Description
This Mango Chickpea Salad is a fresh, protein-packed bowl loaded with crispy roasted chickpeas, fluffy rice, juicy mango, and creamy avocado. It’s bright, satisfying, and perfect for meal prep, quick lunches, or a light but filling dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Rice Base:
- 1 cup short grain white rice (or Jasmine rice)
- 2 cups water
- Generous pinch of salt
For the Crispy Chickpeas:
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and dried
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
For the Tofu Rice:
- 1 (14–16 oz) block super firm tofu, grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (or extra soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
For the Mango Avocado Salad:
- 1 large ripe mango, diced
- 1 ripe avocado, diced (slightly firm)
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ½ cucumber, deseeded and diced
- 1 small jalapeño, finely diced (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Pinch of salt
Dressing:
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1½ tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1–2 teaspoons maple syrup (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the Rice:
Rinse rice. Cook according to package instructions with water and salt. Set aside when done. - Roast the Chickpeas:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat chickpeas very dry. Toss with oil and spices. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes, tossing halfway, until crispy. - Bake the Tofu:
Grate tofu using large holes of a box grater onto a baking sheet. Toss with cornstarch, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and oil. Spread evenly. Bake 12 minutes, toss, then bake another 5 minutes until golden. - Combine Rice & Tofu:
Mix baked tofu into warm rice. Adjust salt if needed. - Prepare the Mango Salad:
In a bowl, combine mango, avocado, red onion, cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro, and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk lime zest, lime juice, sweet chili sauce, and maple syrup.
Pour dressing over salad and gently mix. - Assemble:
Spoon tofu rice into bowls. Top with mango avocado salad and crispy chickpeas. Garnish with extra herbs or lime wedges if desired.
Notes
- Dry chickpeas thoroughly for maximum crispiness.
- Use slightly firm avocado for better leftovers.
- Store components separately for meal prep (up to 3 days).
- Lentils can replace tofu or chickpeas (reduce roasting time to 15–20 minutes).
- Adjust spice level by reducing or omitting jalapeño.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Salad, Bowl
- Method: Roasting, Baking
- Cuisine: Fusion, American-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 11 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg