Harissa Veggie Bowl Recipe Overview
These Harissa Veggie Bowls are packed with bold flavors and I love making them using leftover grains! The vegetables get tossed with the garlicky Harissa paste, tangy vinegar, and olive oil and then roasted in the oven. Garbanzo beans are spiced with warm cumin, salt, and pepper and added to the same pan with the veggies. The tahini drizzle whips up quickly and easily, while everything else roasts, and it all comes together in a flavorful and balanced bowl. I love this vegan and gluten-free meal because it’s so easy to make and so tasty!
You’ll Also Love: Chili Lime Vegan Shrimp Bowls
Ingredients/Substitutions
Bowls
- Butternut Squash – Peeled & cubed. Save time by buying pre-cut squash from the grocery store!
- Red Onion – Yellow onion works, too!
- Red Bell Pepper
- Harissa Paste – You could finely chop chipotle peppers in adobo sauce as a smoky alternative!
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Olive Oil – Or avocado oil.
- Garbanzo Beans – Roasting them calls for a firmer textured bean, so you can use cannellini beans or black-eyed peas if you’re looking for an alternative to garbanzo beans (chickpeas).
- Salt/Black Pepper
- Cumin
- Grains
- Chopped Spinach – Optional
Tahini Sauce
- Tahini
- Water
- Lemon, juiced
How to Make Harissa Veggie Bowls
Harissa Veggie Bowls come together using just one sheet pan in the oven and a few bowls. Roasting the harissa paste on the veggies deepens the flavors, and you get a delish weeknight meal that’s both vegan and gluten-free!
1. Make the Marinade for the Vegetables
Mix the harissa paste, red wine vinegar, and olive oil together in a large mixing bowl, then add in the chopped vegetables, stirring well to coat evenly.
2. Roast Vegetables in 400 Degree F Oven.
Spread coated veggies onto a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
3. Prep Garbanzo Beans
Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans and place in a bowl. Add cumin, salt, and pepper and stir well. After the first 20 minutes of your veggies roasting, spread the garbanzo beans evenly over the vegetables and continue roasting for an additional 20 minutes.
4. Make Tahini Sauce
Whisk together the tahini, water, and lemon juice. Add salt/black pepper to taste.
5. Put It All Together
Add cooked grains like brown rice, quinoa, or farro (optional) to your bowl, top it with roasted vegetables and garbanzo beans, and top it off with a generous drizzle of the tahini sauce! Enjoy!
Other Harissa Veggie Bowl Options
Here are some simple variations to make to these Harissa Veggie Bowls:
- Substitute with your favorite vegetables. Mushrooms, zucchini, and cauliflower are all great options!
- Switch out the butternut squash for sweet potatoes.
- Up the garlic flavor by adding either minced garlic or a tsp of garlic powder to the chickpeas.
- Adjust the heat level by using more or less harissa paste.
- Top with crumbled feta or vegan feta.
- Add a protein like shrimp or roasted chicken.
- Top with a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Mint, parsley, and cilantro would all work well!
- Serve alongside pita chips & your favorite hummus.
Storing Leftovers
These Harissa Veggie Bowls store beautifully! Store the sauce separately in an airtight container in the fridge. Let the rest of the ingredients cool completely and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days. You can also freeze them for 3-4 months.
To reheat, let thaw in the fridge, add a tablespoon of vegetable broth for extra moisture and microwave or heat in the oven.
More Healthy Bowl Recipes
- Miso Noodle Bowls with Roasted Mushrooms
- Mahi-Mahi Fish Taco Bowls
- Hot Honey Salmon Bowls
- Cilantro Lime Rice Bowls
- Roasted Beets Bowls with Turmeric Tahini Sauce
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Harissa Veggie Bowls
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons harissa paste
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small butternut squash (peeled and cubed, about 3-4 cups)
- 1 medium red onion (wedged)
- 2 medium red bell peppers (cut into strips)
- 1 can garbanzo beans (15-ounce can, drained)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup cooked grains (farro, quinoa, rice – your choice!)
- spinach (chopped, optional)
Tahini Sauce
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup water (room temperature, adjust to desired consistency)
- 1 lemon (juiced, about 1/4 cup)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- While the oven is preheating, whisk together harissa, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the chopped butternut squash, onion, and bell peppers, then stir to evenly coat.
- Spread the coated vegetables evenly onto a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
- While the vegetables are roasting, drain, rinse, and blot dry the can of garbanzo beans. Toss them in a small bowl with the salt, pepper, and cumin.
- Scatter the beans over vegetables and return to the oven to continue roasting for 20 more minutes.
- Whisk together the tahini, water, and lemon juice in a small bowl.
- Once the vegetables are done roasting (butternut squash should be fork-tender), serve with cooked rice, farro, couscous, or any grain.
- Top with a generous drizzle of the tahini sauce and enjoy!
Notes
- Heat – Adjust the heat level by using more or less harissa paste. Harissa paste is known for being hot!
- Flavor – Add more garlic flavor by adding minced garlic or a teaspoon of garlic powder to the garbanzo beans before roasting.
- Topping – Add a little crumbled feta (or vegan feta), fresh herbs, or a protein.
- Beans – Canellini beans and black-eyed peas make a great option in place of garbanzo beans.
- Storing Leftovers – In the fridge for 5-7 days, and freezer for 3-4 months.
- Reheating – Add a little broth and microwave or heat in the oven.
- Nutrition – Calculated without grains included.Â
Jacqueline Debono says:
What a delicious way to use harissa. I have loved using it in my cooking since I first tried it in Tunisia years ago. Looking forward to trying this harissa veggie bowl!
Amanda Dixon says:
I just loved this veggie bowl! The sweet butternut squash with the spicy harissa made for such a unique flavor. Delicious!
Colleen says:
We are harissa crazy and this veggie bowl looks like a delicious way to enjoy it. Can’t wait to try it!
Petro says:
This hearty veggie bowl is AMAZING! I love how simple this recipe is and how hearty, fresh and healthy the veggie bowl is. 🙂
Marta says:
The harissa highlights the flavors of each veggie and makes for a full flavored dish. Excellent recipe!
Rachel says:
I tried this and it was very good! I couldn’t find harissa paste so i made do with a mix of powdered spices that are typically found in harissa paste and I also had to substitute some of the veggies with what I had in my fridge, but it tasted great! It had a bit of a bite to it but I don’t mind spicy food so I enjoyed it and would make it again. Tasted great served on rice!
Shari says:
Love these recipes
Kaari says:
Have you tried freezing this, say, as a make-ahead freezer meal? Wondering how everything holds up after the thaw?
Christine McMichael replied:
I haven’t tried it as a freezer meal yet. That’s a great idea, though! I would think that the recipe would do well in the freezer. I would say if you try this, be sure to use a freezer safe/microwave safe container that could go from freezer to microwave (so that the veggies don’t get soggy). Enjoy!
Nancy says:
This looks really awesome.
When I went to the store the harissa was in powder form not a paste. Can I use that and would I still use the amount of 2 T as stated in the recipe?
Christine McMichael replied:
I would try mixing 1/2 Tbsp of the powder with about 1 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Courtney says:
Thank you for the great recipe! I’ve been making a variation of this for over a year now; i use a quinoa base, and roast up cherry tomatoes in place of the red pepper. I also throw in some sautéed kale, and sprinkle za’atar on top. Thanks again!
Christine McMichael replied:
I’m so glad to hear that, Courtney! Such a great idea to use quinoa and cherry tomatoes. So yummy! 🙂
Meaghan says:
This sounds really delicious! I am looking forward to making this next week. Question, though; what is the green garnish you have in the picture? Is it cilantro?
Christine McMichael replied:
I believe it was fresh parsley, but cilantro would taste wonderful, too! Enjoy, Meaghan! 🙂
Alisha says:
Hi! Where can I find harissa?
Christine McMichael replied:
Hi, Alisha! I typically find harissa at the grocery store (Target, Sprouts, Whole Foods). However, you can also order it on Amazon! Here’s a link (affiliate): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004U771H4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=jaofle-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B004U771H4&linkId=e76282cdfda023319220609a33cf7b83
Lydia says:
Hello, what size butternut squash do you recommend for this recipe ? 🙂
Christine McMichael replied:
Hi, Lydia! I would say a medium sized butternut squash. Enjoy the recipe!
GREG says:
I loved this recipe! It was delicious. A new go-to recipe for me. Thanks!
Christine McMichael replied:
Thanks, Greg! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Lauren says:
I made this recipe a few days ago with random vegetables, and it is seriously so delicious. I’ve eaten it for lunch for a few days. I hated the tahini sauce when I tasted it plain, but it adds something special to the veggies. I think I’m just getting used to the flavor of tahini! Thank you for sharing this!!
Christine McMichael replied:
I’m so glad you liked it, Lauren! That’s great to hear. I agree about the tahini! 🙂