Peanut Chickpea Rice Bowl (Printable Version)

Hearty brown rice bowl with chickpeas, crisp vegetables, and zesty peanut dressing.

# Ingredient List:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup brown rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/4 tsp 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 tbsp creamy peanut butter
12 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
13 - 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
14 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice
15 - 1 tsp sesame oil
16 - 1-2 tbsp warm water
17 - 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
18 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
19 - Pinch of chili flakes

# Directions:

01 - Rinse brown rice under cold water. Combine rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-35 minutes until tender. Let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
02 - Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and chili flakes in a small bowl. Gradually add warm water until dressing reaches pourable consistency.
03 - Shred carrot and cabbage. Thinly slice cucumber and scallions. Roughly chop cilantro if using.
04 - Divide cooked rice among four bowls. Top each portion 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.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you put way more thought into it
  • The peanut dressing keeps for days in the fridge, making tomorrow lunch even easier
02 -
  • The dressing thickens as it sits in the fridge, so thin it with more warm water before serving leftovers
  • Room temperature rice absorbs the dressing better than hot rice, which can make the vegetables wilt
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to create ribbon-thin carrot slices that feel elegant
  • Let the dressing sit for at least 30 minutes so the garlic and ginger can mellow
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