Air fryer chickpea bowl

A colorful, filling bowl that costs less than a sandwich, takes 20 minutes and works for lunch or dinner. Crispy chickpeas and caramelized sweet potato do the work — no deep frying required. Around 750 kcal and 23 g of protein per serving.

Ingredients (2 servings)

1 can chickpeas (240 g drained) · 1 medium sweet potato · 1 red onion · 120 g couscous · 1 ripe avocado · 2 handfuls kale or spinach · 4 tbsp hummus · 1.5 tbsp olive oil · 1 tsp smoked paprika · ½ tsp cumin · salt, pepper · ½ lemon.

Step 1 — prepare the vegetables

Peel and dice the sweet potato into 1.5 cm cubes and cut the onion into wedges. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, paprika, cumin and a pinch of salt.

Step 2 — air fry

Drain the chickpeas and pat them dry with a paper towel — this is the secret to crunch. Air fry the sweet potato and onion at 200°C for 12 minutes, shaking once. Add the chickpeas and cook for another 8 minutes until golden and crispy.

Step 3 — couscous and greens

Pour 150 ml boiling salted water over the couscous, cover and leave for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Massage the kale with the remaining oil, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt so it softens.

Step 4 — assemble

Divide couscous and kale between two bowls, top with the roasted vegetables and chickpeas, sliced avocado and a generous spoon of hummus. Finish with lemon juice and black pepper.

Tips and swaps

No air fryer? Roast everything in the oven at 220°C for 25–30 minutes. Swap couscous for rice, quinoa or bulgur; use pumpkin or carrots instead of sweet potato. Leftover chickpeas stay crunchy for a day in an open container — a great snack.

Cost and nutrition

Estimated cost: about €3 per serving. Per serving: ~750 kcal, 23 g protein, 32 g fat, 93 g carbohydrates, 16 g fiber.