This sweet potato chickpea shawarma features tender roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas piled into hearty rice bowls with lots of veggies and a spicy yogurt sauce drizzled on top.
Just a nourishing, loaded bowl to help you go out of 2022 with a bang! Extra feta and spicy yogurt sauce strongly encouraged.
Today we’re making shawarma minus the meat and it surprisingly works. We’re also sticking it in bowl form which we all know automatically makes any dish 10x better.
Literally the most amazing bowls ever.
Roasting sweet potatoes and chickpeas in loads of spices and fresh lemon + olive oil gives them that classic shawarma flavor, no fancy equipment or ingredients needed!
These Sweet Potato Chickpea Shawarma Bowls feature…
- Tender spiced sweet potatoes and chickpeas.
- A bowl base of fluffy steamed rice.
- A creamy, spicy yogurt sauce.
- All the classic shawarma toppings including cucumber, tomato, feta cheese, tahini, Kalamata olives, and fresh lemon.
Making the Sweet Potato Chickpea Shawarma
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Chickpeas
- Sweet potatoes
- Spices
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Yogurt
- Serrano pepper
- Cilantro
- Green onions
- Rice
- Tomato
- Cucumber
What is Shawarma?
Shawarma is a Middle-Eastern dish that’s traditionally made up of thinly-sliced meat cooked in spices on a rotisserie or spit. It’s typically served in a flatbread with cucumber, tomato, and a variety of sauces.
While these bowls today are obviously very different from the traditional dish as we’re not using meat, they still rely on a lot of the same spices and flavors that make shawarma everything it is.
Tips for Perfect Shawarma Bowls
- Use fresh garlic, lemon and good-quality olive oil – this makes all the difference flavor-wise when roasting the sweet potatoes and chickpeas!
- Cut sweet potatoes in uniform size – ideally you want the sweet potatoes cut into uniform 1/2-inch cubes so they cook evenly.
- Use your favorite grain – a variety of grains will work great in these bowls! Try steamed brown rice, your favorite white rice, quinoa, or even cauliflower rice.
Topping Ideas
The more toppings you use in these bowls the merrier! Try these ideas…
- Fresh tomatoes and cucumbers
- A drizzle of tahini
- Crumbled feta cheese (the fresher you can get it, the better!)
- Flatbread
- Kalamata olives
- Fresh lemon squeezed over top
Meal Prep Instructions
These bowls are a breeze to meal prep ahead of time! –>
- Make sauce and store in fridge up to 1 week.
- Roast sweet potatoes and chickpeas then store alongside rice in meal prep containers up to 6 days.
- Cut cucumber and tomato and store in a separate container.
- When ready to serve, reheat sweet potatoes/chickpeas/rice in microwave 2-3 minutes then top with sauce and toppings.
These bowls are SO incredibly loaded and that means a crazy amount of flavor! The sweet potatoes + chickpeas are filled with warming spices and compliment the hearty rice and creamy yogurt sauce so well.
Guarantee you won’t be missing the meat here today!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More hearty bowls you’ll want to try next!
Sweet Potato Chickpea Shawarma Bowls
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Ingredients
Spicy Yogurt Sauce
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh serrano pepper
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 1/2 cup lightly-packed cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-in cubes
- 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 medium cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- Salt and pepper to taste
Shawarma Bowls
- 3 cups hot cooked jasmine or basmati rice
- 2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-in cubes
- 1 medium cucumber, cut into 1/2-in cubes
- Tahini, flatbread, kalamata olives, lemon wedges, and feta cheese for topping (optional)
Instructions
Spicy Yogurt Sauce
- In a blender or food processor, blend all sauce ingredients until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas
- Preheat oven to 400F. Combine sweet potatoes, chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, spices, salt, and pepper to taste on a large sheet pan and spread in a single layer.
- Roast sweet potatoes/chickpeas at 400F 25-30 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and lightly browned. Keep warm and set aside.
Shawarma Bowls
- Divide hot rice between serving bowls and top with roasted sweet potatoes/chickpeas. Top each bowl with fresh tomato, cucumber, spicy yogurt sauce, and optional toppings. Serve bowls immediately warm and enjoy!
Michelle says
Absolutely in love with this meal! Made it tonight and it was a huge hit. I used shawarma seasoning instead of the individual spices. I also subbed jalapeño because it’s what I had on hand for Serrano and added almost a whole one. I also added onion to the chickpea and sweet potato. This will become a staple in our house.
Sarah says
Wonderful to hear Michelle! Thanks for sharing your adjustments. 🙂