Peanut Chickpea Rice Bowl (Print-Friendly)

Hearty brown rice bowl with chickpeas, fresh veggies, and creamy peanut dressing

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

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

→ Legumes & Nuts

04 - 1.5 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, optional

→ 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, optional

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Rinse brown rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, water, and salt. 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 if using.
04 - Divide the cooked rice among four bowls. Top each with chickpeas, peanuts, carrot, cabbage, cucumber, and scallions.
05 - Drizzle generously with the peanut dressing. Garnish with cilantro and extra peanuts if desired. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for a refreshing cold bowl later.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than takeout, and honestly tastes better because you control every ingredient.
  • One dressing brings the entire bowl to life, so there's no juggling multiple sauces or feeling like something's missing.
  • It's filling enough to silence the 3 p.m. hunger pang but light enough that you don't crash afterward.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step for rice because underestimating its importance will result in a gummy, disappointing bowl that tastes nothing like this is supposed to taste.
  • Make your dressing a few minutes ahead of assembly because peanut butter needs a moment to fully incorporate with the other ingredients, and rushing it makes for a grainy, separated dressing.
  • If your dressing is too thick when you taste it, add warm water one teaspoon at a time rather than dumping it in all at once, because you can always add more but you can't take it back.
03 -
  • Toast your peanuts lightly in a dry skillet before adding them if they seem stale, because 2 minutes of heat brings back their crunch and deepens their flavor significantly.
  • The dressing thickens as it sits because peanut butter continues to absorb liquid, so make it slightly looser than you think it should be and adjust when you're actually plating.
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