Grilled Chickpea Veggie Pita (Print-Friendly Format)

Crispy whole grain pitas packed with za’atar chickpeas and veggies, served with a tangy yogurt-cilantro sauce.

# Ingredients You’ll Need:

→ Chickpea Vegetable Filling

01 - 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
02 - 400 grams canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
03 - 0.5 yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
05 - 115 grams mushrooms, finely diced
06 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
08 - 0.5 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
09 - 2 teaspoons za’atar
10 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander
12 - 0.25 teaspoon fennel seeds
13 - 0.25 cup parsley, finely minced
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Assembly

15 - 3 whole grain pitas

→ Cilantro Garlic Yogurt Sauce

16 - 120 millilitres plain, unsweetened vegan Greek-style yogurt
17 - Juice of half a lemon
18 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
19 - 1 clove garlic, finely grated
20 - 0.25 cup cilantro, finely minced
21 - 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Place rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl and roughly mash with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add diced onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Stir, then cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes to soften and release moisture. Season with a pinch of salt and continue to sauté until most liquid has evaporated.
03 - Add minced garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Incorporate tomato paste, mashed chickpeas, soy sauce, za’atar, ground cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds. Sauté an additional 2–3 minutes until well combined and aromatic.
04 - Stir in minced parsley, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
05 - Preheat a griddle or grill pan. Slice each pita in half and carefully open the pocket. Fill each half generously with the warm chickpea mixture. Brush or spray the outside of the stuffed pita with remaining avocado oil.
06 - Place pita halves filling side down on the hot griddle. Grill for 3–4 minutes until golden and grill marks form. Flip and continue searing for about 3 minutes on each remaining side until crisp. Repeat with all pitas.
07 - In a bowl, combine vegan Greek-style yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic, minced cilantro, and extra virgin olive oil if desired. Whisk until smooth, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Serve grilled chickpea veggie pitas with cilantro garlic yogurt sauce and optionally garnish with additional fresh vegetables.

# Extra Tips:

01 - Choose whole grain pita bread to maximize dietary fiber content for digestive health and satiety.
02 - Avoid overfilling pitas to prevent tearing; adjust filling based on pita thickness.
03 - For alternative serving, fill a flour tortilla and toast or grill until crisp for a wrap option.
04 - For higher protein, substitute chickpeas with ground tempeh or tofu as desired.

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