Chickpea Vegetable Rice Pilaf | Slimming Eats Recipes (2024)

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Chickpea Vegetable Rice Pilaf - A perfect simple side dish for when you fancy something a bit more flavourful than plain steamed rice.

Chickpea Vegetable Rice Pilaf | Slimming Eats Recipes (1)

Simple Rice Pilaf

Have I mentioned how much I love rice? It's probably one of my go-to sides because it's super easy to cook and really filling too when combined with other foods. A great side for saucy dishes like curries and chilli etc.

Rice Pilaf just has a lot more flavour to regular rice, because it's usually cooked in a stock or broth and with some vegetables. It's actually so yummy I could eat a bowl of this own it's own.

Chickpea Rice Pilaf

Adding some chickpeas to the rice adds some fibre and protein, and as I always have a can of chickpeas on hand in my pantry cupboard, it's was a great item to add into this pilaf.

I love the texture they add also. Probably one of my favourite legumes

SUBSTITUTE FOR CHICKPEAS

But what if you don't like chickpeas or don't have any on hand? No worries, you can either leave those out and just stick with the vegetables.

Or some great substitutes for chickpeas are:

  • Green or Brown Lentils (cooked/canned) – I don’t recommend red lentils as they will go mushy whereas green and brown hold their shape.

Any beans of choice such as:

  • Great Northern Beans or Cannelini
  • Butter Beans/Lima Beans
  • Kidney
  • Pinto Beans

so many different varieties to choose from.

Chickpea Vegetable Rice Pilaf | Slimming Eats Recipes (2)

Vegetables for Rice Pilaf

For this Chickpea Vegetable Rice Pilaf, the vegetables I added were:

  • garlic
  • onion
  • red pepper
  • zucchini (courgette)

some other great suggestions are:

  • different coloured peppers
  • carrot
  • little cubes of butternut squash
  • different herbs
  • finely diced tomato
  • mushrooms

or use whatever you fancy.

Main Dishes to serve with Chickpea Vegetable Rice Pilaf

One of my favourite recipes to serve with this Rice Pilaf is this delicious Oven Baked Salmon with Tomatoes, it just pairs amazingly well with the sauce and fish.

But it is a great side for a variety of dishes, especially those containing Fish, Shrimp (Prawns) or Chicken.

More Rice Side Dishes

Love rice side dishes like this? Check out some of my other recipes:

  • Zucchini Rice Pilau
  • Sweetcorn Rice Pilau
  • Egg Fried Rice
  • Lime and Coriander Rice
  • Mexican Rice
  • Roasted Butternut Squash and Rice
  • Red Pepper Coriander Rice
  • Mixed Vegetable Rice

or head on over to my Full Recipe Index with over 900 delicious Slimming Eats and Weight Watchers friendly recipes all fully searchable by meal type, ingredients etc

Chickpea Vegetable Rice Pilaf | Slimming Eats Recipes (3)

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Chickpea Vegetable Rice Pilaf | Slimming Eats Recipes (4)

CHICKPEA VEGETABLE RICE PILAF

Yield: SERVES 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Chickpea Vegetable Rice Pilaf - A perfect simple side dish for when you fancy something a bit more flavourful than plain steamed rice.

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • half small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (180g) of long grain rice
  • 2.25 cups (540ml) of chicken or vegetable stock
  • zest and juice of a lemon
  • ½ red pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 small zucchini, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (240ml) of canned chickpeas, drained
  • salt and black pepper to season
  • cooking oil spray (I used avocado)
  • chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)

Instructions

    1. Spray a deep frying pan with spray oil, add the garlic and onion and fry for a couple of minutes till lightly golden
    2. Add the rice, red pepper, zucchini and chickpeas and lemon zest, lemon juice and spray with a little more spray oil and fry for about 1 more minute.
    3. Add the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer till stock is absorbed.
    4. When the liquid is all absorbed, turn off heat but leave covered for 10-12 minutes, the steam trapped underneath will continue to cook the rice.
    5. Once the 10-12 minutes is up, you can stir and season with salt and black pepper, and stir through some chopped cilantro (coriander).
    6. Serve with your choice of main dish and enjoy!!

Notes

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  • Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
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Nutrition Information

Yield 4Serving Size 1 SERVING
Amount Per ServingCalories 249Total Fat 1.4gSaturated Fat 0.1gCarbohydrates 51.8gFiber 4.5gSugar 3.3gProtein 7.2g

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Chickpea Vegetable Rice Pilaf | Slimming Eats Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is it okay to eat chickpeas every day? ›

You can eat at least one serving (28 grams) of chickpeas per day. However, don't eat more than 70 grams a day since that can cause adverse side effects. If you consume too many chickpeas, some side effects you may get include bloating, nausea, and gas. It's important to remember that chickpeas should not be eaten raw.

Are chickpeas healthier than rice? ›

Legumes have superior nutrient profiles in comparison to other common dietary staples, such as rice and corn [21]. For example, black beans and chickpeas contain more than 7 g of protein, while long-grain white rice and kernel corn contain only 2 g per 1/2 cup serving of cooked food.

Is eating a can of chickpeas healthy? ›

Great news! Both canned and dried varieties of chickpeas are nutritious! When purchasing canned varieties, look for those labeled "no salt added" or "low in sodium." Overall, beans are budget-friendly, but dried can often be less expensive and also more flavorful than canned.

What is chickpea rice made of? ›

Banza Rice is rice made from chickpeas, potato starch, xantham gum, and sea salt — but 90% of it is chickpeas.

When should you not eat chickpeas? ›

People with the following digestive tract diseases are advised to avoid chickpeas:
  • Crohn's disease.
  • Ulcerative colitis.
  • Diverticulitis.
  • Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.
  • Lactose intolerance.
  • Hirschsprung disease.
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease.
  • Irritable bowel syndrome.

Why does my stomach hurt after eating chickpeas? ›

Chickpea intolerance. Even if you don't suffer from chickpea allergy, you may experience symptoms because of chickpea intolerance. Chickpeas intolerance arises when we lack the enzyme required to digest it. This leads to fermentation in the large intestines and gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating and stomach ache.

Is there anything unhealthy about chickpeas? ›

Risks. People should not eat raw chickpeas or other raw pulses, as they can contain toxins and substances that are difficult to digest. Even cooked chickpeas have complex sugars that can be difficult to digest and lead to intestinal gas and discomfort.

Are chickpeas good or bad carbs? ›

Beans and Legumes

Packed with protein and fiber, beans are a nutritious choice for people on most kinds of diets. However, they and other legumes such as chickpeas and lentils are also high in carbohydrates. Eat them in moderation when on a low carb diet.

Are chickpeas better than eggs? ›

3 Tablespoons (about 2 ounces) of chickpea flour packs slightly more folate than half of your daily needs, more than 3 times the amount of iron found in one egg, provides about 6 grams of dietary fiber (which eggs don't carry any of) and about 13 grams of protein (an egg only contains 7).

Is 1 cup of chickpeas too much? ›

Chickpeas are high in fiber. In fact, the one-cup serving represents “roughly about almost half of the recommended daily fiber intake for adults,” Lane says. This promotes satiety (in other words, it helps you feel full longer) so you don't overeat.

What is the healthiest way to eat chickpeas? ›

"Chickpeas are wonderful to add directly to your dish—like salad, pasta, or soup—for extra protein and fiber," Cannon told us.

Can you directly eat canned chickpeas? ›

Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked chickpeas. You can eat canned chickpeas straight out of the can! (Just be sure to rinse them off before chowing down to wash out excess sodium) Otherwise, you can roast them or turn them into any number of delicious dishes, like these here.

Does chickpea rice taste like rice? ›

Overall the chickpea rice is the same shape as regular rice, but has more of the consistency of orzo. (Not complaining; I love orzo!) It tastes a little bit nuttier than rice, and does a better job of absorbing sauces.

Should you rinse chickpea rice? ›

Make sure to rinse the rice with water if you are making Chickpea Rice. 5. If you're making Flavored Rice, next you'll stir in the seasoning packet and 1 tbsp of olive oil or butter (optional). Cover and let sit for 2 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

Is chickpea better than chicken? ›

Unlike chicken and other animal products, chickpeas contain absolutely no cholesterol. They're also a rich source of soluble fibre, which reduces the production of cholesterol in the liver and its absorption in the small intestine. A win-win for those with high cholesterol levels.

Can you eat too much chickpeas? ›

The high fiber and carbohydrate content can sometimes lead to uncomfortable gas, bloating, and intestinal distress.

Do chickpeas lose protein when cooked? ›

Boiling chickpeas do not affect its protein content or calories but it absorb water which lead to increase in total weight. Legumes and pulses have a tendency to absorb water which increase their total weight but do not affect overall nutrient profile.

Is it OK to eat a tin of chickpeas? ›

Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked chickpeas. You can eat canned chickpeas straight out of the can! (Just be sure to rinse them off before chowing down to wash out excess sodium) Otherwise, you can roast them or turn them into any number of delicious dishes, like these here.

References

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