Chickpeas and peanut sauce are two of my current obsessions, so these peanut chickpea protein bowls are my idea of paradise for dinner. Crispy chickpeas, cabbage slaw, and brown rice are topped with more veggies and herbs and drizzled with creamy peanut sauce for a satisfying dinner that’s both hearty and healthy. Here’s what you need to know.

The crispy chickpeas:
Just a few minutes in hot oil transforms canned chickpeas into crispy browned nuggets that are perfect for topping any salad or bowl you like—or just eating as a snack. Make sure to drain, rinse, and dry the chickpeas as thoroughly as possible before adding them to the hot oil; any moisture left might make the oil spit!

The peanut sauce:
For me, the secret to the best creamy peanut sauce is freshly grated garlic and ginger. The sharp fresh aromatics really balance the deep savory quality of the peanut butter and the soy sauce and completely transform the flavor of the sauce. While you can finely chop the garlic and ginger in a pinch, I prefer to grate with a microplane: This helps to release the flavor of the aromatics more, as well as helping them meld into the sauce more seamlessly.

Make ahead and storage:
The peanut sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead; cover and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Both the red cabbage slaw and crispy chickpeas are best fresh, but if you’d like to meal-prep these bowls, you can fry the chickpeas and cut the cabbage and store both separately in airtight containers until you’re ready to build your bowls. I recommend waiting to add salt to the cabbage until just before eating. The chickpeas will lose a lot of their initial crispness once covered and stored, but they’ll still taste delicious—and if you have time (and access to a stove-top), you can try tossing them in a dry pan over medium heat to reheat and try to regain some of that crisp texture.

delish!