• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Heavenlynn Healthy

Eat Healthy, Live Healthy, Be Healthy

  • Philosophy
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Juices and Smoothies
    • Salads
    • Mains
    • Sides
    • Sweets and Cakes
  • Healthy Lifestyle
    • Healthy Travel Guides
    • Natural Beauty
    • Kitchen Equipment
    • Fitness
    • Resources
    • Blogging Resources
  • About me
    • Press
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Legal Disclaimer
  • Deutsch
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Baked Avocados with Rice and Chickpea Za’atar Filling

January 20, 2016

Baked Avocados with Rice and Chickpea Za'atar Filling - plant based, vegetarian, vegan, refined sugar free, gluten free - heavenlynnhealthy.com

These baked avocados were literally the biggest hit on Instagram when I posted them last week. I didn’t even think about it, but the fact that you could actually eat avocados warm, apparently surprised many of you. I first realized that you could actually bake avocados when I saw this post by Ella Woodward in the Telegraph. I have to admit that I was a bit sceptic at first, because I had only ever eaten avocados raw, but after I tried it for the first time, I was instantly in love. A whole new world opened up to me, and I think I never want to eat another appetizer ever again. Speaking of appetizers, I realized that I didn’t really post that many appetizers yet, so I am going to try to change this in the future. I doubt, however, that I will ever find something more delicious than these little baked avocados. 

Baked Avocados with Rice and Chickpea Za'atar Filling - plant based, vegetarian, vegan, refined sugar free, gluten free - heavenlynnhealthy.com

Baked Avocados with Za'atar Rice and Chickpea Filling - plant based, vegetarian, vegan, refined sugar free, gluten free - heavenlynnhealthy.com

So besides from the mind blowing fact that you could actually bake avocados, this recipe also has another amazing ingredient that I discovered recently: za’atar. Za’atar is a middle eastern spice blend that is most commonly mixed with olive oil and spread on flat bread. It’s also often used in dips or to marinate vegetables or meat. In this recipe it is a wonderful addition to the black rice and chickpea filling and gives this appetizer the final, and most delicious oriental touch. You can buy za’atar in any middle eastern market, but many supermarkets with a well sorted spice isle will also carry it. However, I prefer to make my own, as it is much cheaper and absolutely fun to make it yourself. The secret ingredient in za’atar is sumac. In case you haven’t heard of sumac yet, you need to listen carefully now. Sumac is a ground deep red berry that grows on the sumac bush in the Middle Eastern regions. It has a nice tangy flavor, similar to lemons, although it is much less tart than lemon flavor. You can sprinkle it on literally anything that needs a balanced tangy touch. I think it goes really well with hummus or even tabbouleh.

Baked Avocados with Rice and Chickpea Za'atar Filling - plant based, vegetarian, vegan, refined sugar free, gluten free - heavenlynnhealthy.com   Baked Avocados with Rice and Chickpea Za'atar Filling - plant based, vegetarian, vegan, refined sugar free, gluten free - heavenlynnhealthy.com

Combined with the chickpeas, the delicious black rice, sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh lemon juice and fresh parsley, it creates the most wonderful kind of salad, that I almost always end up eating out of the bowl before I have a chance to scoop it into the avocados. I strongly encourage you not to follow my example, because combined with the warm avocados, it tastes even better.

Baked Avocados with Rice and Chickpea Za'atar Filling - plant based, vegetarian, vegan, refined sugar free, gluten free - heavenlynnhealthy.com

Baked Avocados with Rice and Chickpea Za'atar Filling
 
Print
Prep time
30 mins
Cook time
12 mins
Total time
42 mins
 
Author: Heavenlynn Healthy
Serves: 3
Ingredients
  • 3 avocados
  • ⅔ cup (100g) of chickpeas (soaked or canned)
  • ½ cup (100g) of dry black rice
  • 8 cherry tomatoes (about 75g)
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of za'atar spice blend (see below)
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin
  • ½ teaspoon of paprika
  • ½ lemon
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 pinch of cinnamon
  • 1 pinch of chili flakes (optional)
  • 1 handful of parsley
  • freshly ground pepper
For the za'atar spice blend:
  • 4 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds
  • 4 tablespoons ground sumac
  • 1 tablespoon of dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cumin(optional)
  • 1 pinch of sea salt
Instructions
For the za'atar spice blend:
  1. Heat the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until they turn slightly brown. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Mix the sesame seeds with all the other spices and mix well. Store in an air tight container. Keeps for many months.
For the baked avocados with za'atar rice and chickpea filling
  1. Cook the rice according to package instructions.
  2. In the meantime, cut the cherry tomatoes into small pieces, finely chop the parsley, juice the lemon and mince the garlic. Add all ingredients except avocados to a bowl and mix well.
  3. Once the rice is ready, drain it and let it cool for a few minutes. Then add it to the other ingredients.
  4. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
  5. Cut the avocados in halves and remove some of the flesh to make room for the filling.
  6. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the za'atar rice filling into each avocado half and place them into a baking dish.
  7. Cook the avocados for about 12 minutes and serve immediately.
3.5.3208

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn9ggBue3N4

Enjoy!

Share the health:

Filed Under: Gluten-free, Recipes, Refined sugar-free, Sides, Vegan Tagged With: avocado, avocado appetizer, avocados, baked avocados, healthy appetizer

Previous Post: « Moroccan Spiced Chickpea, Kale and Sweet Potato Stew
Next Post: Video: Healthy Bircher Muesli »

Reader Interactions

Subscribe

to my Newsletter and never miss a healthy recipe.

Comments

  1. Tiina @myberryforest

    January 20, 2016 at 2:12 pm

    These look really amazing Lynn 🙂 I’ve baked avocado once, and really loved it! I must try this recipe of yours, everything sounds and looks so delicious. I wonder where I can get sumac..Where do you buy it from, is it from a specialty store? Lots of love!

    Reply
    • Lynn

      January 20, 2016 at 6:13 pm

      Hi Tiina, thank you so much, I also love to bake my avocados. I bought my sumac at a middle eastern supermarket, where they sold it for like 2 Euros I think. I believe that many small turkish shops would also carry it. Of course you could also buy it online. If you can’t find it then send me your address and I’ll send you some. You need this in your life asap haha 😉
      Lots of love,
      xx Lynn

      Reply
  2. Amelia

    January 20, 2016 at 3:35 pm

    What a yummy flavour combo!

    Nourishing Amelia | Food, Health and Lifestyle Blogger

    x

    Reply
    • Lynn

      January 20, 2016 at 6:14 pm

      Hi Amelia! Thank you so much!
      Lots of love
      xx Lynn

      Reply
  3. Rana

    January 31, 2016 at 10:03 am

    Thank you for the amazing recipes, i think we can use the dried red berries with it too
    ie. The sumac is the powdered texture of the dried red berries and the zaater is the dried thyme powder mixed with sesame
    Some people in middle east mixed them together to give the taste of lemon as you mentioned above.

    Reply
    • Lynn

      February 1, 2016 at 6:58 am

      Hi Rana, I’ve never seen the real berries here in Germany, but I’m sure they taste lovely.
      Have a great week,
      Lynn

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to Heavenlynn Healthy. This is a place where I share my passion with the world - delicious healthy recipes. Everything you see here is made from scratch with non-processed natural foods. Most of my recipes are meat, dairy, gluten, and refined-sugar free, and they contain a list of all of the goodness that you will treat your body to by preparing and eating them. I hope you will love the website just as much as I do. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or take a look at my philosophy. Have a healthy day eyeryone!

Heavenlynn Healthy Newsletter

Sign up for my newsletter and never miss a delicious recipe or blogpost.

Popular Posts

Creamy beetroot and turmeric pasta - plant-based, vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free

Creamy Beetroot and Turmeric Pasta Sauce

The best home made almond butter - gluten free, dairy free, vegan, plant based, healthy, refined sugar free - heavenlynnhealthy.com

The best almond butter

Sweet Potato Chickpea Enchiladas

Tableware Sponsored by

Tableware sponsored by Broste Copenhagen

Footer

Instagram

Instagram did not return a 200.

Follow Me!

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

About Lynn

Lynn is a Germany-based healthy foodie, holistic health coach, recipe developer, entrepreneur and positive thinker. She loves running, dogs, active life of all sorts and Asian food.

My Current Favorites:

Copyright © 2025 · Heavenlynn Healthy