Straight From My Kitchen: Let’s Talk Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Bowls

So, here’s the thing about this Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Bowl with Tahini Dressing. I probably make some version of it at least once a week—sometimes twice, if I’m honest and feeling a bit lazy (nothing quite like an easy dinner when you just want to switch off with a cuppa). The first time I made it was actually after a ridiculous night where I’d burned the rice AND forgotten I was roasting cauliflower, so the house smelled like a bonfire. My mate (hi, Jo!) still teases me about “that one time you tried to cook healthy.”

But—good news! I’ve ironed out the kinks since then, and now even my fussy teenage nephew will eat this bowl (as long as he can drown it in extra tahini dressing, but we all have our quirks). Oh, and did I mention this is one of those kitchen-sink recipes? You can basically toss in whatever veg you have rolling around in the fridge, short of a sad-looking apple. Don’t do that. Trust me.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe

I make this when I can’t deal with more dishes or complicated steps. (Or if I actually remembered to soak chickpeas, which, honestly, is not that often… thank you, canned variety!) My family goes wild for it because, as my mum says, “it tastes better than takeaway and you know what’s in it.” Plus, the leftovers make a mean work lunch if you’re not like me and don’t stand at the fridge eating straight from the bowl around 11 pm.

One tip from my own kitchen chaos: The tahini dressing deserves its own standing ovation. Sometimes I double the batch; it’s brilliant on pretty much everything (I tried it on chips once, not bad honestly, though I wouldn’t host a dinner party around that).

What You’ll Need (And a Few Shortcuts)

1 tin (about 400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (if you’ve got cooked-from-scratch ones, use about 250g, but I rarely plan that far ahead)
1 red pepper, chopped (green is fine too—use whatever’s bouncing around)
1 courgette/zucchini, sliced (sometimes I skip it if I can’t be bothered)
1 small red onion, sliced into wedges (or yellow if that’s what’s left in the basket)
1 small aubergine/eggplant, cubed (my Nan always lectured me to salt it and let it sit first, but honestly…I only remember half the time)
Olive oil, a generous glug
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp smoked paprika (regular paprika’s all right, or just skip if you’re out)
Pinch of ground cumin (optional, but I like the extra warmth)
1 large carrot, sliced into coins
2 handfuls cherry tomatoes (or bung in some regular tomatoes, roughly chopped—no one’ll notice)

For The Tahini Dressing:

3 tablespoons tahini (I’ve used supermarket label, posh brands, and the one from the Turkish corner shop; all work)
Juice of a lemon (or 2 tablespoons bottled, but fresh is definitely zingier)
1 small garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons warm water (more or less, depending on how runny you want it)
Pinch of salt

Optional extras: cooked quinoa, brown rice, or couscous to bulk things out—or just heaps of leafy greens if you’re feeling virtuous.

Alright, Here’s How I Throw It Together

Preheat your oven to about 220°C (200° fan/gas 7). Line a roasting tray, unless you fancy scrubbing baked-on bits for the next hour.
Chop the veg. Don’t fuss about uniformity—just try to keep things around “bite-sized.” Chuck all your vegetables and the chickpeas on the tray.
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle over paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Toss it all together—hands work best, though you’ll be a bit oily for a while. Spread everything in one layer (I never fit it all perfectly, but it mostly roasts evenly in the end—it’s not the end of the world).
Roast for 25-30 minutes, giving everything a good shuffle halfway through. The edges should get a bit charred; the chickpeas go a little crispy, which is the best part. This is when I usually nibble some stray bits, just to “check if it’s done.”
Meanwhile, whip up the tahini dressing. Bowl, fork, and a bit of whisking energy is all you need. Plop in your tahini, lemon juice, garlic, pinch of salt, and whisk together. Add warm water, a spoon at a time, until it’s smooth and pourable (I’ve added too much before—if it gets too runny, throw in a bit more tahini and act like nothing happened).
Assembly time! Scoop your veggies and chickpeas over your base—rice, quinoa, or just straight into a bowl. Drizzle generously with tahini dressing. Top with fresh herbs if you’ve got any kicking about—parsley and coriander/cilantro are my go-tos, but chives work too.

Don’t worry if it all ends up a bit messy. Tastes the same.

Some Things I’ve Learned (aka Not Perfect)

If you forget to toss the veg halfway through roasting, some bits get extra toasty. Honestly? I like the crunch.
I once used lime instead of lemon in the dressing. A tad weird, but not awful. Wouldn’t repeat, though.
The chickpeas burn fast if you leave them right at the tray edge, so maybe tuck them in the middle. Or just embrace the crunchier ones—someone always loves them.

Kitchen Experiments and Wildcards

One week I swapped the aubergine for big chunks of sweet potato—delicious, though needed a little extra roasting time. Tried adding broccoli too, but it went weirdly soft and kind of sad. Wouldn’t recommend, unless mushy is your thing.

I’ve swapped the tahini sauce for a big dollop of Greek yogurt with herbs. Also, tried a spicy sriracha-and-mayo swirl: not very traditional but did bring a bit of oomph.

The Gear List (but Don’t Stress)

Big baking tray—more surface area means crispier bits (though, in a pinch, two small trays work too)
Mixing bowl for the dressing
Sharp-ish knife (If yours is a bit dull, it’ll just take longer. Or, I’ve used kitchen scissors to snip veg in a hurry. Sneaky tip!)
Whisk or fork for the sauce

No roasting tray? Lay tin foil on a grill pan. Slightly less ideal, but it does the job.

Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Bowl with Tahini Dressing

How I Store It (Not That It Ever Lasts)

Technically this keeps in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days, but honestly… I don’t think it’s ever survived that long in my house. The veg might lose a bit of their bite once chilled, but with an extra drizzle of tahini it comes back to life. Sometimes I sneak a cold bowl after a late night, no regrets. If you’re looking for good containers, I swear by these clippy ones from Lakeland (not sponsored, just obsessed).

How We Eat It (And a Little Tradition)

We tend to eat these bowls straight out of the mixing bowl if no one’s around to judge (ah, the joys of home). For guests, I fancy it up with a sprinkle of dukkah or pumpkin seeds on top. One friend insists on eating it with pita bread on the side. Sometimes I’ll pair it with herby quinoa for a super-satisfying dinner. Oh, and if you pop a soft-boiled egg on top, next-level.

Lessons Learned the Hard Way: Pro Tips

I once tried roasting everything at a lower temp to “save energy”—just made things soggy. Now I stick to high heat and accept my carbon footprint (whoops).
Don’t skip drying your chickpeas if you’re using canned. If they’re wet, they basically steam instead of roasting and you don’t get those crunchy bits.
Tried to rush the dressing with cold water—just went claggy. Warm water’s worth the extra 10 seconds.

Your Questions, Answered (Yes, For Real)

Can I use other beans instead of chickpeas?
Totally! Black beans or cannellini beans are sound, though the texture is different. I prefer chickpeas myself, but I’ve actually used whatever’s in the back of the cupboard before. No one noticed.

What if I don’t have tahini?
Okay, this happens to me more than I’d like. You can try peanut butter or even almond butter, though the flavour does shift a bit. It’s surprisingly good with a splash of honey mixed in, if you’re in the mood for sweet-and-savory.

Can I freeze it?
Umm…you can freeze the roasted veg and chickpeas, but the texture won’t be quite the same when thawed (they go a little sad, sort of like reheated roasties). I wouldn’t bother with freezing the dressing; just mix a fresh one, it takes 30 seconds.

I only have a tiny oven, can I still make it?
Yeah, you might have to roast things in batches or use a frying pan for some of the veg. Actually, sometimes pan-fried chickpeas are even crunchier, so silver linings, eh?

Is it gluten-free?
It is if you skip the couscous and use rice or quinoa. The dressing’s naturally gluten-free. Basically, just monitor your add-ons.

Anything I can read up on for more veg roasting tips?
Oh for sure! This Serious Eats guide is gold for oven times and tricks if you wanna nerd out like I did last winter.

Right, that’s probably more than you bargained for. If you make this, let me know how your version turns out (and if you manage to make it last more than a day, teach me your ways).

Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Bowl with Tahini Dressing