Grilled Chickpea Veggie Pita

Grilled Chickpea Veggie Pita – za’atar spiced chickpea filling, stuffed into whole grain pitas then grilled until the outside is crispy. High protein, high fiber, and highly nutritious meal that will keep you satisfied.

Close up of stacked grilled chickpea stuffed veggie pitas on a plate with herby yogurt sauce.

I wanted to use my griddle. That was the inspiration I started with, hopes of making something as delicious as my Red Pesto Tofu Sandwich. However, unknowingly, it ended up combining a mish mash of different cultural ideas all into one delicious stuffed pita grilled until crispy and of course highlighted by a delicious plant based, chickpea filling.

When I originally shared this recipe, someone mentioned that these were arayes, a Lebanese pita stuffed with a spiced ground lamb or beef that is then grilled. In using chickpeas with onion, cumin and parsley, the filling reminded me a little of falafel. And with the addition of za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend made with dried sumac and toasted sesame seeds, this pita took on even more delicious flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Chickpea Veggie Pita

  • Great way to get in your veggies. Start with the base recommended veggies, but you can mix and match your favorites to enjoy with the mashed chickpeas for the ultimate satisfying filling.
  • Budget friendly meal. Just basic ingredients needed including chickpeas, a plant-based protein option that is much cheaper than opting for beef or chicken.
  • A delicious and wholesome meal. Loaded with protein, fiber and flavor for a super satisfying meal.
Chickpeas, onion, parsley, bell pepper, tomato paste, mushrooms, spices and garlic on a clean kitchen surface.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Chickpeas: I used canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained. You can opt for some crumbled super firm tofu or canned lentils if you prefer.
  • Aromatics: I used a combination of yellow onion and lots of garlic, but feel free to scale to your preference. You can also use some diced shallots for a little more sweetness.
  • Bell Pepper: Totally optional, but I love to add in vegetables where I can. You can also try this with some diced zucchini for something more neutral or even a different colored bell pepper based on what you have on hand.
  • Mushrooms: I love the combo of this mixed in with the chickpeas.
  • Tomato Paste: I like to use a tube tomato paste, but canned works well too. If sensitive to tomato, feel free to omit and adjust the other seasonings to your liking.
  • Seasonings: Za’atar, cumin, coriander, fennel seeds,
  • Herbs: I used parsley for the chickpea filling and cilantro for the yogurt sauce.
  • Pita Bread: I used whole grain pitas from Angel’s Bakery, which provides 9 grams of protein. Do note, different types of wraps and pitas can absolutely work for this, but may vary in terms of protein provided.
  • Greek Style Yogurt: I used a plant based Greek-style yogurt from Kite Hill to make this meal more protein packed, but you can opt for your favorite thick plant based yogurt that you love (note again that changing the recommended yogurt may influence the overall protein for the dish). If not a fan of yogurt, these pitas work really well with a simple tahini sauce as well.

How to Make a Grilled Chickpea Veggie Pita

Place your chickpeas in a bowl and roughly mash them with a fork.

To a sauté pan over medium heat, heat up a tablespoon of oil then add in the onion, bell pepper and mushrooms. Give the mixture a quick toss and let it sit for 2-3 mins to release some of the moisture. Add a pinch of salt and sauté until the mixture has cooked down and the liquid has cooked off.

Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, then add the tomato paste, chickpeas, soy sauce and seasonings and sauté for an additional 2-3 mins. Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust seasoning to your liking and set aside.

Preheat a griddle then cut your pita in half and carefully stuff each pita half. Brush or spray the pita with the remaining oil. Place the pita filling side down on the grill for 3-4 minutes until grill marks appear then flip and sear it for about 3 minutes on the remaining sides of the pita. Repeat this process with the remaining pitas.

For the yogurt sauce, combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk together then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the pita with the sauce and enjoy.

Expert Tips

  • For extra fiber, opt for whole grain pita bread. Slowly adding in extra fiber to your diet is helpful for maintaining a healthy gut and will also keep you feeling more satisfied between meals.
  • Avoid overstuffing your pita. Pita quality will differ from brand to brand, but one thing we want to avoid is overstuffing it to the point that your pita rips. If the pita is thin, you may want to use less filling so the pita does not rip.
  • Replace the pita with a wrap. If you are having trouble finding a good quality vegan pita, opt to wrap the filling in a flour tortilla. After you wrap it, toast or grill the wrap until it is nice and crispy before enjoying.
  • Add more protein. These stuffed pitas totaled 22 grams of protein per wrap and 1/3 of the sauce. Do note that numbers can vary depending on changes made to the brands recommended for the recipe. If you want to add additional protein, feel free to swap the chickpeas for ground tempeh or tofu.
Stuffed grilled pita resting on a white plate with a dish of herby yogurt sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make this gluten-free?

Make sure you use a gluten-free soy sauce for the filling. Depending on your preference, you may wish to use the stuffing in a gluten-free burrito style wrap like ones from Siete. Or you can use this filling stuffed into bell peppers.

Can I substitute the chickpeas?

I really appreciate the consistency of the mashed chickpeas in the filling, but you can replace it if desired with other plant-protein options like crumbled tofu, tempeh, or even cooked lentils to change it up.

Can you make these veggie pitas in advance?

When fully prepped, this veggie pita is best enjoyed immediately. However, you can make the filling for these pitas in advance. Just stuff your pita the day you plan to enjoy it. Grilling is optional and this pita can be eaten chilled, but to enjoy warm you can place the pita in a toaster oven to warm through when ready to eat.

How do your store the stuffed pitas?

If making these pitas for meal prep, I would suggest preparing the filling in advance. Allow the filling to cool then place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store pita separately to avoid your pita from getting soggy.

2 grilled stuffed pita halves served on top of a white bowl with a dish of yogurt sauce.

How to Serve

These stuffed pitas are great to pair with a herby garlic yogurt sauce. You may also want to serve this with a light side salad. For more protein, feel free to serve with some extra crispy tofu on the side.

More Vegan Lunch Ideas

Close up of the filling of one half of a stuffed pita on a white plate.
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Close up of stacked grilled chickpea stuffed veggie pitas on a plate with herby yogurt sauce.

Grilled Chickpea Veggie Pita

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Catherine Perez
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 3 servings 1x
  • Category: Lunch
  • Method: Grilling
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern Inspired
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Grilled Chickpea Veggie Pitas – za’atar spiced chickpea filling, stuffed into whole grain pitas then grilled until the outside is crispy. High protein, high fiber, and highly nutritious meal that will keep you satisfied.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided
  • 1, 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 4 oz of mushrooms, finely diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 2 tsp za’atar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/4 cup parsley, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 whole grain pitas

Cilantro Garlic Yogurt Sauce

  • 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened vegan Greek-style yogurt or your favorite thick vegan yogurt
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed or finely grated
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, finely minced
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, optional

Instructions

  1. Place your chickpeas in a bowl and roughly mash them with a fork to crumble it, then set aside.
  2. To a sauté pan over medium heat, heat up a tablespoon of oil then add in the onion, bell pepper and mushrooms. Give the mixture a quick toss and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to release some of the moisture. Add a pinch of salt and continue to sauté until the mixture has cooked down and most of the liquid has cooked off.
  3. Add the garlic and sauté till fragrant, then add the tomato paste, mashed chickpeas, soy sauce, za’atar, cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds and sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  4. Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust seasoning to your liking then set aside.
  5. Preheat a griddle then cut your pita in half and open the pocket. Carefully stuff each pita half until it is filled to the top. Brush or spray the pita with the remaining oil.
  6. Place the pita filling side down on the grill for 3-4 minutes until grill marks appear then flip and sear it for about 3 minutes on the remaining sides. Repeat with the remaining pitas.
  7. To make the yogurt sauce, combine the yogurt sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk to fully combine then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the grilled pita with the sauce and any fresh veggies you like.

Notes

For extra fiber, opt for whole grain pita bread. Slowly adding in extra fiber to your diet is helpful for maintaining a healthy gut and will also keep you feeling more satisfied between meals.

Avoid overstuffing your pita. Pita quality will differ from brand to brand, but one thing we want to avoid is overstuffing it to the point that your pita rips. If the pita is thin, you may want to use less filling so the pita does not rip.

Replace the pita with a wrap. If you are having trouble finding a good quality vegan pita, opt to wrap the filling in a flour tortilla. After you wrap it, toast or grill the wrap until it is nice and crispy before enjoying.

Add more protein. These stuffed pitas totaled 22 grams of protein per wrap and 1/3 of the sauce. Do note that numbers can vary depending on changes made to the brands recommended for the recipe. If you want to add additional protein, feel free to swap the chickpeas for ground tempeh or tofu.

If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.

 Catherine

This post contains affiliate links which means I will make a small commission if you purchase from those links. I only recommend and share products that I know, trust and personally use myself!

3 Comments

  1. Fun to make and delicious! I had terrible pita breads that fell apart but was still delicious when I ate it with a fork and knife haha. Thanks for this creative recipe!






  2. This recipe was DELICIOUS! My family had a crazy week between our carpet cleaners coming, soccer practice, and normal errands, I had no time to cook. This recipe was so easy to make and was a big hit with everyone in my family! Thank you for sharing!






    1. Best thing to hear! Super glad this was helpful between all your responsibilities and that the family loved it too!

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