Peanut Chickpea Rice Bowl (Printable Version)

Hearty fusion bowl combining brown rice, chickpeas, crunchy peanuts, and vibrant vegetables with an Asian-inspired peanut dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup brown rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Legumes & Nuts

04 - 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 can drained and rinsed
05 - 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 cup shredded carrot
07 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
08 - 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
09 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
10 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

→ Peanut Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
12 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
13 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
14 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or lime juice
15 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
16 - 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water
17 - 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
18 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
19 - Pinch of chili flakes

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Rinse brown rice under cold water. Combine rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
02 - While rice cooks, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and chili flakes in a small bowl. Add warm water gradually until the dressing reaches a pourable consistency.
03 - Shred the carrot and cabbage, thinly slice cucumber and scallions, and roughly chop cilantro.
04 - Divide the cooked rice among four bowls. Top each with chickpeas, peanuts, carrot, cabbage, cucumber, and scallions.
05 - Drizzle generously with peanut dressing. Garnish with cilantro and extra peanuts if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a refreshing cold bowl.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It keeps you satisfied for hours without that heavy, sluggish feeling after lunch.
  • The peanut dressing is so good you'll want to drizzle it on everything in your kitchen.
  • You can prep the components ahead and assemble bowls all week long.
  • It tastes just as good cold from the fridge as it does freshly made.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice, it removes excess starch and prevents gummy, clumpy grains.
  • Add the warm water to the dressing slowly, peanut butter can seize up if you dump it all in at once.
  • Taste the dressing before drizzling, you might want more lime juice or a bit more sweetness depending on your peanut butter brand.
03 -
  • Toast the peanuts lightly in a dry skillet before adding them to the bowl, it intensifies their flavor and makes them extra crunchy.
  • If your dressing thickens in the fridge, just whisk in a teaspoon of warm water to bring it back to life.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave the cucumber into ribbons for a more elegant presentation.
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