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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Side Dish Recipes

    Chickpea Rice Pilaf Recipe

    By: Amy Katz · Published: Jun 20, 2019 · Last modified: Oct 18, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe - Print - Pin
    Special diet: gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegan
    Close up of rice with spoon in it and dinner plate with rice, yogurt sauce, tomato and onion salad, and roasted mushrooms with text overlay Chickpea Rice Pilaf.

    Lightly seasoned and perfectly fluffy, Chickpea Rice Pilaf is a delicious side or main dish. It's easy to make on the stove in 30 minutes.

    Serving bowl of chickpea rice pilaf garnished with fresh parsley and a lemon wedge next to a yellow napkin.

    While in Asian cuisines it's common to serve plain steamed rice as a side dish, in Mediterranean cuisines you'll often find seasoned vegetable rice pilaf. I like to think of these dishes as more than sides. In fact, I often enjoy them as a main course along with a salad or vegetables.

    Some of my favorites include Mediterranean Yellow Rice and Basmati Rice Pilaf with Chickpeas and Dried Fruit.

    But before I learned how to make my own pilafs, I frequently bought boxed mixes of seasoned rice. However, now I know how easy it is to make dishes like Chickpea Rice Pilaf at home. And I'm happy to share my method with you.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Equipment
    • Amy's tip
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing
    • FAQ
    • More rice recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • It has the perfect light and fluffy texture.
    • You can make it 30 minutes.
    • It can be enjoyed as a side dish or a main dish.

    Ingredients

    • Olive oil: This is the healthiest fat to consume as part of a vegan Mediterranean diet.
    • Onion: Choose your favorite color or use whatever you have on hand.
    • Fresh garlic
    • Red bell pepper: Or substitute green, orange, or yellow.
    • Long-grain white rice: Look for rice labeled "long-grain" or Jasmine. If you prefer to use brown rice, add an extra ½ cup water. The rice will take a little longer to cook.
    • Cooked chickpeas: I use canned in this recipe, but you can also cook your own from dried in advance.
    • Fresh parsley: For a burst of fresh flavor and color.
    • Salt and pepper
    • Lemon wedges: Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the rice before eating.

    For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Equipment

    To prepare this recipe you will need a large pot or Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. You will also need a cloth kitchen towel.

    Amy's tip

    Before you get started, rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer. This simple step will result in a fluffier rice pilaf.

    Instructions

    Step 1, sauteing onion in a pot, and step 2, sauteing red bell peppers and garlic with the onion.

    Step 1: Saute the onion in olive oil over medium heat.

    Step 2: Add the garlic and red bell pepper and saute a minute more.

    Step 3, the rice added to the pot, and step 4, the rice mixture covered with liquid.

    Step 3: Add the rice to the vegetable mixture. Stir for a couple of minutes until the rice starts to turn translucent.

    Step 4: Stir in the water and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and allow the rice to cook and absorb the liquid.

    Step 5, chickpeas added on top of the pot of cooked rice, and step 6, a dish towel and lid on the pot.

    Step 5: Remove the pot from the heat. Add the chickpeas on top of the rice. Do not stir.

    Step 6: Place a clean dish towel on top of the pot and cover with the lid. Allow the rice and chickpeas to steam 5 to 10 minutes.

    Step 7, folding the chickpeas and parsley into the finished rice dish.

    Step 7: Fluff the rice with a fork and fold in the parsley. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Serve with lemon wedges.

    Variations

    • For extra flavor use vegetable broth in place of water.
    • Add seasonings like cumin, coriander, or your favorite spice blend.
    • Swap out the bell pepper for other vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini.
    • Instead of parsley stir in a little pesto or chimichurri sauce.

    Serving suggestions

    Dinner plate with chickpea rice pilaf, yogurt sauce, tomato onion salad, and roasted mushrooms.
    Chickpea Rice Pilaf served with Vegan Garlic Yogurt Sauce, Tomato and Red Onion Salad, and Roasted Baby Bella Mushrooms.

    It's easy to turn Chickpea Rice Pilaf into a complete meal by serving it with your favorite salads or vegetables.

    Besides the combination shown in the photo above, I also like it with Mediterranean Crumbled Tofu Tacos and Green Pepper Salad with Tomatoes.

    Storing

    Leftover rice can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat in a microwave or in a pot on the stove with a little water.

    FAQ

    Can dried chickpeas be used instead of canned?

    If you want to use dried beans, cook them in advance before making this recipe. You will need ½ cup of dried chickpeas which will be approximately 1½ cups when cooked.

    Are chickpeas and garbanzo beans the same thing?

    Yes, they are one in the same. The word chickpea is derived from Latin, while the word garbanzo is derived from Spanish.

    Can brown rice be substituted for white rice?

    If you would like to use long-grain brown rice in place of the white rice, add an extra ½ cup of water. The brown rice will take a little longer to cook.

    More rice recipes

    • Bowl of wild rice salad with a paisley napkin and fruit in the background.
      Wild Rice Salad with Apples
    • Bowl of turmeric rice garnished with fresh cilantro
      Mediterranean Yellow Rice
    • Soup in a white bowl.
      Vegan Wild Rice Soup in the Instant Pot
    • Overhead of bowl of brown rice salad with kidney beans, avocado, corn, and tomatoes
      Brown Rice Salad Recipe

    And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.

    If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★

    📋 Recipe

    Bowl of chickpea rice pilaf garnished with sprig of fresh parsley and lemon wedge.

    Chickpea Rice Pilaf

    Lightly seasoned and perfectly fluffy, Chickpea Rice Pilaf is a delicious side or main dish. It's easy to make on the stove in 30 minutes.
    4.80 from 10 votes
    Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate Email recipe + ingredient list
    Special diet: gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegan
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Fusion, Mediterranean
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 264kcal
    Author: Amy Katz

    Equipment

    • Fine Mesh Strainer
    • Dutch Oven
    • Kitchen Towels

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ cup onion, diced small
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 red bell pepper, diced small
    • 1½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed*
    • 2¼ cups water
    • 15 ounces chickpeas, (1½ cups) rinsed and drained
    • 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
    • salt and pepper, to taste
    • lemon wedges, for serving
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    Instructions

    • Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until softened and slightly translucent.
    • Next add the garlic and red bell pepper and saute for a minute more.
    • Then add the rice to the vegetable mixture. Stir frequently for a couple of minutes until the rice starts to look translucent.
    • Stir in the water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and allow the rice to gently simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. 

    • Remove the pot from the heat. Lift up the lid and add the chickpeas on top of the rice. Do not stir.
    • Lay a clean dish towel over the top of the pot. Replace the lid on top of the towel and allow the rice and chickpeas to steam for 5-10 minutes.
    • Fluff the rice with a fork and fold in the parsley. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Serve with lemon wedges.

    Notes

    *Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer. This simple step will result in a fluffier rice pilaf.
    Leftover rice can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat in a microwave or in a pot on the stove with a little water.
     
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 228mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 744IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only.

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    About Amy

    Amy Katz is a vegan recipe developer, photographer, and Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach. She loves sharing delicious plant-based Mediterranean diet recipes that home cooks of all levels can enjoy. Her easy vegan recipes have been featured on HuffPost, LIVESTRONG, Healthline, Parade, VegNews, BuzzFeed, MSN, Greatist, Country Living, Insider, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more. She lives in Orange County, California with the love of her life, Brad, and their adorable black cat, Ozzy.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    All commentsI made thisQuestions
    1. Movy

      November 21, 2021 at 5:50 pm

      3 stars
      Made this tonight and it was really too bland ! So I've added some Cumin lime not lemon, paprika and a fee other stuff to make it good.

      Reply
    2. Jane

      August 12, 2021 at 6:18 am

      what is the purpose of the towel over the rice and chickpeas?

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        August 12, 2021 at 8:54 am

        Allowing the rice to steam under the towel results in the perfect texture.

        Reply
    3. Edie Gardner

      August 23, 2020 at 4:37 pm

      Can you use any rice

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        August 24, 2020 at 8:21 am

        Long grain white rice works the best. Or you can use long grain brown rice and increase the liquid.

        Reply

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