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Chickpea Sweet Potato Boats in a plate.

Chickpea Sweet Potato Boats

These Mediterranean Chickpea Sweet Potato Boats are a nutrient-dense, vegetarian dinner loaded with roasted chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, spinach, and savory spices, topped off with a salty crunch of feta cheese and fresh lemon.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 340
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • - 2 medium Sweet Potatoes cut in half lengthwise
  • - 1 can 15 oz Chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and dried
  • - 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil divided
  • - 1 tsp Ground Cumin
  • - 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • - 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • - 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • - 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
  • - 1/2 small Red Onion finely diced
  • - 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • - 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes halved
  • - 2 cups Fresh Baby Spinach
  • - 1/3 cup Feta Cheese crumbled
  • - 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  • - 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley and Dill finely chopped

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Rub the cut sides of the halved sweet potatoes with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Place them cut-side down on the baking sheet and pierce the skins with a fork. Bake for 30-35 minutes until completely tender.
  3. While baking, toss the dried chickpeas in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  4. Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the red onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the spiced chickpeas and halved cherry tomatoes, cooking for 5 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften. Stir in the spinach until just wilted, then remove from heat.
  5. Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and carefully flip them over. Use a spoon to gently press down and slightly scoop out the centers to create a boat shape.
  6. Stuff the chickpea and vegetable mixture generously into the sweet potato wells. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until piping hot.
  7. Remove from the oven and garnish immediately with crumbled feta cheese, fresh chopped herbs, and a bright squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serve warm.
  8. Notes:

Notes

- To make this recipe completely vegan, substitute the traditional dairy feta cheese with a plant-based feta alternative or a drizzle of creamy tahini sauce.
- Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat easily in an oven or air fryer at 350°F to maintain texture.