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These vegetarian bowls don't skimp on flavor or heartiness. Customize your bowls to use what you already have – and to save money.

Spiced chickpea and sweet potato taco salad bowls. A hearty vegetarian main course with a creamy avocado-ranch dressing!

Why have a salad when you can have a bowl?

A salad sounds so dainty. But a bowl? It's hearty food.

Tonight I made these crazy good roasted and spiced chickpea and sweet potato taco salad bowls.

Roasted chickpea and sweet potato taco salad bowls (with a creamy avocado-lime-ranch dressing that is homemade). Click through for recipe!

The flavors and textures of this salad bowl are all over the place. But once everything is mixed up it's the perfect balance:

Crunchy chickpeas.

Creamy avocado.

Fresh mango salsa.

And everything is tied together with the creamy avocado-lime-ranch dressing. If you have the time, definitely make the dressing homemade (recipe below). But in a pinch, you can do a quick semi-homemade version (instructions below).

Customizing Your Bowls

I am all about modifying recipes as a means to save money on food. Although the bowls were delicious as pictured, you could certainly substitute ingredients that you happen to have on hand:

  • Roasted chicken breast
  • Black beans
  • Guacamole (make it homemade: find out why)
  • Regular salsa
  • Shredded cheddar cheese

Faster roasted chickpeas: If you've ever made roasted chickpeas before, you know that it takes forever for them to get oven-baked crunchy. See recipe below for a tip to make roasted chickpeas faster.

More taco salad! This one uses chorizo instead of ground beef for some great Mexican flavor.

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Check out this similar vegetarian recipe: Roasted cauliflower, grape, and chickpea bowls

Roasted cauliflower, grape, and chickpea bowls: Click through for this delicious vegetarian recipe.

Ingredients

For bowls

  • 15.5 ounce can chickpeas
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons Mexican-blend spice mix
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican-blend spice mix
  • Romaine lettuce
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1/2 cup fire-roasted sweet corn (I buy mine at Trader Joe's)
  • 1/2 cup prepared mango salsa (I bought mine to go at Qdoba)
  • 1 green onion, finely chopped

For dressing

  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 avocado
  • Juice from 1/2 lime
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Roast chickpeas and sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 400. To cut down on cooking time for the chickpeas, place them on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 3 minutes, stirring once. Place chickpeas and on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, drizzle with more olive oil and stir in Mexican spice blend. Bake for an additional 5+ minutes, until chickpeas are golden brown and completely crunchy. (Continue baking if the chickpeas are still soft in the middle).
  2. Roast sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 (bake chickpeas and sweet potatoes at the same time). Toss sweet potato chunks with coconut oil and salt. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, sprinkle with garlic powder and Mexican spice blend, and stir. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until sweet potatoes are caramelized.
  3. Make dressing: Place all ingredients except for dill and green onions in a blender and puree until smooth. Stir in dill and green onions.
  4. Assemble bowls: Place romaine lettuce on a plate or in a bowl. Top with chickpeas, sweet potatoes, corn, avocado, and mango salsa. Serve with avocado-lime-ranch dressing.