Vegan Shawarma-Spiced Chickpeas
with Pistachio Rice, Cucumber Salad & Garlicky White Sauce
- Tree Nuts
We’re always on the hunt for vegan dinner ideas, and tonight it’s all about shawarma! For this veggie-centric spin, we swap the traditional spit-roasted meat for crisp roasted chickpeas with the same aromatic, warming spices. It’s served beside a fresh cuke, shallot, and tomato salad and over pistachio-studded basmati rice. Maybe the best thing about shawarma? the sauces—and we didn’t skimp. Drizzle on hot sauce and a creamy, garlicky white sauce, sprinkle with pistachios, then prepare to be totally bowled over.
Ingredients
1 unit
Chickpeas
1 unit
Shallot
2 clove
Garlic
½ ounce
Pistachios
(Contains: Tree Nuts)
2 unit
Veggie Stock Concentrate
1 tablespoon
Shawarma Spice Blend
½ cup
Basmati Rice
1 unit
Mini Cucumber
4 ounce
Grape Tomatoes
1 unit
Lemon
6 tablespoon
Vegan Mayo
1 teaspoon
Hot Sauce
Not included in your delivery
1 teaspoon
Olive Oil
5 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
Salt
Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry produce. • Drain and rinse chickpeas; dry thoroughly with paper towels, removing as much moisture as possible. Halve, peel, and thinly slice shallot; mince a few slices until you have 2 TBSP (4 TBSP for 4 servings). Peel and mince or grate garlic. Roughly chop pistachios.
• In a medium bowl, toss chickpeas with half the stock concentrates, half the Shawarma Spice Blend (you’ll use the rest in the next step), a large drizzle of oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. • Spread chickpeas out in a single layer on a lightly oiled foil-lined baking sheet. Roast on top rack, tossing halfway through, until chickpeas are slightly crispy, 18-20 minutes. (It’s natural for chickpeas to pop a bit while roasting.) • Wipe out bowl.
• While chickpeas roast, heat a large drizzle of oil in a small pot (use a medium pot for 4 servings) over medium-high heat. Add minced shallot, half the garlic, half the pistachios, remaining Shawarma Spice Blend, and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. • Stir in rice, remaining stock concentrates, and ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4). Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
• Quarter cucumber lengthwise; slice into ½-inch-thick pieces. Halve tomatoes lengthwise. Zest and quarter lemon. • In bowl used for chickpeas, combine cucumber, tomatoes, and as much sliced shallot as you like. Toss with half the lemon zest, juice from one lemon wedge, and a drizzle of olive oil. (For 4 servings, use juice from two wedges and a large drizzle of olive oil.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• In a small bowl, whisk together vegan mayo, remaining garlic, remaining lemon zest, and juice from one lemon wedge (two wedges for 4 servings). • Whisk in 2 TBSP water (4 TBSP for 4) until combined. (If needed, add water 1 tsp at a time until sauce reaches a drizzling consistency.) Season white sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
• Fluff rice with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. • Divide rice between shallow bowls. Top with cucumber salad and roasted chickpeas in separate sections. Drizzle everything with white sauce and as much hot sauce as you like. Sprinkle with remaining pistachios and serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Sep 2026- Flavor: The shawarma-spiced chickpeas and pistachio rice delivered bold, satisfying flavor that surprised even skeptical eaters — the fresh cucumber-tomato salad added a bright, cooling contrast.
- Ease of prep: Most found it easy and well-paced; a few noted it was a bit more involved than expected, but the steps come together smoothly.
- Suggestions: Use the full spice blend for maximum flavor, and don't over-roast the chickpeas — check them around 15–18 minutes to keep them crispy without drying out. Some swapped vegan mayo for regular mayo, hummus, or yogurt in the white sauce with great results.
- Leftovers: The dish is best eaten fresh; the chickpeas lose their crunch quickly, and one reviewer noted it wasn't as enjoyable the next day.
- White sauce: Many found the vegan mayo-based sauce too strong or runny — use less water than directed, or substitute yogurt, hummus, or sour cream for a better-balanced drizzle.
- Portions: Several cooks felt the rice portion was too small for two people; add an extra quarter-cup of dry rice if you'd like a heartier bowl 🍲.
Reviews from our home cooks
The best way to cook the chickpeas is not roasting (they end up dry), but just sauté them in their liquid along with spices and stock packet until they look glazed. Also, toast the pistachios in a skillet and sprinkle over top instead of cooking in the rice. The shallot can be a little sharp, so I throw all of them in with the rice while cooking.
Delicious! Added cayenne, thyme, and paprika to the chickpeas. 4 tbsp of water for the white sauce was too much-made it too watery. Clearer instruction on slicing the shallot would have been more helpful. I ended up slicing it a bit finer so the salad pronounced the cucumber and tomato more. The rice is absolutely delicious and perfect. Would definitely order again!
I would give this recipe a 10 star if possible. My absolute favorite so far! The combination of rice & roasted chickpeas with the cucumber/tomato salad was amazing.
I love the shawarma chickpea bowls, but didn't love the amount of mayonnaise that this called for. Other similar dishes have had yogurt based dressings, which I would have preferred, so I modified by using just one pack of mayonnaise instead of three, and mixed with Greek yogurt to make it healthier.
I LOVED this meal. I did burn the chickpeas though so I know next time not to cook for too long, maybe 15 minutes tops. I also didn't include the extra pistachios on top.
This is absolutely DELICIOUS!! I made it the day it arrived and I ate an ungodly amount. I did add more pistachios (because I love them) and a bit more garlic and lemon but it's really a banger of a vegan dish!
Spices are amazing in this. One of my favorite dishes. Love all the chickpea recipes from Hello Fresh. I'm always surprised how fresh everything is. I could smell the cucumber when I cut it. That doesn't happen with grocery store cucumbers!
Very delicious! I like how the coolness of the mayonnaise and chopped vegetables pairs with the warmth from the chickpeas and rice.
We roasted the chickpeas a little longer which added more flavor. Really liked the mix of flavors and textures. We needed to double the water for the rice and doubled the time and let it sit which made it perfect.
I love this recipe, but the portion size is too small. Need double the chickpeas.
