I’ll openly admit that I’ve tried to make paella on more than one occasion and failed miserably. It’s probably a combination of not having the right paella pan or not using the correct method, but I can never get it to turn out quite right. That being said, I still love the concept of cooking rice with a bunch of other super flavorful ingredients in one pot, so this Spanish Chickpeas and Rice, which is loosely based on paella, was born. No expensive seafood or saffron, but still tons of flavor in one dish.
P.S. You can make this in a rice cooker! Check out my recipe for the Rice Cooker Spanish Chickpeas and Rice.
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No Meat, Still Tons of Flavor
I wanted to go vegetarian for this recipe, so I subbed chickpeas for the meat and seafood usually found in paella. I added plenty of spices like smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, and oregano (flavors you’d normally find in chorizo), to make sure this dish had plenty going on. Artichoke hearts added flavor and texture, and helped make this dish more of a one pot meal than just a rice and bean pilaf. A little fresh lemon on top brightens the whole dish and gives it a slightly summery feel.
The results were stunning, both in flavor and appearance. I can definitely see myself making this Spanish Chickpeas and Rice over and over and trying new add-ins each time (spinach is next on my list!).
Can I Freeze Spanish Chickpeas and Rice?
Yes! This is a very freezer friendly dish. Just portion the recipe out into single serving containers, chill it completely in the refrigerator first, then transfer to the freezer later. This dish will last about 4-5 days in the refrigerator, or about 3 months in the freezer.
What Type of Skillet Should I Use?
It’s very important to use a thick, heavy cookware for one pot dishes like this. Thin pots and pans don’t transmit heat evenly, which may cause the rice to be undercooked in some areas and overcooked in others. I am using an OXO stainless steel deep covered skillet from this set (affiliate link), but a more affordable option could be something like Covered Fry Pan from Calphalon (affiliate link).
Looking for something to serve on the side with your Spanish Chickpeas and Rice? Try my Lemon Pepper Zucchini!
Spanish Chickpeas and Rice
Servings 4 (1.5 cups each)Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika ($0.15)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.05)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.36)
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice ($0.33)
- 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.79)
- 1 15oz. can quartered artichoke hearts ($2.50)
- 1 15oz. can chickpeas ($1.89)
- 1.5 cups vegetable broth* ($0.18)
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) ($0.02)
- 1/4 bunch fresh parsley ($0.22)
- 1 fresh lemon ( $0.25)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and add it to a large deep skillet along with the olive oil. Cook over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until soft and fragrant. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and some freshly cracked black pepper to the skillet. Stir and sauté the spices in the hot oil for one more minute.
- Dice the onion and add it to the skillet. Sauté the onion until it is soft and translucent (about 5 min). Add the rice and sauté for 2 minutes more.
- Drain the chickpeas and artichoke hearts, then add them to the skillet along with the can of diced tomatoes (with juices), vegetable broth, and a half teaspoon of salt. Roughly chop the parsley and add it to the skillet, reserving a small amount to sprinkle over the finished dish. Stir all the ingredients in the skillet until evenly combined.
- Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the skillet to come to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Make sure it’s simmering the whole time and adjust the heat up slightly if necessary to keep it simmering.
- After simmering for 20 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest for 5 minutes without removing the lid. Finally, remove the lid, fluff with a fork and top with the remaining chopped parsley. Cut the lemon into wedges and squeeze the fresh juice over each bowl.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Spanish Chickpeas and Rice – Step by Step Photos
Start by mincing two cloves of garlic. Sauté the garlic in 2 Tbsp of olive oil, in a large deep skillet, over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is soft and fragrant. (Dice one yellow onion while the garlic is sautéing.)
Add 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and some freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill) to the skillet.
Sauté the spices in the hot oil for about a minute. This toasts the spices and brings out their maximum flavor.
Add the diced onion to the skillet and continue to sauté until the onion is soft and transparent (5 minutes or so).
Add one cup of uncooked long-grain white rice to the skillet. Stir and cook the rice for about two minutes. It should sound like it is snap, crackling, and popping. This toasts the rice and gives it a bit of extra flavor.
Drain one 15oz can of chickpeas and 1 15oz. can of quartered artichoke hearts. Add both to the skillet along with one 15oz. can of diced tomatoes, with all its juices.
Finally, add 1.5 cups of vegetable broth. Roughly chop about 1/4 bunch of parsley. Reserve a small amount of the parsley to sprinkle over the finished dish, and add the rest to the skillet. Stir all the ingredients together until evenly combined.
Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the skillet to come up to a boil, then turn it down to low. Let it simmer over low for 20 minutes. Make sure the skillet is simmering the whole time and adjust the heat up slightly if needed to keep it simmering. After it simmers for 20 minutes, turn the heat off and let it sit undisturbed with the lid in place for five more minutes. Then it should look like the photo above.
Fluff the rice with a fork and top with the reserved parsley. Cut the lemon into quarters and squeeze the juice over each serving. Your Spanish Chickpeas and Rice is now complete!
Beans and rice never tasted so good…
If i wanted to add chicken breast to this, at which point would you recommend doing so? Or cook it separately?
Hi Mila! I would cook it separately then add it right towards the end.
Because i had everything except white rice – I used quinoa as a substitute. otherwise, followed the recipe – liquids, cooking time and all. it’s delicious!!! eating it now. thank you for this recipe!!!
I used half a can of tomato puree, and the liquid was more gravy-like despite adding broth. As a result, rice was wet and not fluffy. What should I do for my next try? Tomatoes are out of season and canned tomatoes are all pureed here in Malaysia…
Made this tonight! It was delicious and reminded us a bit of paella without the meat. I topped with a little of the lime crema from the sweet potato tacos we made last night (also delish)! Will definitely make again!
We love this recipe and I make it often. My partner isn’t a fan of parsley so I use fresh basil instead and top it with toasted pine nuts and a scattering of capers.
I would love to know how you recommend reheating the leftovers? I’ve been microwaving them and whilst the taste is still great, the texture isn’t. I suspect the oven might be a better bet, but not sure how hot or how long to reheat for. I’d love it if you could share your method! I’m batch cooking in preparation for shoulder surgery next month and if I can figure out how to reheat this well, I’ll definitely be stocking the freezer with it!
I loved this recipe! It was simple and delicious. I do live in higher elevation so the cook time was off. I deal with that a lot though so I used 1/4 cup extra broth, let it cook with the rice for 15 minutes, gave it a good stir, and then let it cook another 15 min. It was perfect. <3
Good to know Kimberley! Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is so delicious. The lemon adds incredible flavor that I did not expect! Instead of parsley, I used baby spinach.
Thank you Libby!
Now in heavy rotation!!
Our household has been striving to cut out all meat and fish and we love trying new veggie hearty dishes.
The first time I made this I didn’t have any fresh lemons. It tasty super yummy. The second time I made this I added a heaping 1/2 tbsp of cumin (I’m addicted to cumin) and added more artichokes. And I drizzled the fresh lemon on upon serving.
Wow! You REALLY need the lemon at the end!!!!
I forgot to add: I used the same measurement of basmati rice and I think it took even less time for it to cook
I’m addicted to cumin too! If you don’t already you should by the bagged comino (cumin) in the mexican section of the grocer, it’s out of this world! But so happy you liked this recipe too!
SO.GOOD. and so easy!! I used fire-roasted dice tomatoes and bouillon for the broth. So flavorful. Will be making again.
I love the fire roasted when I make it too!
I have made this recipe several times and I absolutely love it!!
I struggle to find canned artichokes so make it with asparagus instead, and it is delicious!! It works everytime and is so quick and easy :) thank you for such a great recipe!!!!
Great swap Nisha! Happy to hear you enjoyed it.
Beth, this came out horrible. The smells were amazing, the ingredients sounded so promising and it was easy to follow. BUT the rice did not cook within the time you wrote and there was still a lot of liquid. Yes, I did watch it and kept it simmering. Yes it did come to a boil before I covered it and put the top on it. Yes I adjusted the temp. No i did not lift the lid. I literally cooked it for about 40 more mins hoping the liquid would be absorbed. Unfortunately this resulted in a burned bottom and a porridge like rice 😢.
I’m sorry this one didn’t turn out for you. :( I wish I could have been there to see the process so I could help trouble shoot what went wrong. The only other thing I can think of that you didn’t list was the type of cookware. Sometimes the size/shape/materials of the cookware can make a huge difference in how a recipe turns out. And you used long grain white rice, correct? This will not work if brown rice is swapped in for the white rice.
I was going to make this with the brown rice i have on hand then I saw this. Is there a way to make it work?
Substituting brown rice will change the cooking time and amount of liquid needed. I can’t say exactly how much without testing the recipe out with the brown rice. A previous reader noted, “The last several times I switched to brown rice, upped the broth to 2 cups & cooked it 15 min longer. Turns out great.”
This recipe is ridiculously good! Happened upon your site when looking for inexpensive, quick, and yummy recipes (yay, grad school!) — this did not disappoint!
I made the following changes: 1. didn’t mince the garlic (laziness), just smashed it and added it with the onions after blooming the spices. 2. Added a couple of handfuls of frozen peas at the very end. and 3. accidentally added an 32oz can of tomatoes, which I didn’t realize until afterwards 🤦🏻♀️ — made no difference in time, and surprisingly wasn’t soupy either!
Thanks, budgetbytes!
This is now my go to recipe for nights where I don’t know what to cook. It is delicious, easy and everyone in my family loves it! I have recently started adding chopped sun dried tomatoes for some extra flavour and will sometimes substitute chickpeas for black beans (whichever I have on hand). I also like to add a bit of hot sauce on top at the end for some heat! :) Overall, fantastic recipe!
Delicious! My carnivore hubby liked it as well. And it’s sooo easy to make. After sautéing the onions and spices, you basically add the rest and let it simmer. I swapped the rice for the equal amount of brown rice and it worked perfectly fine.
Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
I love this recipe so much. Never have artichoke hearts so I haven’t made it with them yet. First time I made it I followed recipe exactly and this time I already had a ton of cooked rice so I’m trying making this with cooked rice! Can’t wait to try it!!!