast.
Storage notes
The carrots and chickpeas are best within 3-4 days. Keep refrigerated.
Reheat in the microwave, in a skillet, or in an air fryer:
- Skillet: Note that this reheating method will melt and brown the feta. Add the chickpeas and carrots to a skillet over medium heat. Pan-fry until hot, about 3-5 minutes.
- Air-fry: This is my preferred reheating method. I air fry in the preheated air fryer 350F for just 3 minutes. Check and add additional time, as needed.
More sheet pan meals
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Spiced Carrot and Chickpea Bowls
Equipment
- 1 half sheet pan or full sheet pan
Ingredients
- 16 ounces whole carrots see note #1
- 15 ounce can chickpeas drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon canola oil or other neutral cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed or ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt more as needed
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup quinoa or couscous; see note #2
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice from 1 small lemon
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- ½ cup walnut pieces or pecans
- ⅓ cup green olives roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Peel the carrots and remove the top ½ inch stem. Slice the remaining carrot into thirds, then cut each third in half to make wedges. If needed, cut the thickest section of the carrot into four wedges so that they're all similar sizes.
- Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper (optional but makes cleanup easier). Add the sliced carrots, drained and rinsed chickpeas, and oil. Sprinkle with the coriander, cumin seed (or cumin), oregano, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use a spatula to toss and coat well. Spread everything out into a single layer.
- Roast the carrots and chickpeas at 400F for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- While the carrots and chickpeas roast: Cook the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa well in a fine mesh sieve. Add to a medium pot with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer until the liquid is fully absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.Whisk together the lemon juice and honey in a small bowl. Set aside.
- After 25 minutes, remove the chickpeas and carrots from the oven. While still on the sheet pan, drizzle the carrots and chickpeas with the lemon-honey glaze, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with the crumbled feta and walnut pieces. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and the feta is melted.
- Serve in a bowl over quinoa. Top with chopped olives before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Carrots: One pound (16 ounces) of carrots is 4-6 carrots. I have not tested this recipe with baby carrots, but if you're looking for a lower prep option, they should work.
- Quinoa: This recipe also goes well with couscous. Use package instructions to cook the couscous, if using.
- Walnuts: I tested this recipe with walnuts and pecans and they are interchangeable. Walnuts have nearly double the protein as pecans, so they work better for the "higher protein meal" aspect.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave, in a skillet, or in an air fryer:
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- Skillet: Note that this reheating method will melt and brown the feta. Add the chickpeas and carrots to a skillet over medium heat. Pan-fry until hot, about 3-5 minutes.
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- Air-fry: This is my preferred reheating method. I air fry in the preheated air fryer 350F for 3 minutes, adding more time as needed.
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