Chickpea Vegetable Stir-Fry with Rice
Chickpea Vegetable Stir-Fry with Rice is a quick, protein- and fiber-rich meal ready in 30 minutes. Created by a Registered Dietitian, it’s flexible, flavorful, and easy to make gluten- and oil-free.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 297kcal
Equipment
- Skillet or frying pan
Ingredients
- ¾ cups short grain brown rice or 2 ½ cups cooked rice
- 15 ounces chickpeas canned, drained and rinsed
For the sauce:
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3 teaspoons water
- ⅓ cup low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon date syrup or maple syrup, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil optional
- ½ teaspoon sriracha
- Juice of one-half lime plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
For the veggies:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable broth
- ½ white onion diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup broccoli florets (1 medium head broccoli)
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper (1 medium bell pepper)
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil optional
Instructions
- Optional for roasted chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the chickpeas onto a large, rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 25 minutes.
- Cook the rice as per the packet directions, or use previously cooked rice.
- Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water. Add the tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil (if using), sriracha, lime juice, garlic, and ginger. Adjust the date syrup and lime juice to taste. Set aside.
- For the veggies, heat the oil or broth in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, broccoli, and bell pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
- Cook: Add the cooked rice to the veggies and stir to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the rice starts to turn golden brown, stirring occasionally and flattening out the rice so it cooks evenly. Add the tamari, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. Mix to incorporate. Set aside.
- Heat Sauce: In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sauce for about 3 minutes, or until it starts to thicken. Stir in the chickpeas and mix to combine. Cook for about 1 minute more, or until the chickpeas are coated with the sauce and warmed through.
- Combine: Transfer the chickpeas and sauce to the sauté pan with the rice and veggies. Cook over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, or until warmed through.
Notes
- Use cold, leftover rice when possible. It fries up better and stays separate and crisp. Fresh rice can turn mushy unless cooled first. Otherwise, short-grain brown rice works well.
- Go oil-free if you prefer: Use vegetable broth for sautéing and skip the sesame oil—the flavor still shines through.
Nutrition
Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 410mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1329IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 3mg
