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This dump-and-bake Chickpea & Rice Casserole is easy AND delicious! Made from only 10 plant-based ingredients, it delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
Dump and bake casseroles have pretty much become a staple for From My Bowl. I love to make them almost as much as you love to eat them!
But really though – what’s not to love about throwing everything in a casserole dish, covering it, and then baking it in the oven?! You get maximum flavor with minimal prep-time, hands-on time, and kitchen cleanup.
INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKPEA RICE CASSEROLE
This casserole is made from only 10 plant-based ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry! Here are some of the key components:
- White Rice: for fragrant flavor and fluffiness, I’d recommend jasmine or basmati rice. White rice has a different cooking time than other grains, so if you’d like to use brown rice please see the recipe notes!
- Chickpeas: for plant-based protein and fiber. If you’re using canned beans, make sure to drain and rinse them first!
- Broth and Coconut Milk: to add flavor and creaminess to our casserole, I found it best to use a combination of vegan chicken-flavored stock and coconut milk.
- Flavorful Veggies: a.k.a. onion, garlic, celery, and mushrooms!
This casserole is essentially a riff off of the classic Chicken & Rice Casserole, which is normally made with chicken, rice, and a few different cans of pre-made soup. The broth, coconut milk, and vegetables combine to replace the soup cans, which aren’t traditionally vegan. Swap the animal protein for some chickpeas and we’re good to go!
HOW TO MAKE CHICKPEA RICE CASSEROLE
- Add the broth, coconut milk, and nutritional yeast to a pot and bring to a boil
- Layer the rice, chickpeas, and vegetables in a casserole dish
- Pour the boiling liquid into the casserole dish, then
- Cover and bake until the rice is fluffy!
Not only is this a totally hands-off cook time, but the rice and chickpeas get infused with extra flavor while everthing bakes away in the oven! Once the rice has cooked for 45 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
I love this Chickpea & Rice Casserole because it’s the perfect comfort food – it’s creamy, cozy, and also packed with veggies. I like to top mine with a little freshly ground black pepper, but it would also be good with some extra dairy-free cheese or maybe even a drizzle of Vegan Ranch.
If you’re looking for more dump-and-bake casserole recipes, you’ll also love this Buffalo Cauliflower Casserole, this Southwestern Black Bean Casserole, and this Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
PrintVegan Chickpea & Rice Casserole
This dump-and-bake Chickpea & Rice Casserole is easy AND delicious! Made from only 10 plant-based ingredients, it delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 45 Minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) vegan chicken-flavored stock (or sub vegetable broth)
- 3/4 cup (174 ml) full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 cup (185 g) uncooked white jasmine rice
- 2 cups (400 g) chickpeas, cooked
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2–3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 rib of celery, finely diced
- 5 oz cremini mushrooms (about 5 medium)
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F and set a 9×13″ or similar pan.
- Add the stock, coconut milk, and nutritional yeast to a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. While the liquid heats, add the rice, chickpeas, onion, garlic, celery, and mushrooms to the casserole dish. Mix them around and spread evenly across the bottom of the casserole with a spatula.
- Once the liquid comes to a boil, carefully pour it over the casserole and cover with a layer of parchment paper (optional) followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes, then uncover. Top with parsley and serve warm; leftovers will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Brown Rice: if you wish to use brown rice instead of white, preheat the oven to 400F instead and bake for 60 minutes instead of 45. I have not tested this recipe with any other grain substitutions
Keywords: chickpea rice casserole, vegan chicken rice casserole, healthy chicken rice casserole, chickpea casserole, vegan rice casserole
I am thinking of scaling this up to fix for about 60 people at an event. I am thinking to cook the rice separately, cook everything else as directed and mix with the cooked rice, then mix it all the night before and heat up before serving the 60 people for lunch. I am going to test that process with the original recipe tomorrow, then if it works fix it on Friday and serve on Saturday. If you (or anyone) have any advice for that process – that would be welcome!
We haven’t done it personally but for 60 people at your event;
It’s a good idea to cook the Rice Separately:
Make sure to cook the rice until it’s just tender (not fully cooked) since it will continue to cook when mixed with the casserole later.
Prep Ahead:
Your plan to mix everything the night before and heat it up before serving is excellent.
Prepare all the components (rice, chickpeas, veggies, etc.) as directed in the original recipe. Keep them separate until you’re ready to assemble the casserole.
Assemble and Bake:
combine the cooked rice, chickpeas, onion, garlic, celery, and mushrooms in your casserole dish.
Mix them well and spread them evenly across the bottom of the dish.
Pour the hot liquid (stock, coconut milk, and nutritional yeast) over the casserole. Cover it with parchment paper and aluminum foil as instructed.
Refrigerate the assembled casserole overnight.
Reheat and Serve:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Bake the casserole (covered) in the middle rack of the oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked and fluffy.
Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Adjusting Quantities:
Since you’re serving 60 people, multiply the original recipe quantities by 10 (assuming the original serves 4 to 6).
Adjust the pan size accordingly. You might need several pans or a large roasting pan to accommodate the increased volume.
Flavor and Seasoning:
Taste the casserole after reheating. Adjust the seasoning if needed (salt, pepper, herbs, etc.).
Consider adding extra fresh parsley or other herbs for a burst of flavor.
Enjoy your event! 🌱🍽️
This sounds delicious! I am not very casserole experienced so I am wondering if it would work to double the recipe for a potluck while still using the same size pan or if it would be best to subdivide into two pans. Thank you!
Hi Alissa! I would recommend dividing between two pans if doubling – the mixture would take a lot longer to heat up and cook if you did it all in one.
I made this dish and it was delicious! I was unable to find the yeast or cremini mushrooms, but mine was delicious! I substituted the cremini mushrooms for white mushrooms. I also used onion tops with the parsley! Great dish and a new fave for me!
White mushrooms are a great sub! Thanks for the review Julia
This looks good but I hate mushrooms. 🙁 Do you have any recommendations for a substitute? I wondered if eggplant, potatoes or canned artichokes would work. Do you think so? Or do you have any other suggestions? If I made this I’d use it for meal prep which means I’d microwave it so any recommendations that can be microwaved would be good. 🙂
Certainly! If you’re not a fan of mushrooms and would like to substitute them in the Chickpea & Rice Casserole, you have several options. Substitute mushrooms with options like eggplant, potatoes, or canned artichokes. Adjust cooking times for different vegetables. The dish is microwavable for convenient meal prep.
Thank you for this recipe, I had all the ingredients on hand and this turned out to be very tasty. I was cooking for two vegans, one gluten free and myself with multiple food intolerances. Next time I would use more liquid but that is all I would chance.
You are so welcome, Maymee!
This was amazing! Thanks for such a simple, easy, delicious recope’
★★★★★
Glad you enjoyed it, Anne!
This was delicious. I used quinoa (because that is what I had on hand) and it worked well!
Glad it worked out, Maryrose! Thank you so much.
We give this recipe a 10 out of 10 stars! I was told by family that this is a must have at our gatherings. I would like to know if this could be baked ahead and reheated.
Thank you!
Thank you, Rebecca! Yes, you could make this ahead of time. When reheating I would keep the casserole covered so it doesn’t dry out, but I don’t think you’d need to add any extra liquid. It’d probably take 15-20 min at 300F to reheat completely
this is an absolutely beautiful recipe, it is so simple and cheap and you can customize it in anyway youd like, i personally love adding curry spices and chinese 5 spice but italian spices go so good in this too. the coconut milk sauce is so delicious i make double the recipe of that and pour it on top because i am an extra sauce loving girlie🥵
Thank you so much!
What could I use instead of coconut milk?
Any other creamy and unsweetened non-dairy milk would work!