This chickpea tempeh bowl is a spinoff of the nourish bowl. It's a high-protein vegan meal that’s satisfying, flavorful, and perfect for meal prep that delivers on taste and nutrition.
Whether you're following a plant-based diet, are a vegan athlete, or just want a delicious way to get enough protein without animal products, this bowl is the perfect lunch or main course.
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Why You’ll Love This High Protein Vegan Meal
- A great way to hit your protein intake goals while enjoying a mix of textures and fresh flavors.
- A delicious flavor combination of roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas, crispy air-fried tempeh, creamy avocado massaged kale, quinoa, and a tangy vegan peanut sauce.
- Topped with Brussels sprouts, cilantro, and broccoli sprouts, it’s not only a high-protein recipe but also bursting with nutrients, fiber, and essential vitamins. For more protein goodness, check out our Kale Caesar Pasta Salad made with chickpea pasta and packed with over 40 grams of protein per serving.
Nutritional Highlights
This bowl contains:
- 35g of protein per serving
- Healthy carbs from sweet potatoes and quinoa
- Essential fats from avocado and peanut butter (or sunflower seed butter)
- Plenty of fiber (25 grams), vitamins, and minerals for a balanced meal
- High in cruciferous vegetables, such as kale, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli sprouts. Researchers found that eating five servings of cruciferous vegetables was associated with lower rates of cancer.
It's a smart choice for anyone following a high protein diet, looking for filling vegan dinners with enough calories and nutrients to fuel your day.
Chickpea Tempeh Bowl Ingredients
Chickpeas: One of the best vegan protein sources, chickpeas provide around 15 grams of plant-based protein per cup of cooked chickpeas. They roast beautifully for texture and crunch.
Tempeh: A fermented soy product and a powerhouse of complete protein, providing all nine essential amino acids. It has about 20g of protein per cup. Use this easy air fryer tempeh recipe to get it crispy and flavorful.
Quinoa: This whole grain is a staple in high-protein plant foods. One cup of cooked quinoa provides about 8 grams of protein, along with iron and magnesium. Like tempeh, quinoa is a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids. Learning how to cook quinoa is an easy skill to acquire.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
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How to Make this Chickpea Tempeh Bowl
This recipe makes 2 to 4 entrée-size servings. If you're an endurance athlete or a big eater, plan on 2 servings.
Prep Ahead: Cook the quinoa (how to cook quinoa) and a batch of air fryer tempeh ahead. Make the vegan peanut sauce (or sunflower butter sauce) in advance for easy assembly.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Cube the large sweet potato and add to a baking sheet with one can of chickpeas that's been rinsed and drained.
Step 2: Add cubed sweet potato to a baking sheet with one can of chickpeas that's been rinsed and drained. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and granulated garlic.
Step 3: Roast for 25–30 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and chickpeas are golden and crisp.
Step 4: Finely chop the kale.
Step 5: Mash 1 avocado. A fork works great for this.
Step 6: With clean hands, massage the avocado into the kale until well coated. Add 1 Tbsp lime juice and toss well.
Step 7: Shave or finely chop Brussels sprouts.
Step 8: Roughly chop fresh cilantro.
Step 9: Rinse and drain broccoli sprouts.
Step 10: Assemble the chickpea tempeh bowl with massaged kale, cooked quinoa, air-fried tempeh, roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, Brussels sprouts, broccoli sprouts, and cilantro. Drizzle generously with vegan peanut sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. This high protein chickpea tempeh bowl recipe is great for meal prep!
Yes, tempeh and quinoa pair well together, both in flavor and nutrition. They’re both complete proteins, meaning they provide all nine essential amino acids. Since tempeh is a fermented soy product (a legume) and quinoa is a whole grain, combining them with vegetables creates a balanced, nutrient-dense meal.
The highest protein vegan foods include tempeh, lentils, tofu, beans, seitan (made with vital wheat gluten), and hemp seeds.
The best way to get 30 grams of protein in a vegan meal is to have it contain ample legumes, such as tempeh, tofu, lentils, beans, peas, and seitan. For example, this tofu scramble with veggies is 30 grams of protein per serving.
Absolutely. Swap with brown rice, cauliflower rice, or even farro or barley if you're not gluten-free.
This High Protein Chickpea Tempeh Bowl is more than just a delicious vegan dish—it's an easy meal that fuels your body with quality plant protein. Whether you're new to a vegan diet or searching for the best vegan high-protein meals, this one’s a keeper.
Other High Protein Vegan Meals
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High Protein Chickpea Tempeh Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa instructions on how to make quinoa
- 1 batch of easy air fryer tempeh
- 1 batch of vegan peanut sauce or sunflower butter sauce
- 1 large sweet potato cubed
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 8 cups chopped kale I like curly kale for this one
- 1 avocado peeled and pitted
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice or lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups Brussels sprouts shaved or finely chopped
- ½ cup cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 cup broccoli sprouts rinsed and drained
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep Ahead: Cook the quinoa (how to cook quinoa), air fryer tempeh, and make the vegan peanut sauce (or sunflower butter sauce). Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Cube the large sweet potato and add it to a parchment-lined baking sheet with the rinsed and drained chickpeas.
- Sprinkle with smoked paprika and granulated garlic.
- Roast for 25–30 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chickpeas are golden and crisp.
- Finely chop kale and mash the avocado.
- Massage the avocado into the kale until well coated. Add the lime juice and toss well.
- Shave or finely chop Brussels sprouts.
- Roughly chop the fresh cilantro.
- Rinse and drain broccoli sprouts.
- In each bowl, layer massaged kale, quinoa, tempeh, roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, Brussels sprouts, broccoli sprouts, and cilantro.
- Drizzle generously with vegan peanut sauce (or sunflower butter sauce).
Notes
- Cube sweet potato into ½ to 1-inch pieces.
- If you're meal-prepping this, you can combine everything and portion it out into airtight containers in the fridge. The chickpeas will lose their crispy texture, but will still be hearty and meaty.
- To reduce the calorie density, you can reduce the amount of peanut sauce you're using or replace it with fresh lime or lemon juice.
- Serve this salad warm, room temperature, or chilled.
Gigi & Sersie says
Delicious and very filling!