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These hearty Buffalo Sweet Potato Chickpea Bowls are packed with protein, veggies and flavor. They’re perfect for meal prep and can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for easy, healthy lunches throughout the week. The buffalo sauce adds a nice tangy flavor that goes so well with the chickpeas and crunchy fresh veggies. Serve with a side of fresh fruit for a balanced meal.
The kids just finished their first full week of school and we’re all starting to fall back into our regular schedules. I’m beginning to feel organized again, and I’m excited to get back into my meal prep routine. Over and over again, I’ve found that I have a much healthier diet when I plan things out and prep recipes ahead of time. These Buffalo Sweet Potato Chickpea Bowls are a new favorite meal prep lunch recipe that I’ve been working on and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Why You’ll Love These Filling Meal Prep Bowls
- Great for meal prep – This buffalo sweet potato chickpea salad doesn’t have to be made for meal prep, but it certainly is great for it. All you have to do is make a batch, equally portion it into containers and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. This recipe can be stored for 4-5 days and it can be enjoyed chilled or heated up.
- Customizable – I like making recipes that people can feel comfortable playing around with. I like to use a mild buffalo sauce, but if you want more heat, you can add extra hot sauce in. The vegetables can also be easily customized based on what you have on hand, or prefer.
- Hearty and filling – The sweet potatoes and chickpeas help bulk up this salad recipe and make it filling, while the veggies add a freshness and crunch that balance everything out. Enjoy this recipe with a side of crackers, veggies or fruit for a healthy lunch that will leave you feeling satiated.
Why Your Body Will Love This Healthy Lunch Recipe
- Chickpeas – A high-fiber diet is imperative for good digestive health, and chickpeas contain 35 grams of fiber per cup of cooked beans. Beans have a mixture of soluble and insoluble fiber, which greatly benefit the digestive process. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the digestive tract, helping regulate the absorption of nutrients. It also binds to the bile in the digestive tract, carrying out toxins that would otherwise recirculate throughout the body. Insoluble fiber helps bulk up our stool, ensuring that things run smoothly.
- Sweet Potato – Sweet potatoes contain potassium and magnesium, which help reduce blood pressure and stroke risk and can also lower cholesterol. they are also packed with notable amounts of fiber and vitamins A, C, and B6. These nutrients help build immunity and reduce inflammation, among many other benefits.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chickpeas – I used two cans of chickpeas for this recipe, homemade can also be used. White beans, or even chicken if not making vegetarian, can be substituted for the chickpeas.
- Sweet Potato – I like to dice up the sweet potato and then roast it until fork tender, with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Butternut squash can be substituted for the sweet potato, if needed.
- Couscous – I used couscous for this recipe, but any kind of grain will work. You could use white or brown rice, quinoa, farro or anything else you prefer. Cauliflower rice can even be used if you want to cut some carbs.
- Feta Cheese – People traditionally eat blue cheese with buffalo flavored foods, but I don’t love blue cheese, so I used feta instead. You can use whichever you prefer.
- Veggies – I like to add celery, red onoin and parsley to the chickpea salad. They add crunch and freshness. Feel free to use your favorite vegetables though, cucumber, green onion and bell peppers would all be great additions.
- Tahini – I used tahini as a sauce base for this recipe, but mayonnaise can also be used. The tahini adds extra flavor and compliments the buffalo sauce well. It also keeps this recipe vegan.
- Buffalo Sauce – I like to use Sweet Baby Ray’s Mild buffalo sauce from the grocery store. You can use whatever kind of buffalo sauce you prefer, homemade would also work great.
- Lemon Juice – A little lemon juice adds a tangy kick that goes well with the buffalo sauce.
- Spices – The buffalo chickpea salad gets seasoned with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
How To Make Buffalo Sweet Potato Chickpea Bowls
- Prepare the sweet potatoes. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Wash and peel sweet potatoes and then dice them into small, bite sized pieces. Add diced sweet potatoes to a large baking sheet and then drizzle with olive oil and add on the spices. Use your hands to mix together until sweet potatoes are evenly coated with oil and spices. Bake sweet potato until fork tender and starting to brown, about 30 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- To a large mixing bowl, add in the tahini, buffalo sauce, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk together until fully combined. Next, add in the cooled sweet potato, chickpeas, couscous, feta cheese, celery, red onion and parsley. Season with extra salt and pepper, or lemon juice, if needed.
- This recipe can be served immediately or stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. If making for meal prep: lay out meal prep containers and fill each one with an equal amount of the chickpea sweet potato salad. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Bowls can be enjoyed chilled (my preferred way) or heated up.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- This recipe is already vegan and gluten free.
- Is this recipe spicy? You can make this recipe as mild or as spicy as you like. I usually just use the mild buffalo sauce, but you can add in extra hot sauce if you want extra heat.
- How can this recipe be used for meal prep? I like to make a big batch, equally portion it out into containers and then store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
- How long do leftovers last? If stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, leftovers should last for about 4-5 days.
- Do these bowls need to be heated up before eating? That is totally up to you, they can be served chilled or heated up.
- Can other vegetables be added? Yes, feel free to add any extra vegetables you like to this recipe. I would recommend: cucumber, carrot, green onion or bell pepper.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Vegetarian Buffalo Recipes?
Vegetarian Buffalo Chickpea Dip
Buffalo Chickpea Wraps
Cheesy Buffalo Butternut Squash Pasta
Crispy Buffalo Tofu Tacos
Buffalo Potato Salad
Print
Buffalo Sweet Potato Chickpea Bowls
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4
Diet: Vegan
Description
These hearty Buffalo Sweet Potato Chickpea Bowls are packed with protein, veggies and flavor. They’re perfect for meal prep and can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for easy, healthy lunches throughout the week. The buffalo sauce adds a nice tangy flavor that goes so well with the sweet potato and crunchy fresh veggies. Serve with a side of fresh fruit for a balanced meal.
- 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups cooked couscous, regular or pearl
- 1 cup diced celery
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, or blue cheese
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, or other herb of choice
Roasted Sweet Potato
- 2 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 5–6 cups once diced)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, or your favorite oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Buffalo Tahini
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup buffalo sauce, I like the Sweet Baby Ray’s brand that is mild in flavor
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the sweet potatoes. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Wash and peel sweet potatoes and then dice them into small, bite sized pieces. Add diced sweet potatoes to a large baking sheet and then drizzle with olive oil and add on the spices. Use your hands to mix together until sweet potatoes are evenly coated with oil and spices. Bake sweet potato until fork tender and starting to brown, about 30 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- To a large mixing bowl, add in the tahini, buffalo sauce, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk together until fully combined. Next, add in the cooled sweet potato, chickpeas, couscous, feta cheese, celery, red onion and parsley. Season with extra salt and pepper, or lemon juice, if needed.
- This recipe can be served immediately or stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. If making for meal prep: lay out meal prep containers and fill each one with an equal amount of the chickpea sweet potato salad. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Bowls can be enjoyed chilled (my preferred way) or heated up.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Lunch, Vegan
- Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: American
