Cheesy Chickpeas and Rice Recipe

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This Chickpeas and Rice Recipe is a vegetarian version of chicken and rice that uses all those familiar, comforting Midwest flavors in a 40-minute meatless meal that will quickly become a family favorite!

You’ll Love This

• Say hello to all. These. Veggies! This one-pot chickpeas and rice recipe is SO much more than chickpeas and rice. Three different veggies (plus onion and veggie broth) really bulk up this delicious, family-favorite meal.
• It’s a complete, hearty vegetarian dinner! This vegetarian version of chicken and rice doesn’t compromise on nutrition. Chickpeas make sure your family is getting a complete serving of plant-based protein, and the rice will help fill up even your heartiest eaters.
• It’s so simple! Once everything is chopped and measured, we’re just adding ingredients and letting them simmer. This all comes together in one pot, which makes meal prep and cleanup delightfully simple.

Instructions

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes.

Add garlic, thyme, oregano, sage, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.

Add a splash of broth to deglaze the pan and scrape the yummy bits off the bottom.

Add broccoli, chickpeas, rice, remaining vegetable broth, cream, cheddar, Parmesan, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.

Stir to combine.

Bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat, stirring every couple minutes so that the rice doesn’t stick to the pan. Once it’s boiling, give it a good stir. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove cover, give it a good stir so the rice can cook evenly. Then cover and cook for another 6-8 minutes until rice is cooked through.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Tips

• Easily adjust your portion size! This recipe makes a big ol’ pot of chickpeas and rice, but you can easily half the recipe if you’re feeding a smaller crew. (Or just keep leftovers for lunch during the week!)
• Add liquid if needed. If you find that the liquid has absorbed, but the rice isn’t quite cooked through, stir in 1/2 a cup of water or broth, cover, and cook for another couple of minutes until the rice is cooked through.
• This is a great meal prep recipe! Whether you’re meal planning, or just have some leftovers after dinner, this one-pot chickpeas and rice is a great meal to store for lunches during the week. Pack in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to five days.
• Shred your own cheese! If you have a few extra minutes, consider getting a block of cheese and shredding it at home. Pre-shredded cheese has added preservatives to keep it from clumping together in the bag, but those same preservatives mean the cheese doesn’t melt quite as smoothly. Plus – blocks of cheese are usually cheaper than pre-shredded bags!

Vegetarian Family Favorites

• No Boil Baked Manicotti Recipe
• One Pan Street Corn Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Vegan Chickpea Gnocchi Soup
• Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
• Vegetarian Skillet Pot Pie

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