One Pot Cheesy Broccoli Chickpea Rice Casserole
This post was sponsored by USA Pulses & Pulse Canada. All opinions expressed here are mine alone.
One Pot Cheesy Broccoli Chickpea Rice Casserole is a hearty, vegetarian casserole that’s great as a main dish or holiday side!
I’m kind of relieved that baseball season is over you guys. I felt like my life revolved around it for the past month because the Dodgers made it all the way to the World Series. I couldn’t miss a game, and some of them were so long! I warned you last week that I may need to recover after Game 7 and boy did I.
I call it recovery but it was more like me hiding under a rock since the Dodgers lost. I do live in San Francisco Giants country after all, and believe me when I say that I take some hard core ribbing from Giants fans.
It’s quite the rivalry and I feel the same way about the Giants…I root for every team that they’re playing against. It’s all in good fun of course, but when your team loses the world series the wounds are fresh and teasing feels like salt being poured right into it!
The drama of it all.
Needless to say I’m ready to focus 100% on all things holiday-related, especially in the food department. That’s where this One Pot Cheesy Broccoli Chickpea Rice Casserole comes in.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with USA Pulses recently, and when they asked me to come up with a unique way to incorporate chickpeas into a holiday inspired dish I jumped at the chance.
If you’re not familiar with the term pulses, they are chickpeas, lentils, split peas, and beans. I love incorporating them into my meals for their great taste, versatility and especially their nutritional benefits.
Pulses are iron rich, high in fiber and potassium, and are an excellent source of plant-based protein.
I grew up eating a lot of rice (and casseroles) and always loved them. One of my favorites was a cheesy broccoli rice casserole, so I decided to do an even easier spin on that.
I adapted this recipe from my Mexican Rice Skillet, which has gotten rave reviews. This recipe is vegetarian, but it’s every bit as hearty!
The chickpeas make this One Pot Cheesy Broccoli Chickpea Rice Casserole so hearty and my family really enjoyed it.
There are so many reasons why I love this dish besides the fact that it tastes amazing. I love that it includes a minimal amount of ingredients, most of which you’ll already have on hand.
You can use any variety of rice for starters. I used quick cooking brown rice, but you can use white rice or regular brown rice. Anything goes!
Regardless of which type of rice you use, add the broccoli during the last 3-8 minutes of cooking time, depending on how you like your broccoli done. If you like it crisp tender, cook for 3-5 minutes. If you like it softer, cook for about 8 minutes.
I used a combination of skim milk and vegetable stock in this recipe. The milk gives it some creaminess and the stock gives it some nice flavor. If you’re making this for the holidays you can use whole milk to make it extra creamy and luxurious.
This meal is completely customizable to suit your tastes, and it’s beyond easy!
This One Pot Cheesy Broccoli Chickpea Rice Casserole is a vegetarian casserole is pure comfort food. It’s cheesy, satisfying, and perfect for holidays or busy weeknights. Oh…and it makes a fabulous lunch if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers. 🙂
More great recipes using pulses:
- Red lentil chili by Minimalist Baker
- Three bean salad
- White bean turkey chili
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
One Pot Cheesy Broccoli Chickpea Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup quick cooking brown rice* do not use Instant rice as it is not the same as quick cooking rice. See notes
- 2 cups skim milk
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2.5 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 cup grated cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and saute 30 seconds more.
- Add the rice to the pan and toast for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk, broth and salt and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the rice has about 5-8 minutes left of cooking time.
- Remove the lid and stir in the broccoli and chickpeas. Cover and continue to cook for about 5 minutes more.
- When the rice is done, remove from heat and stir in half of the cheese and add more salt if necessary. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese and let stand until melted. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- White rice may be substituted for the quick cooking brown rice. My rule of thumb is adding 1/2 cup more liquid than the cooking instructions on the rice package in order to account for the addition of the broccoli and chickpeas. Regular brown rice may be used, but be sure to adjust the cooking time and the amount of liquid according to the package instructions of the rice you use.
- For crisp-tender broccoli, cook 3-5 minutes. For softer broccoli, cook for about 8 minutes. You can also microwave it separately and toss it in at the end!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
64 Comments on “One Pot Cheesy Broccoli Chickpea Rice Casserole”
You had me at one pot and kept me with cheesy :). This sounds totally delicious! And a great alternative to the roast my family serves on Christmas, which I never eat. I’m so sorry about your Dodgers! I know your pain. I’m still reeling from the Ducks’ loss in the national championship game a couple years ago. . .
Thanks Kelsie! I’m so sorry about the Ducks…hopefully they’ll get back there soon and win it all. Being a sports fan can be so painful at times. 🙂
That’s how I (or I should say my husband) felt last year when the Cubs won it…everyone was crazy around here and I breathed a sigh of relief when the final game was over (and we won!). I’m so impressed with this dish, Marcie! I love the addition of chickpeas, so creative! And of course, you can’t go wrong with cheese and broccoli, either. This would be a show-stopper for the holidays!
My family is all a bunch of Dodger fans and our world just revolved around the games. It was fun but enough was enough! haha Thanks so much Gayle — thie chickpeas were absolutely delicious in this casserole!
This looks absolutely delicious, Marcie! I’m partial to both one pot dishes and cheesy broccoli casseroles so this is perfect for my family. Adding chickpeas for protein is such a great idea!
Thanks so much Kristine! There’s nothing not to love about this meal! 🙂
I’m not a baseball fan, but I’m glad your team did well!! And, for your sake, I’m glad the season is over now! 😉 This cassserole looks absolutely delicious, Marcie!!!! I’m a huge fan of broccoli anything, but make it cheesy and add some chickpeas?! SOLD!!!!!! I am definitely adding this to the menu this week! Pinning! Cheers!
Thank you Cheyanne…you’re lucky you don’t like baseball! haha I hope you love this dish as much as I do and thanks so much for the pin my friend! 🙂
Yum! This looks amazing Marcie! I fluctuate when it comes to broccoli. Sometimes I love it, other days I loathe it. I haven’t had it in awhile so this would be a good time to make this dish! I love the addition of chickpeas. I’m cooking forward to making this 🙂
The best part about this if you’re not feeling broccoli use another type of veggie! Thanks so much Christina!
I don’t follow baseball but I heard it was one of the most dramatic World Series ever so I can see why you were so overcome by the whole thing. I’m glad you’re feeling better about it now! 🙂
The broccoli cheddar combo will forever be my weakness. I love that you added chickpeas for extra protein too. Such a delicious dish!
It was dramatic all right! I’m so glad things are back to normal now. 🙂 Thanks so much Sarah!
This casserole completely reminds me of the types of meals my Mom would make growing up, sans chickpeas. I personally love them, but I don’t think she ever served them!! This is the perfect meatless Monday meal – I’ll be trying it soon!! Pinned 🙂
Sounds like we grew up on a lot of the same food! haha Thanks Katherine! 🙂
Looks so fresh and delicious! Love that it is one pot! Pinning! Congrats to your team, Marcie!
Thanks so much Mira!
Would cannellini beans be a good sub for chickpeas?
Yes — they would be a great substitution!
Such a lovely combination of flavors and textures – dish me up a big bowl, please?!!
Thanks so much and a big bowl is coming right up!
I am ALL about the one pot meals these days and they’ve gotta be cozy comfort food!! This rice casserole is SO up my alley! Love all that cheesy broccoli chickpea goodness!
One pot meals are the absolute best! Thanks so much Sarah!
Tried it last night, my husband said it’s different but very good, it’s on the list to do it again, thanks.
The chickpeas can be unexpected, but they are quite wonderful in this dish! Thank you so much for your feedback Nicole and I’m glad you enjoyed this!
Hi – this sounds amazing- how would you adjust the cooking if you have premade rice on hand?
thanks
Hi Jennifer! This dish would be completely different with pre-made rice unless the rice was cooked with milk as it is here. You could warm it up and toss with broccoli and chickpeas and top with cheese but it wouldn’t be the same.
I made this recipe and it was delicious! Reminded me very much of a rice pilaf dish that I have made, only this has garbanzo beans and cheese which makes it extra tasty!
I’m glad you enjoyed this Barbara, and thanks for the feedback!
I thought garbanzo and chickpeas were the same thing. I’m new to this so overlook me if I appear completely ignorant. 😉
Hi Kat! Yes, chickpeas and garbanzo beans are the same thing.
You mean to write “rice” not “quick cooking rice.” Ours turned out to be a soupy mess.
I’m sorry that this didn’t work out for you. I’ve gotten positive feedback from everyone in the past, so I’m not sure what happened?
Going to make this today to prep lunches for the week. I’m a grade school teacher and we start back with the kids this week so I need something quick for lunch! Also started the vegetarian life a few months ago so this will be perfect!
Good luck getting back to school and I hope you enjoy this!
I have made this a few times and have even added fresh spinach when adding the broccoli and it came out great each time and is much loved in the household! I do have one question though, would it come out okay if you used pre-cut broccoli florets or would it change the result from using broccoli crowns cut into florets?
Thank you!!
Adding spinach would like a great idea, and I’m glad you enjoy this! Yes, I’m sure it will work great with pre cut florets too!
I used instant rice, since I didn’t know there was a difference between that and quick rice. For the rest of us “not in the know” I’d recommend making the distinction that quick rice is NOT instant rice in the recipe instructions. Sadly, we also ended up with a soupy mess. I salvaged by using a metal strainer to get the liquid out.
Thank you for the feedback, and I will add a note in the recipe.
Great dish! Love that you gave tips for people using white rice as well. Delish!
Thanks for the feedback and rating Mary, and I’m so glad you enjoyed this!
I used quinoa (because I didn’t have rice) and it was also delish! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m glad to hear that quinoa worked well — I will have to try that some time!
This was not a hit for me. It lacks flavor. I should’ve known better when I looked at the recipe. There are no spices in it at all. I was trying to find a recipe to use up chick peas, and it did deliver on that front. I added Creole seasoning and that made it tolerable for me. I will not be making this again.
I’m sorry that you didn’t enjoy the casserole, but many people love it just the way it is.
I agree it lacks flavor but it was a great easy base to add your own flair to. I added some curry seasoning, basil, S&P and it was lovely
Curry and basil sounds delicious!
this meal is such a staple for me! so simple and delicious. i love that it’s all in one pot too. i have no idea how i came across this recipe, but glad i did!
I’m glad you’re enjoying this recipe Dylan, and I appreciate the feedback!
I did a few changes. I used white beans instead of chickpeas, added a fresh diced jalapeño, and used coconut milk. Spicy and creamy!!
Thanks for the feedback and the kick of jalapeño sounds delicious!
I also used instant rice since I have no idea what quick rice was. Needless to say it didn’t turn out great. Please update your notes as you mentioned in some earlier feedback. I’m so busy this month with work and was trying to meal prep, I’m quite disappointed. Specially seeing the feedback was already given.
I upgraded my notes and am sorry that you ran into this problem.
This turned out really good. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I’m a little confused by the serving size though. Does it say 1 g? Wouldn’t that be a tiny amount? Maybe 100 grams? Or 1 c?
I’m glad this worked for you — thanks for the feedback! And my recipe card auto generated the “g” for “gram” as I did not specify an exact measurement. Sorry for the confusion!
Is there a skipped direction? Do I cook the rice separately according to the package directions and then toast it?
Or do I cook the rice and add everything to the rice when it’s done? If so, when and how do you toast the rice?
The directions are very clear…the rice is not cooked beforehand. It’s toasted in the pan and the liquid is added after that.
This is the second time I’ve made it and it is delicious!!! The first time I made it was when I was 15 and now I’m 16. 10/10 recommend!
Thank you for your feedback Carlos and I’m glad you like this casserole!
Hello. I will admit first that I have bad eyes, so I may have missed this, but I read it twice trying to find it, and I’m so sorry to bother. The chick peas. Are they the soft ones from a can? Or the dry ones in a bag? I really want to make this, but don’t want to make a big mistake on it with my picky family. LOL I think they will love it.
Hello! This recipe works with cooked chickpeas, either homemade or canned. I hope your family loves it! 🙂
I was planning to make this for a group this weekend, but hoping to make a day ahead and reheat. Have you tried that?
Hi Marilee. I have never made this in advance but I do enjoy the leftovers. I’m sure it will work perfectly, but it just may look messy.
I made this dish for my husband who doesn’t care for chickpeas. He actually said that it was good. I really enjoy chickpeas and I thought it was delicious! I went back for another helping.
Thanks so much for your review and I’m glad you enjoyed the casserole!