One-Pot Rice & Chickpeas Stew
Prep. Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Servings
4-6 people
Difficulty
Easy
Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, dairy-free, egg-free
Looking for a hearty, hands‑off vegan dinner? This one‑pot chickpea and rice stew layers long‑grain rice, chickpeas, kale, rainbow carrots and warm spices in a single dish for a nutrient‑dense meal loaded with plant protein and fiber. It bakes in about an hour, travels well and reheats beautifully, making it ideal for busy weeknights, fall meal prep and road trips.
Ingredients
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups chopped kale (stems removed)
1 cup rainbow carrots, whole or sliced (as preferred)
1/2 large red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
2 ½ cups water
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp sage
2 tbsp silan (date syrup)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: squeeze of lemon juice or drizzle of tahini before serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 420F/210C.
In an oven-safe large bowl-shaped dish, place the rice, then add the kale, carrots, onion and chickpeas.
Spread the minced garlic evenly on top.
In a small container, combine the spices, mix and spread over the dish.
In a small mixing bowl, bring together the olive oil and silan and mix well until the silan has consistently blended with the oil. Drizzle on top of the dish.
Pour the water onto the dish, and cover with the lid.
Place the dish in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the lid, and bake for 10 more minutes, for a nice quick roast.
Serve hot or let cool and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Notes
If you can't use an oven, this can also be cooked in a pot on a cooktop for the same amount of time as instructed, but note that when cooking rice, you need to bring to boil, then cook on low heat with the lid on. Also, roasting is tricky with cooktop dishes - the result will be as tasty, but not so much roasted. Alternatively you can roast the onion, chickpeas and carrots on a pan or in an air-fryer before you place them in the pot.
Silan has great benefits compared to other sweeteners, but if you prefer, it can be substituted with brown sugar or maple syrup. Don't skip it though - it gives depth and richness to the dish and really compliments the flavors.
The Latest Bite
No-Bake Pistachio Ice Cream Cake
I love ice-cream cakes, and it is so hard to find vegan ones in stores, so I knew at some point I'd want to try and whip a recipe up, but one thing that's always a factor for me is whether or not it'll be a time-consuming project or not. If I need to use my mixer, food processor or oven, it means I need to plan for more dishes and more time spent on this, and that's where I sometimes hold off on exploring and developing new recipes. I was not only aiming for an easy-to-make recipe here, but also one that requires very few ingredients and as allergen-friendly as possible. This makes it a store-in-the-freezer dessert for when I have unexpected guests, or when we are on the road and want an indulgent treat.
Made primarily from raw pistachio butter, coconut cream and almond flour, this easy no-bake cake is elemental and holds texture and flavor impressively. Compliments are guaranteed!