Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice

$4.41 recipe / $1.10 serving
by Beth Moncel
4.65 from 39 votes
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One of the first recipes that I wanted to try to make in my rice cooker is Spanish Chickpeas and Rice, and I finally got a chance to do so this week. This simple mix of rice, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and TONS of smoky spices is one of my favorite vegan meals, and perfectly suited for making in a rice cooker. The original stove top version was already pretty simple, but when you add in the ease of a rice cooker, it’s pretty much fool-proof. You just dump all the ingredients in, press go, and about 30 minutes later you have a totally killer meal. This Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice is seriously as easy as it gets!

Check out my other Rice Cooker Recipes: Rice Cooker Teriyaki Shrimp and RiceRice Cooker Mac and CheeseRice Cooker Chili.

A hearty bowl of Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice with fresh lemon.

This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

Do I Have to Use a Rice Cooker?

Nope! You can make this same dish on the stove top in a deep skillet with a lid, or a Dutch oven. You can find the original stove top instructions here: Spanish Chickpeas and Rice.

Rice Cooker Adaptations…

I did have to make a couple of changes from the original for this Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice. First, I had to reduce the quantities of ingredients a bit because I was afraid that it wouldn’t all fit in my 8 cup capacity rice cooker. I reduced the amount of artichoke hearts and chickpeas, and swapped out the diced onion for onion powder. Swapping the fresh onion and garlic for powdered versions also served to make this version of the recipe even easier more beginner-friendly. The only chopping you need to do is slicing the lemon, and chopping the parsley garnish at the end! I also reduced the broth slightly, to account for the fact that less evaporation occurs in a rice cooker compared to a skillet on the stove top.

What Rice Cooker am I Using?

I chose to work with one of the most popular and most basic rice cookers on the market to make sure the rice cooker recipes I develop have the broadest compatibility. That being said, every model rice cooker is slightly different, and may yield slightly different results, so you may have to tweak the recipe to work with your equipment. I’m using the Aroma Housewares 8 cup cooked/4 cup uncooked Digital Rice Cooker (affiliate link). 

Can I Make This in an Instant Pot?

The “rice” function on the Instant Pot cooks food in the same manner as a rice cooker, so this recipe should work just fine in an Instant Pot, providing you are using the rice function and not a pressure cooking function. That being said, I have not had a chance to actually test this recipe using an Instant Pot.

A forkful of flavorful and filling Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice
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Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice

4.65 from 39 votes
Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice is an incredibly easy and inexpensive vegan dinner that will keep you full and happy with very little effort. 
A hearty bowl of Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice with fresh lemon and parsley
Servings 4 1.5 cups each
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
  • 1 cup long grain white rice ($0.39)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika ($0.10)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin ($0.05)
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano ($0.02)
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder ($0.02)
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
  • freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
  • 1 15oz. can chickpeas, drained ($0.55)
  • 1 15oz. can petite diced tomatoes, with juices ($0.49)
  • 1 6oz. jar quartered artichoke hearts, drained ($1.79)
  • 1 cup vegetable broth ($0.13)
  • 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped ($0.22)
  • 1 fresh lemon ($0.43)
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Instructions 

  • Combine the olive oil, rice, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 10 cranks of a pepper mill) in the bowl of the rice cooker. Stir until the rice is coated in oil and spices.
  • Next add the chickpeas (drained), diced tomatoes (with juices), artichoke hearts (drained), and vegetable broth. Give everything a brief stir, then closes the rice cooker and turn it on to the white rice setting (or the basic “cook” setting).
  • Let the rice cooker cook the mixture until finished, then once the cook cycle has completed let it rest on the “keep warm” setting for at least 5 minutes. After resting, open the cooker and gently fluff and stir the mixture to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
  • To serve, spoon the chickpea and rice mixture into a bowl, sprinkle chopped parsley over top, and serve with a couple wedges of lemon. Squeeze the lemon over top just before eating.

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Equipment

  • Rice Cooker
  • Liquid Measuring Cup

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 398.9kcalCarbohydrates: 70.53gProtein: 12.98gFat: 7.4gSodium: 764.75mgFiber: 10.4g
Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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How to Make Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice – Step by Step Photos

Spices for Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice

The spices you’ll need for this dish are 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/8 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, and some freshly cracked pepper. 

Rice and Spices in Rice Cooker

Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 cup of long grain white rice, and all of the spices listed above to the bowl of the rice cooker. Stir until the rice is coated in oil and spices.

Add Chickpeas Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts to Rice Cooker

Next, add one 15oz. can of chickpeas (drained), one 15oz. can of petite diced tomatoes (with the juices), and one 6 oz. jar of artichoke hearts (drained).

Add Broth to Rice Cooker

Finally, add 1 cup vegetable broth to the rice cooker and stir briefly to make sure everything is combined.

Turn On Rice Cooker

Close the rice cooker and set it to the white rice setting, or if your rice cooker just has one basic “cook” function, choose that. Once it has finished the cook cycle, let it rest on the “keep warm” setting for at least 5 minutes. This helps the rice absorb any excess steam and makes everything cooked a little more evenly.

Finished Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice

After resting for at least 5 minutes, open the cooker and it will look a little like the photo above.

Fluff Spanish Chickpeas and Rice

Gently fluff and stir the mixture to make sure everything is evenly combined.

A hearty bowl of Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice with fresh lemon and parsley

To serve the Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and rice simply spoon the rice mixture into a bowl, top with chopped parsley, and serve with a couple wedges of lemon. Squeeze the lemon over the rice just before eating. Enjoy!

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  1. Would I need to change this recipe if omitting the chickpeas and artichoke?
    I need a Spanish rice recipe for a large party, and am already making beans separately.
    Thank you!

  2. As a Spanish lady, I tell you..!you pick the best beans we have in our diet, not only super good but healthy. I invite everybody to try your recipe, they will fall in love with it. Congrats.

  3. Thanks for the recipe. I’m cooking it now. Have swapped capsicum (red peppers) for the artichoke hearts as I didn’t have any. I do have 3 cans of jackfruit that I have been meaning to try though. Could I swap out the artichoke for jackfruit next time? Thanks

    1. I’ve never actually cooked with jackfruit, so I’m not sure how they’d do in this recipe. :)

  4. This recipe is amazing. So simple but yet so flavorful. Thank you again Beth!

  5. I added some chorizo I had hanging out in the freezer, so mine wasn’t vegan, but it was very smoky and tasty. Also made it with brown rice, so it took longer than 20 minutes, but what I love about the rice cooker is that I can set it and go about my day and when it sings its little song, my dinner is ready.

  6. Hi Beth,

    I have a silly question :-). Do you use cooked rice or uncooked rice in the recipe? I have been thinking about how to add rice to different variations of salads / poke bowl style recipes without having to do multiple ‘cook sessions’ so love the idea of dumping multiple ingredients and having something like this come out.

    Will definitely try this too – looks amazing!

  7. Fantastic recipe. I made it exactly as is and thought it tasted great. My only complaint is that I meal-prepped it for a week of lunches (it made 5 servings easily), and after the second day it made me fart so badly! But this dish tasted great.

  8. Delicious. I didn’t have onion or garlic powder so chopped ad fried some then added in the oil to the pot. I also added roast red pepper from a jar and a couple of hadfuls of black olives. So easy.

    1. Did you use marinated artichoke hearts or water packed? Either way, I can’t wait to try this. By the way, I miss the app SO MUCH!

  9. I was so skeptical about this recipe, especially using my rice cooker. I just finished making it and my house smells so good. The rice cooker did the job well and the rice dish is SUPERB! I didn’t have smoked paprika, only regular so I used that. I don’t like spicy food so I skipped the cayenne and didn’t have artichoke hearts either. My husband is a picky eater but he liked the dish as well. That’s always a HUGE plus when he likes things. Thank you so much for sharing and this will be a regular dish that I serve.

  10. This was very easy and tasty. I doubled up on all the seasonings (which I often do with many recipes), and I still found myself adding some of the sauce I made for baked chicken to the rice dish. This is the only reason I wouldn’t give it a 5, but I will make it again. Thanks!

  11. This was a hit with my family! Made it with brown rice and just added extra cooking time accordingly. I used half smoked paprika and half regular, since I’m not a huge fan of smoky flavor. Will make again. Thank you!

  12. Definitely not making this one again. It didn’t cook right in my rice cooker. I had to hold the switch in the cook position with tape because the rice cooker thought it was ready when it wasn’t. I had to manually check if the rice was cooked, which defeats the whole purpose of using a rice cooker. It ended up burning. It still tasted good, though, which is why it gets two stars instead of one.

  13. Turned out great! More rice cooker recipes please! We added a chopped raw scallion in before cooking and omitted cayenne for the kids. Will make again.

  14. Hi Beth,

    I just wanted to say this is one of my favorite quick family recipes. My kids love it, it’s super fast set up for a frantic weeknight, and healthy. We usually add 2 cans of garbanzos, and go lightly on the cayenne for the kids but it’s so good! Thank you for all the wonderful recipes, your site is one of my favorites!

  15. I made this and was impressed at how easy it was, just dump and press the button. The artichoke hearts really added a nice flavour kick.

  16. This recipe was so easy, especially during a heat wave! I bought the same rice cooker as the one Beth used. With a yield of 4 servings, it came out to about 3 meals total for us. To bulk it up some, I used a whole 14-15 oz can of artichokes, some sliced up shishito peppers, and fresh avocado when serving. I was concerned about over filling the rice cooker, but everything came out great. Would recommend some extra veggies (hardier ones, nothing watery like squash) to make it more filling, if meant as a one-pot meal.

  17. This is so good! I made in pressure cooker with brown rice. I doubled the recipe and used 1 can of chickpeas, 1 half of tofu, and used zucchini instead of artichoke because Aldi’s doesn’t have artichokes. Pressure cooked for 22 minutes on rice cooker setting and 10 minutes natural release. It was perfect. Thank you Beth!

  18. I wonder if cabbage would pair well in this dish if added. I have some cabbage and want to use before it goes bad. Also, if I don’t use broth but just water will it be as flavorful?

  19. This was delicious! It cooked perfectly in the InstantPot. I think black beans and chicken would be great in this. The artichokes were fine, but I don’t think they are necessary. The recipe says this makes 4 servings, but it we ate it in 2 in my house (my fiance had thirds lol)!

  20. My husband is a hungry vegetarian and this is maybe his favorite dish. He has requested it at least ten times in the pst year. We usually chop some tomatoes and cucumbers on the side into king of a poor mans Mediterranean salad, then douse the whole dish in balsamic for some zip. Also I usually omit the artichoke hearts and parsley because I don’t have it on hand, and he likes it better without. Terrific and easy vegan dinner!

  21. Very tasty and super easy! I made this in the instant pot. I used the rice function, which is just 12 minutes at low pressure, but it’s fun to push just one button and walk away. I waited 15 minutes for a natural pressure release. I will definitely make this again – especially on hot summer days when I don’t want to heat up the kitchen.

  22. We had to add some salt to taste, but overall a very easy and fast recipe! Our rice also came out just a tiny bit mushy, not sure if it was the cooking time or ingredients. We used the white rice function on a zojirushi rice maker.

    1. Glad to hear it tasted good Cat! Yes sometimes my rice cooker can vary on the rice texture, it depends on what rice I use.

  23. Could this be made in a crockpot instead? Or on the stove, I don’t have a rice cooker.

  24. This is the rare BB recipe I found a little bland – future travelers may want to review the ages on their spices and increase the amounts if they’re getting old. Still good and absurdly easy, though!

  25. Coming back to your website years later because my financial status has gotten back into the budget zone lol
    Soooo happy to have found this recipe. Absolutely DELICIOUS!!!

    1. Yes, brown rice takes much longer to cook and requires more liquid. But unfortunately I haven’t tested this with brown rice so I’m unable to offer specifics on how to adjust it.

      1. Anybody try it with brown rice yet? I want to make this but don’t want to screw it up!

      2. I tried it with brown rice and the water is best at 1.25 – 1.5 cups, per 1 cup brown rice. Hope this helps!

      3. Agreed, I tried it with about 1.25 cups of water/broth per 1 cup brown rice (1.5 rice cooker cups since they are normally 2/3 of a cup) and it came out just fine.

  26. Yet another Budget Bytes recipe that I’m going to add to my regular repertoire. I made it last night in my Instant Pot, but when I’m less desperately hungry I want to try it in my rice cooker and compare. I used Jasmine rice because I have a huge sack of it. The lemon really brings out the flavors of the spices.

  27. This was so delicious, my family loved it and so easy for me too! Do you think you could prep it all in the morning then just turn the rice cooker on in the evening! Or would the rice absorb the liquid throughout the day? 

  28. Hi – this recipe was great!  I also made with the instant pot.  I just wanted to share how I eat it for lunch the next day.  Because I have a bit of a bread problem, I put in in flatbread with some hummus.  Yum!

  29. Just made this in the Instant Pot. Ratios were perfect without adjustment. I used jasmine rice, the “more” end of the “rice” function because I live at altitude, and soft released 10 min. Just as tasty as the stovetop version, but even easier! 

  30. Had to adjust the seasoning a bit to my taste, but considering how easy this was to make this definitely gets 5/5! Making this week for meal prep.

  31. I’ve never left a comment on a recipe before in my life, but this was so delicious, and so easy, I just had to say thanks!

  32. Huge fan of this recipe – one spoon gets dirty to mix everything and measure – that’s it! The flavour combination of the herbs and spices is perfect with the cooking method resulting in a very rich taste. Thank you so much for sharing.

  33. I love this recipe. I’m so glad to use my rice cooker for more things than just the normal making rice!

  34. Made this last night with jackfruit instead of artichokes. We really enjoyed this. We will definitely use this as a base moving forward. (My family complains about needing meat.) Thank you!

  35. Solid recipe. A bit mild with the flavor, so it would be forgiving with a little extra of your herbs/spices. Otherwise, really filling and keeps well for the next day.

  36. Another keeper. If anyone is interested in what it’s like to make with parboiled rice here’s my experience: I used my instant pot as a rice cooker (normal setting) and used the usual 1:2 rice:water ratio  as I’ve read you should with parboiled rice (I included the broth and tomato juice in the measurement of water, not additional). I found it a bit mushy. Probably will scale it back about a 1/2 cup of liquid. I also threw in some sautéed kale after it was cooked. Going in the rotation for dinners. Thanks!

  37. Made this tonight and it took all of 3 minutes. One of the best quick-dishes that I’ve ever tried!

  38. If you take the artichokes out (I’m not a fan!), what would be a good replacement? Or would the recipe be fine with taking the artichokes and not substituting anything for it?

  39. This recipe is so easy and really hits the spot!  I feel like it will become one of our go-to meals when I return to work after my maternity leave.  I was wondering if there’s anything you can suggest instead of artichoke (my husband doesn’t enjoy them) and if this is something I can prepare in advance and freeze portions for lunches?  Thank you! :) 

  40. I have been making this recipe with brown rice in an instant pot for a few months. I use the saute function on the instant pot to cook the garlic and onions, then pressure cook everything on high for 35 minutes. I also let It sit for 5 minutes before releasing the pressure. It turns out great everytime!

      1. She might be referring to the original stove top version, which has fresh onion and garlic instead of powdered.

  41. This was phenomenal! This meal is becoming a regular. It was so easy and came out perfect!

    1. I haven’t. You’d likely need to increase the cooking time and liquid ratios, which may affect how the rest of the ingredients cook as well.

  42. This turned out SO GOOD! It was a perfect lunch, used for leftovers the next couple of days.

  43. If you were to cook this in a slow cooker instead (don’t have a rice cooker) how would you do that, if possible? Thanks!

  44. This turned out great! I may serve with shrimp or sausage next time! Used half a bag of frozen artichokes and cut them up after cooking. I am enjoying using the rice cooker for more than just rice! (The mac n’ cheese in the rice cooker has been a hit in my house lately too!!) Keep these recipes coming!

  45. Can’t wait to take this to a potluck of vegetarians tonight! I wonder if I can use brown rice instead of long grain white? It looks delish!

    1. It would have to be reworked to use brown rice because you’ll need a different liquid ratio and longer cook time.

    1. You’ll probably need to increase the liquid as well, but I’m not sure how much without doing some testing.

  46. First full meal that I have made in a rice cooker. Turned out really well, thanks!

  47. I made this tonight using my instant pot. It was fast and came out perfect. I used a whole 14 oz can of artichoke hearts and added the onion from the original stovetop recipe back in. I sautéed it first then added in the spices. Just needed to increase the olive oil a bit.

    1. Yes, if you use the rice cooking function it will work just like a rice cooker. :)

  48. This is the best and easiest thing I’ve made in a long time!!! Thank you so much for sharing this!

  49. I wonder if the 6 oz. jar of artichokes are marinated or just plain.  Mostly I find them to be marinated in the stores nearby but canned ones are plain so I am wondering.  I want to try this and also, I am always on the lookout for good vegan recipes since my son and a granddaughter are vegan.

    1. These were marinated, but you honestly couldn’t tell in the final dish. It didn’t impact the overall flavor. Use whatever kind you can find. :)

      1. Thank you.  I’ve got a large jar of marinated ones from Costco!

    1. Unfortunately I’ve never used one of those, so I’m not sure how it might affect this recipe.

  50. If I don’t have a rice cooker, can I cook in saucepan on the stovetop? How long, 45 min? Thanks in advance!

    1. Yes, there are links in the very beginning of the blog post to the original version, which for the stove top. :)

    1. I have never used frozen artichoke hearts myself, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. They’re not raw, are they?

  51. Haha, this is what I’ve been doing for at least a year now. I’ve taken this recipe (and some of your other simple beans & rice recipes) and adapted them for the rice cooker. It’s super easy and it doesn’t heat up the kitchen. I use dry chickpeas so I still have to soak them overnight, but everything else is the same. It’s nice that you’re posting this for people who may not have thought to do this before or who don’t have enough cooking experience to adapt recipes like this.

  52. $4.41 is a bit misleading to price this entree … Really, where can one buy one tsp of this, a cup of that or 1/4 bunch of anything? A jar of spice will probably cost the $4.41 alone and most of those 7 spices in the recipe will just end up languishing in the cupboard until you use it again in another recipe. 

    1. You don’t buy an entire jar of spices every time you use them. Costs will very per person based on what you have on hand, and what the prices are in your area. They are for estimation purposes only and won’t ever be exact for anyone. I calculate the prices for the amount used and the remained of the bottle or container is accounted for in the other recipes where it is used. This is the method used by commercial food services for tracking expenses, and it works quite well at home too.

    2. Out west we have WinCo which has fantastic bulk bins including bulk spices were you really can buy just a little bit of whatever, if you want! I love WinCo! it’s a co-op too. :)