Chimichurri Bowls with roasted cauliflower and chickpeas
Chimichurri bowls are a balanced, nutrient-dense, sensational vegetarian meal that I simply cannot get enough of. The bowls begin with a bed of high-protein quinoa and are studded with crispy chickpeas, roasted cauliflower, and big hunks of fried feta. Everything is laced with a gorgeous arugula chimichurri and finished with pickled red onions and chipotle almonds. This is what I mean when I say nutritious AND delicious. 💯🤤
The recipe story:
I hope y’all aren’t mad we’re making fried feta again. Or that it’s another bowl recipe. #sorrynotsorry Some recipes I have to think about for quite a while, test multiple times, etc. Other recipes are simply a no-brainer. Something I know will turn out delicious. This recipe is in the latter category.
A hearty ‘nourish bowl’ is exactly what I crave during these annoying months of January through March. These chimichurri bowls are hearty but light, full of flavor and wildly nutrient-dense.
They are satisfying enough to be an easy weeknight meal (my husband loves these bowls!) but also a great meal to prep for lunches throughout the week. I currently have leftovers in the fridge and I’m wicked excited for lunch.
This recipe requires a handful of fresh ingredients, some pantry staples that I bet you already have, and about 30-40 minutes. Let’s chat about how to make it!
What you will need to make chimichurri bowls:
Cauliflower: grab a bag of pre-cut cauliflower florets for an easy shortcut!
Chickpeas: also called garbanzo beans, you can find these at any grocery store in the bean/rice aisle.
Cooking oil: this recipe calls for both extra virgin olive oil (for roasting the veggies and in the chimichurri) and avocado oil (for frying the feta).
Spices: salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cumin all give a lovely flavor boost to the chickpeas and cauliflower.
Chimichurri: the chimichurri is the real star of the show here. It combines arugula, garlic cloves, pickled jalapeños, fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar and olive oil for an epic sauce with so much flavor.
Feta: for this recipe you will need a block of feta, not the pre-crumbled kind. I like to buy mine at Costco because it’s a great price but you can find block feta at most regular grocery stores.
Cornstarch: the cornstarch lightly coats the feta pieces simply to ensure they don’t melt into a mess in your pan. You can also use arrowroot starch.
Quinoa: quinoa is a fabulous source of plant-based protein, fiber and B vitamins. As a shortcut you could buy the pre-cooked quinoa packets.
Toppings: arugula, pickled red onion, chopped almonds and thinly sliced radishes are all yummy (but optional) finishing touches! Feel free to use some creative liberty and use what you have on hand!
How to make:
Arugula chimichurri: Blend together the chimichurri sauce in a food processor. This chimichurri is slightly different than traditional chimichurri sauce because it features arugula and pickled jalapenos, so good!
Cauliflower and chickpeas: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and add cauliflower florets and chickpeas. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle of salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cumin. Use your hands to toss and make sure everything is evenly coated. Roast for 25 minutes. During the last 2-3 minutes of cook time switch the oven to broil to get just that extra bit of browning and crispiness. Remove from oven and drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of chimichurri on the cauliflower and chickpeas, tossing to coat.
Fried feta: Slice a block of feta into ¼-inch planks. Then slice the planks in half so you have square planks of feta that are about 1 ½ inch x 1 ½ inch. (reference the recipe video to see exactly how to do this!) Place cornstarch in a shallow dish or medium bowl and coat each piece of feta in cornstarch, tapping off the excess. If you have time, place the feta in the freezer for 10-30 minutes before frying.
In a large ceramic-coated nonstick skillet heat a big swish of avocado oil over medium high heat. I cannot emphasize this enough, the oil must be HOT before adding the feta. When the oil is hot, add the feta pieces in a single layer and take care not to crowd the pan. The trick here is to get a good, quick sear on the feta before it melts. Fry the feta for 90-120 seconds per side until golden brown, immediately remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
Bowls: while the roasted veggies are cooking, make the quinoa. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and then add it to the boiling water. Cook for 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain the quinoa (in that same sieve) and add it back to the pot. The hot pot will help evaporate any steam or moisture left in the quinoa making it perfectly fluffy.
Assemble your own bowl by tossing a portion of quinoa and arugula with a spoonful of chimichurri. Top with chimichurri chickpea cauliflower mixture, pickled red onions, thinly sliced radish, fried feta and chopped almonds. Spoon on a little more chimichurri because FLAVOR BAYBAY and dive headfirst into this bowl of goodness.
Variation ideas:
There are lots of fun ways to add a little variety to this recipe, here are a few!
- Instead of quinoa, try brown rice, white rice, farro or any other grain of choice.
- Add in or swap veggies. Try sweet bell peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts or zucchini.
- This meal is an amazing vegetarian entrée but you can always pair it with fish, chicken or meat for more protein!
FAQs:
As written, yes, these chimichurri bowls are gluten-free.
Omit the cheese.
Halloumi is another sturdy cheese that grills or fries up beautifully. You do not need to use cornstarch if you use halloumi.
There are a couple of options.
Option one: You can fully meal prep and assemble the chimichurri bowls and store the leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge up to four days. I recommend waiting to add the fresh arugula until right before serving.
Option two: complete prep steps like chopping the veggies, draining the chickpeas, cooking the quinoa and making the chimichurri ahead of time. Then, you can easily roast up the cauliflower, fry the feta and assemble the bowls when it’s dinner time.
If you love these chimichurri bowls you love these other easy dinner ideas:
Watch how to make:
If you make this recipe please don’t forget to drop me a comment and star rating and snap a photo to share with me on Instagram! It makes my day to hear from y’all!
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Chimichurri Bowls with roasted cauliflower and chickpeas
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roast + Fry
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Chimichurri bowls featuring herbaceous arugula chimichurri, roasted cauliflower and chickpeas, fluffy quinoa and fried feta. YUM.
Ingredients
Cauliflower and chickpeas
- 1 lb cauliflower florets (or 1 small head), cut into uniform florets
- 1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and cumin
- 1/2 cup arugula chimichurri, divided
Fried feta
- 6oz block feta, sliced into planks
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Avocado oil or olive oil, for frying
Bowls
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 2 cups arugula
- 6 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup pickled red onions
- 1/3 cup roasted almonds, chopped (I used chipotle almonds)
Instructions
Cauliflower and chickpeas: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and add cauliflower florets and chickpeas to the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and seasonings and use your hands to toss and make sure everything is evenly coated. Roast for 25 minutes. During the last 2-3 minutes of cook time switch the oven to broil to get just that extra bit of browning and crispiness. Remove from oven and drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of chimichurri on the cauliflower and chickpeas, tossing to coat.
Fried feta: Slice a block of feta into ¼-inch planks. Then slice the planks in half so you have square pieces of feta that are about 1 ½ inch x 1 ½ inch. (see video for a visual reference if needed!) Place cornstarch in a shallow dish or plate and coat each piece of feta in cornstarch, tapping off the excess. If you have time, place the feta in the freezer for 10-30 minutes before frying.
In a large ceramic-coated nonstick skillet heat a big swish of avocado oil over medium high heat. I cannot emphasize this enough, the oil must be HOT before adding the feta. When the oil is hot, add the feta pieces in an even layer and take care not to crowd the pan. The trick here is to get a good, quick sear on the feta before it melts. Fry the feta for 90-120 seconds per side until golden brown, immediately remove to a paper towel lined plate.
Bowls: while the cauliflower and chickpeas are roasting, make the quinoa. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and then add it to the boiling water. Cook for 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain the quinoa (in that same sieve) and add it back to the pot. The hot pot will help evaporate any steam or moisture left in the quinoa making it perfectly fluffy.
Assemble your bowls by tossing a portion of quinoa and arugula with a spoonful of chimichurri. Top with chimichurri chickpea cauliflower mixture, pickled red onions, thinly sliced radish, fried feta and chopped almonds. Spoon on a little more chimichurri because FLAVOR BAYBAY and dive headfirst into this bowl of goodness.
Notes
Have leftover chimichurri? Whip up this chimichurri mayo!
Refer to above blog post for ingredient substitution ideas and answers to frequently asked questions.
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary slightly.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 643
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 1091 mg
- Fat: 34.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 62.6 g
- Fiber: 12.7 g
- Protein: 25.4 g
- Cholesterol: 37.9 mg
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Delicious! And so easy to put together.
I made this and was blown away by how good it was! I’d 100% order this from a restaurant. Can’t wait to make it again soon! (And those tips for perfect feta were so appreciated!)
Hooray!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Jenny! Thanks for your review 🙂
So delicious!!
This is one of the best dishes I’ve had in a while. It is so flavorful and it was pretty easy to make.
Hooray Kayla I’m so happy to hear! Thanks for sharing your results! 🙂
Phenomenal. Such a widely flavourful meal complimented beautifully between the peppery arugula and heat from the radishes with a satisfying crunch from the almonds. Will be making again.
I used halloumi instead of frying feta. I haven’t been able to find feta without brine where I live so frying feta can get pretty stressful for me. Halloumi is a nice substitution 🙂
Made this tonight, turned out great. Husband loved it. The feta block made too much but that was my only complaint. I’ll skip next time. Added Peruvian chicken to the bowl and made my own sauce since I couldn’t get arugula.
Amazing, love to hear it Megan! For the chimichurri you could always use just parsley instead of arugula, that’s more traditional anyway 🙂
The chimichurri is the star of this dish! It is so delicious and compliments to different components so well. I used halloumi and brown rice instead of feta and quinoa. This recipe has been added to my meal rotation!
Woohooooo! I’ve been WAITING for halloumi season finally! Great sub. Thanks for your review Erika!
This is a go to in our family. The fried feta takes it to the next level. I personally get Trader Joe’s pre-made Chimmichuri sauce to save more time.
Awesome shortcut Anna, so glad you love it!