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…
Made this tonight and it was excellent! Used lime since I had no lemons and it was still very tasty. Also, it goes great with some sour cream if you find it too spicy. Thank you very much for this recipe!
Man oh man I wish I had found this website while I was still in college. Never would’ve imagined how good this tastes, and the lemon juice pairs SO WELL. A superb recipe as usual! I couldn’t stop myself from eating two helpings!
Hello! I was just wondering if 5-minute rice can be used in this recipe? :)
Unfortunately that will definitely change the cooking time and the amount of liquid needed. I would need to test the recipe to figure out what changes would need to be made.
The reviews don’t lie – this is wonderful! I did not use artichokes because I don’t care for them. Otherwise I made this as is and the lemon juice really is key. I served this with cheddar bay biscuits I made using a boxed mix from Aldi. We did not miss the meat and it was SO good!!!
Has anyone tried this with brown rice?
I love the recipes I’ve tried from your blog! I am a busy person who works full time and also sings in a professional chorus among other interests, so I don’t get to spend a lot of time at home during the work week. I am trying to make more of an effort to be healthier and more economical, so I want to pack meals rather than order takeout or fast food and I’ve had fun trying many delicious recipes this summer from your blog. Now that the school year is about to begin, I want to try to stock my freezer with already prepared meals in single portions that I can just thaw and pack for the day, because most nights I won’t have time and energy to cook.
I”m thinking about making the chimichuri chicken and rice and the Spanish chickpeas and rice dishes to stock my freezer. Do you know if either of these dishes freeze well?
I just bought your book and noticed that you indicate which recipes freeze well with a snowflake. Could you also do something like this on your site? That would be a fabulous addition!
The Spanish chickpeas and rice freezes very well, the chimihcurri chicken and rice will just be so-so. The texture should be fine, but the flavor might dampen some.
This is one of the best online recipes I have ever cooked. Delicious, easy, affordable and very little clean up. Thank you!!
I made this last night as written and it was fantastic! Even my boyfriend who is decidedly carnivorous loved it. :) I don’t think he’s ever had a chickpea before in his life, haha! Another winner recipe!
The first recipe I made from your site and it’s amazing! I added spinach instead of artichoke and still turned out beautifully! Looking forward to trying out your other recipes :)
Oh, and I would I reheat the leftovers?
Made this tonight, and absolutely LOVED the blend of seasonings! I am a sucker for chick peas and never thought to pair them with artichokes! Yum! I DID use my rice cooker that has a saute feature. Normally, I love using my rice cooker any chance I get- but next time- I will cook this in a pan as you suggested. Turned out kind of mushy and not as pretty as your pictures. Still tasted great, though. Thanks Beth!
I fubar’ed this by adding too much water and forgetting the broth and it was still delicious. I ended up needing to cook the rice longer due to the extra liquid, so it was a tad on the bland side and mushy. I added some pan fried asparagus and sun dried tomatoes to compensate. Will definitely make again (the correct way).
I made this exactly as written (except for the parsley because I could find any) and it was AMAZING. Don’t skip the lemon, it totally makes the dish- Brightens up all of the other flavours perfectly. I will be happily eating leftovers for days!
This turns out great with brown rice if you add about 1/2 cup water and increase the cooking time to 40-50 minutes. I also used sweet paprika since that’s what I had!
This recipe is delicious! Iam a cancer survivor trying to increase my fruit/veggie intake and focus my meals on plants more often.
I have never eaten an artichoke previously and I am trying to learn to like chickpeas. For some reason, this recipe looked good to me and I am so glad I tried it. It was hearty, filling, and yummy. I will enjoy the leftovers all week.
I love your blog for your balanced approach to eating and cooking. Thanks, Beth!
I’m so glad it turned out well for you! :D
Loved it, n instructions were clear and easy! Thank you for sharing. 😊