Why this fits a family on a budget
Canned chickpeas and pantry spices make this a true budget winner at well under $3 per serving for a filling, protein-rich bowl. The air fryer does most of the heavy lifting with minimal technique required, keeping total time under 40 minutes.
• 2 15oz can canned chickpeas
• 1.5 cup long grain white rice
• 3 cup water
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
• 0.5 tsp garlic powder
• 0.25 tsp ground allspice
• 1.25 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 1 whole lemon
• 1 whole garlic clove
• 2 cup baby spinach
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 0.25 whole red onion
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley
1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly, then spread them on a clean kitchen towel and pat very dry — removing moisture is key to getting them crispy in the air fryer.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the dried chickpeas with 2 tablespoons olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, garlic powder, allspice, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly coated.
3. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Spread chickpeas in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 15-18 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes, until chickpeas are golden brown and audibly crunchy when you shake the basket.
4. While chickpeas cook, bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add rice and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir once, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 18 minutes until water is fully absorbed and rice is fluffy. Remove from heat and keep covered.
5. Make the tahini drizzle: mince the garlic clove and juice the lemon. In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, and 3-4 tablespoons of warm water until smooth and pourable — it should be the consistency of thin ranch dressing. Season with a pinch of salt.
6. Thinly slice the red onion. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Chop the parsley.
7. In a dry skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and wilt the baby spinach for 1-2 minutes, stirring until just collapsed and bright green. Remove from heat.
8. Build each bowl: a scoop of fluffy rice on the bottom, wilted spinach alongside, cherry tomatoes and red onion on top, a generous pile of crispy shawarma chickpeas, fresh parsley, and a generous zigzag drizzle of tahini sauce. Serve immediately so the chickpeas stay crispy.
Contains: sesame. Always double-check labels for your household's allergies.
Cost is a national-average estimate and varies by store and region.
This recipe was generated by Plento Pasto's AI from a library of family-friendly dishes and reviewed for a real photo before publishing. Cooking times, costs, and nutrition are estimates — use your judgment in the kitchen.