Vegan BBQ Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Red Cabbage Kale Slaw

Vegan stuffed sweet potatoes loaded with smoky maple-BBQ chickpeas and a crunchy red cabbage-kale slaw in a tangy cider dressing. Great for lunch prep.

VeganHigh ProteinHigh FiberIron-RichContains GlutenMeal Prep
Prep
20 min
Cook
55 min
Serves
4
Vegan BBQ Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Red Cabbage Kale Slaw — Vegan stuffed sweet potatoes loaded with smoky maple-BBQ chickpeas and a crunchy red cabbage-kale slaw in a t
Illustration generated by AI · SDXL

Vegan BBQ Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Red Cabbage Kale Slaw is a vegan lunch recipe made with medium sweet potatoes (about 8 oz each), olive oil, salt. It takes 75 minutes of hands-on time, serves 4, and each serving has 449 calories, 15 g of protein and 16 g of fiber.

Instead of bottled sauce, the chickpeas get a quick from-scratch BBQ glaze: tomato paste is fried until brick red, then simmered with maple, cider vinegar, soy sauce and smoked paprika until it clings. Searing the chickpeas first gives them a slightly crisp skin, so the glaze sticks instead of sliding off. A sharp, crunchy slaw of red cabbage and massaged kale balances the soft, sweet potato flesh, and every part can be made ahead.

A dietary (fully vegan) + flavor profile (smoky BBQ chickpeas with a crunchy red cabbage-kale slaw instead of Greek lentils, feta and dill yogurt) take on our Greek Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Spinach, Feta and Lemon-Dill Yogurt.

Ingredients

4 servings

Sweet Potatoes

BBQ Chickpeas

Slaw

To Serve

Kit: rimmed baking sheet, parchment paper, large skillet, large mixing bowl

Cook mode · Vegan BBQ Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Red Cabbage Kale Slaw

Tips

  • Dry the chickpeas well after rinsing. Any water left on them will steam them instead of browning them, and the glaze won't stick as well.
  • Choose sweet potatoes of similar size and thickness so they finish roasting at the same time. Very large ones can need 60–70 minutes.
  • Toast the tomato paste until it darkens before adding liquid. This step takes away the raw, tinny taste and builds most of the smoky-sweet depth.
  • Dress the slaw at least 10 minutes ahead. The vinegar softens the cabbage just enough while keeping its crunch.

Swap ideas

Black beans or pinto beans instead of chickpeas
Gives a softer, creamier filling. Skip the crisping step and simmer the beans in the glaze for 3–4 minutes.
1/4 cup ketchup instead of the tomato paste and half the maple syrup
Makes a sweeter, tangier, more classic-tasting BBQ sauce with fewer ingredients.
Shredded green cabbage plus 1 grated carrot instead of the red cabbage
Gives a milder, sweeter slaw. It will look less vivid but stays just as crunchy.
Add 1/2 cup diced pineapple to the chickpeas with the liquid
Adds juicy bursts of tropical sweetness that play well against the smoked paprika.

The numbers

449kcal per serving

Protein15 g
30% DV
Fiber15.6 g
56% DV
Carbs74.5 g
27% DV
Fat11.7 g
15% DV
Everything else · 4 servings per recipe
Saturated fat
1.5 g 8%
Sugars
21.8 g
Sodium
650 mg 28%
Potassium
1157 mg 25%
Calcium
184 mg 14%
Iron
5.8 mg 32%
Vitamin C
47 mg 53%
Vitamin B12
0 µg 0%

% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.

Sources: Sweet potato, raw, unprepared (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), Oil, olive, salad or cooking, Salt, table, Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, Tomato products, canned, paste, without salt added (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), Spices, paprika, Spices, garlic powder (SR Legacy), Spices, cumin seed, Beverages, water, tap, drinking, Syrups, maple, Vinegar, cider, Soy sauce made from soy and wheat (shoyu), Mustard, prepared, yellow, Cabbage, red, raw, Kale, raw, Spices, pepper, black

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Prick each sweet potato 4–5 times with a fork, rub with 1 tsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt, and set on the sheet.

  2. Roast until a knife slides into the thickest part with no resistance and the skins look puffed with sticky, caramelized juices leaking out, 45–55 minutes depending on size.

  3. While the potatoes roast, make the slaw: whisk 2 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp maple, 1 tsp Dijon, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the kale and squeeze it with your hands for about 1 minute until it darkens and softens, then toss in the red cabbage. Set aside so it can soften slightly.

  4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the dried chickpeas in a single layer and cook, stirring only now and then, until golden in spots and lightly crisp-skinned, 5–6 minutes.

  5. Lower the heat to medium. Add the tomato paste, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin and cayenne (if using) and stir constantly until the paste coats the chickpeas and turns from bright red to brick red, about 2 minutes.

  6. Stir in the water, maple syrup, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, soy sauce and Dijon, scraping up anything stuck to the pan. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce reduces to a thick, glossy glaze that clings to the chickpeas, 3–5 minutes. Taste and add a little salt if needed.

  7. Split each roasted sweet potato lengthwise, pinch the ends to push the flesh up, and fluff the inside lightly with a fork.

  8. Spoon the BBQ chickpeas into the potatoes, pile the slaw on top or alongside, and finish with green onions and pumpkin seeds if using. Serve warm.

Storage: Store the roasted sweet potatoes, BBQ chickpeas and slaw in separate airtight containers in the fridge. The potatoes and chickpeas keep for up to 4 days and the slaw for up to 3 days. Reheat the potatoes and chickpeas in the microwave or in a 375°F oven until hot all the way through. Add the cold slaw just before eating.

Questions

How much protein is in vegan bbq chickpea stuffed sweet potatoes with red cabbage kale slaw?
Each of the 4 servings has 15 g of protein, 16 g of fiber and 449 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
Is vegan bbq chickpea stuffed sweet potatoes with red cabbage kale slaw vegan?
Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
How long does vegan bbq chickpea stuffed sweet potatoes with red cabbage kale slaw take to make?
20 minutes of prep and 55 minutes of cooking, so 75 minutes of hands-on time.
Can you make vegan bbq chickpea stuffed sweet potatoes with red cabbage kale slaw ahead?
Store the roasted sweet potatoes, BBQ chickpeas and slaw in separate airtight containers in the fridge. The potatoes and chickpeas keep for up to 4 days and the slaw for up to 3 days. Reheat the potatoes and chickpeas in the microwave or in a 375°F oven until hot all the way through. Add the cold slaw just before eating.
What can I substitute in vegan bbq chickpea stuffed sweet potatoes with red cabbage kale slaw?
Black beans or pinto beans instead of chickpeas — gives a softer, creamier filling. skip the crisping step and simmer the beans in the glaze for 3–4 minutes.. 1/4 cup ketchup instead of the tomato paste and half the maple syrup — makes a sweeter, tangier, more classic-tasting bbq sauce with fewer ingredients.. Shredded green cabbage plus 1 grated carrot instead of the red cabbage — gives a milder, sweeter slaw. it will look less vivid but stays just as crunchy.. Add 1/2 cup diced pineapple to the chickpeas with the liquid — adds juicy bursts of tropical sweetness that play well against the smoked paprika..
Does vegan bbq chickpea stuffed sweet potatoes with red cabbage kale slaw contain gluten?
Yes — the ingredient list includes gluten. Check the labels on the products you buy if you're cooking for an allergy.

Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.

Published October 10, 2026 ·American

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