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.
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…
I was wondering if I could add chicken? Thanks, Beth!! :-)
Yes, you can brown it in the skillet just before the onions. :)
Hi Beth!
Just wanted to say this is one of your best. I’ve been eating it for a year now, and it’s still delicious. Also great for those with food allergies and gallbladder issues!
Delicious recipe, and easy too. Also you only have to clean one pot after which is a plus! Would this be a good freezable recipe Beth?
Yes, this one should freeze very well. :)
Hi Beth! I know that you have an instapot and I was wondering if you’ve tried making this recipe using your IP? If so any tips would be greatly appreciated! I’ve made this recipe plenty of times and love it and want to try making it in my new IP. Thanks!
No, I haven’t tried that yet. :) I’m still learning how to use my Instant Pot for things like rice. I mainly use it for beans and meat at the moment!
I overlooked this recipe but it has lots of things I like: artichokes and chick peas and tomato sauce. So, I will be trying it for sure. A bit nervous about cooking the rice; I might actually cook the rice separately as opposed to putting it in the spices. I’m sure the flavor will suffer a bit but I don’t want to ruin the whole dish if I somehow screw up the rice. Looking forward to making this and freezing some single portions!
I made this and loved it! Made it in one pot and it worked out well. Had to cook my rice for a longer than perscribed time to cook it fully. Frozen containers waiting to reheat! I love it!
Wow, what a great recipe! I am infamous for eating something about 2-3 times and then getting tired of it. Not with this recipe! Mine ended up being enough for 6 meals, and I ate all of it. Thank you!
After I had my gallbladder removed I found this recipe. It is so low fat that I could eat it. It’s become a staple in our family now. I use brown rice instead of white and double the chickpeas. It’s a great recipe. The leftovers are awesome for lunches.
Did you make any alterations to account for using brown rice instead of white? Longer cooking time or more liquid?
I’ve made this with long-grain brown rice before and probably doubled the cooking time, but didn’t need to add much more liquid.
Instead of Paprika, Cumin, Oregano, and Cayenne pepper I used a homemade Ras el hanout (Moroccan) seasoning since I was making dry rubbed Chicken on the side for it.
I haven’t tried it with the regular seasonings so I can’t compare the two but the dish I made with Ras el Hanout turned out quite good. You can get the seasoning pre-made at some grocery stores, especially those specialty ones that have a lot of ethnic foods.
Can this be made with brown rice, and if so, do I need to change any cooking times?
Brown rice would require quite a bit of modification, unfortunately, so I couldn’t advise without testing it out.
Do you know what the calories, carbs, fat totals are etc… just curious. Thanks.
No, I’m sorry, I don’t have that info.
What a fantastic,filling, tasty and original meal. We loved every bite and I won browny points! Thank you. (This is the first recipe I have ever felt compelled to rate)
I’ve never used Better than Bouillon before, so I was just wondering, do you just make the amount of broth you need for a recipe when you are cooking that recipe or do you ever make a bunch of the broth and store it in the refrigerator for when you need it? If you do store it for later, how long does the broth stay good in the refrigerator?
Yes, the wonderful thing about BTB is that you can mix up just the amount that you need when you need it. The concentrated paste stays good in the refrigerator for just about forever. So, when I need a cup of broth, for instance, I just mix one teaspoon of BTB with one cup water right when I need it. :)
Beth, I just want to thank you for the time, effort, and creativity you put into this website. People ask me for recipes and all I can respond with is “Budgetbytes.com” and after they discover you they are so, so happy. My husband always loves your food, too! I hope you know how many people are grateful for you!
would this recipe work with brown rice, it sounds delish!
It would need some alteration because brown rice requires more moisture and a longer cooking time, so I’d need to experiment with that before offering a suggested method.
If I cook the rice separately (I have a rice cooker) and just mix it in at the end, would it work? I only have medium grain white rice. Would I still have to simmer for 20 minutes if there isn’t any rice in the pot? Thanks so much!
The beauty of this recipe is that when you cook the rice along with everything else, it absorbs all the wonderful flavors as it cooks, so I wouldn’t suggest cooking it separately. Medium grain rice will likely make the final texture a bit more gummy or saucy. I’m not sure about what liquid to rice ratio is needed for medium grain, so the amount of broth may need to be adjusted.