Vegan BBQ Chickpea Sweet Potatoes (Printer-friendly)

Roasted sweet potatoes filled with smoky chickpeas and crisp tangy slaw for a flavorful plant-based dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sweet Potatoes

01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ BBQ Chickpeas

04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
06 - 1 cup vegan BBQ sauce
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cabbage Slaw

09 - 2 cups shredded red cabbage
10 - 1 cup shredded carrots
11 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
12 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

17 - Sliced green onions, optional
18 - Fresh cilantro leaves, optional
19 - Extra BBQ sauce, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick sweet potatoes several times with a fork, rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes until tender.
02 - While sweet potatoes bake, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add drained chickpeas, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Stir in 1 cup vegan BBQ sauce and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and coats the chickpeas. Remove from heat.
04 - In a large bowl, combine 2 cups shredded red cabbage, 1 cup shredded carrots, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss dressing with vegetables until well coated.
05 - Once sweet potatoes are tender, slice them open lengthwise and fluff the insides with a fork. Spoon BBQ chickpeas into each sweet potato and top generously with prepared slaw.
06 - Garnish with sliced green onions, fresh cilantro leaves, and additional BBQ sauce if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in just over an hour and feels way more impressive than the effort it takes.
  • The contrast between creamy sweet potato, smoky chickpeas, and crisp slaw keeps every bite interesting.
  • Works beautifully as a meal prep base since you can roast the potatoes ahead and assemble when hungry.
02 -
  • Don't skip pricking the sweet potatoes or the skin will split and leak moisture everywhere—a lesson I learned the hard way.
  • Let the chickpea sauce bubble and thicken slightly instead of just heating it through; this is what makes them stick to each bite instead of sliding off.
03 -
  • Dressing the slaw 10 minutes before serving softens the cabbage slightly so it's easier to eat, but if you make it too far ahead it gets watery and loses its crunch.
  • If your BBQ sauce is too thin, let it simmer with the chickpeas for an extra few minutes and it will thicken and cling to them beautifully.
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