• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Recipes
  • Meal Planner
  • Subscribe

Framed Recipes

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Us
  • Recipes
  • Meal Planner
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Us
    • Recipes
    • Meal Planner
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » wild rice with garbanzo beans

    Published: Apr 9, 2017 · by Sree · This post may contain affiliate links · 11 Comments

    wild rice with garbanzo beans

    Jump to Recipe

    Edited on 01/04/2021 to improve readability and to include more information. 🙂

    Here is some healthy, hearty, nutritious and elegant Wild Rice with Garbanzo Beans. This is such an easy and versatile dish. Meatless Mondays just got tastier.

    This is our new favorite dish. A healthy mix of carbs, good quantity of protein and loaded with vegetables. Perfect for Meatless Mondays. Though I serve it as a main dish and we binge on this for our meals, it is good as a warm salad for autumn days and those chilly spring evenings.

    Keep this recipe handy for days when you have to get dinner in no time at all. 

    Garbanzo Beans Wild Rice
    Garbanzo Beans Wild Rice

    Ingredients in wild rice with garbanzo beans

    • Microwavable long grain and wild rice
    • Garbanzo beans (Kala Chana)
    • spinach
    • garlic cloves
    • oil
    • red chilli flakes
    • cumin seeds (jeera)
    • zucchini
    • bell pepper (capsicum)
    • Salt to taste

    how do you make wild rice with garbanzo beans

    • cook the rice according to package directions
    • Heat oil in a large skillet. Add cumin seeds, red chilli flakes and garlic and fry for a few seconds.
    • Add cooked garbanzo beans and salt.
    • Add chopped spinach and let it wilt.
    • Add the cooked rice to the garbanzo beans-spinach mix and stir to combine.
    • To the same skillet, add a little more oil and zucchini, bell pepper and salt and sauté till the vegetables are cooked to your preference. Toss the rice mixture back into the skillet and stir well to combine.
    • Serve.
    Garbanzo Beans Wild Rice
    Garbanzo Beans Wild Rice

    can you use any other types of rice to prepare this dish?

    YES!

    • I have used microwaveable rice (which gets ready in about 90 seconds) to keep the cooking time short. But if you prefer, you can cook wild rice from scratch and use it in the recipe.
    • Brown rice works well in the dish.
    • Red rice also is perfect to prepare the dish.
    • Please prepare the rice in advance and let it cook down a little bit before using it in the recipe.
    • Also note that some of the microwaveable rice has some additional seasonings in them along with salt, which also adds an extra flavor to the final dish. If you are making rice from scratch, consider adding salt while cooking the rice and/or increase the spices used to toss the rice + vegetables.

    what is kala chana and how do i cook it?

    Kala chana is the brown variety of garbanzo beans. This is very popular in Indian cuisine. You will find the dried variety in your local Indian store or online stores easily. Cooking kala chana on stove top involves two steps:

    • Soaking
    • cooking.

    1. Soaking Kala Chana

    I never cook dried beans directly over a stovetop. If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can cook it on the stovetop, but it will take a really long time to cook perfectly. I guess they would take anywhere from 1 to 1.5 hrs (maybe more). After soaking, drain the water and add fresh water. Bring the water and beans to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the beans till they are tender. Check for doneness by smashing the beans between your thumb and index finger - When it easily smashes, it is done.

    2. Pressure cook chana;

    Drain the soaked chana and add it to the pressure cooker with 2 cups of water. Close the cooker and put the whistle on. Cook on high heat till the cooker lets out one whistle. Lower the heat to medium and pressure cook for another 20-25 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the steam escape on its own (about 5-8 minutes).

    Sometimes, the quality of chana you get is bad, or it is little too dry. If that is the case and chana is not cooked well in spite of cooking for 25 minutes, cook longer, add additional water if required.

    Garbanzo Beans Wild Rice
    Garbanzo Beans Wild Rice

    can i use canned garbanzo beans instead?

    Yes, you definitely can use canned garbanzo beans to mix with the wild rice. I have received good feedback from readers over at Pinterest where they have to use canned garbanzo beans. It cuts down considerable time in soaking and cooking the Kala chana.

    what are the vegetables that you can use in this recipe?

    Any of your favorite vegetables can be used:

    • Zucchini
    • Bell pepper (any color)
    • Broccoli
    • Asparagus
    • Spinach
    • Chard
    • Beet leaves
    • Kale
    • Carrots

    I like the vegetables to have a crunch in them. SO I do not cook them to a mush. Just a quick stir fry in spiced oil does the trick.

    two ways to serve wild rice with garbanzo beans

    Method 1 : Follow the recipe completely. And serve everything tossed together.

    Method 2 : Follow the recipe up until step 7. DO not toss the rice with the vegetables, but instead serve the vegetable as a side. This method works if you have picky eater and would not try certain vegetables. 🙂

    Storing leftovers

    Leftovers can be stored in airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheating the vegetables in the microwave makes them loose their crunch.

    Inspiration for this dish 🙂

    The inspiration for this wild rice with garbanzo beans combination came from my friend Aparna. She had made this for me when I visted her a few years back.

    She prepared a spinach with chana and brown rice. It was so tasty and yummy, that I recreated it at home.

    It has evolved a little bit from the original idea that Aparna shared.

    I am not surprised that this is one of the most popular recipes on the blog. Quick and easy to make, but at the same time, is loaded with nutritious vegetables and beans, it is definitely a must-have in your go-to recipes.

    When I am really hard pressed for time, I use some short cuts like microwaveable rice, for e.g. Uncle Ben's Ready Rice.

    You can buy it in regular grocery stores in the US. You can buy it online on Amazon too.

    Garbanzo Beans Wild Rice
    Garbanzo Beans Wild Rice

    More recipes to try

    Have you checked out these super duper easy recipes on the blog? Give it a try, I am sure you will love these. 

    • Peach Yogurt Breakfast Bowl is the answer to how-to-get-breakfast-ready-in-5-minutes!!! Your very own Sunshine breakfast! 
    • Vegan Spinach Berry Smoothie is a healthy and nutritious way to start your day.
    • Avocado Toast- because eating healthy should be easy.

    Wild Rice with Garbanzo Beans Recipe Notes

    1. Use vegetables of your liking.
    2. I do not overcook the vegetables, just enough to caramelize them. I like the vegetables to be juicy but still maintain the crunch (not mushy). Cook vegetables to your preference.
    3. This can be served as a wholesome meal on its own, or as a warm salad.
    4. A light squeeze of lemon juice helps perk up the dish.
    5. I highly recommend using black garbanzo beans for the recipe, but in times of time-crunch, use (canned) garbanzo beans .
    6. Leftovers can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator and reheated in a microwave oven or a skillet.
    7. Instead of serving the vegetables as side, you could also mix them in the rice-garbanzo mixture, especially when you plan to serve this as a warm salad.
    8. Add any additional protein of your choice for added protein content.
    9. In this recipe, keep in mind that you are adding salt in different phases of cooking.
    10. My friend  used crunchy peanut butter while sauteing the spinach. This gives a subtle sweet note to the dish.
    11. If you find that the dish is dry, you can add the reserved water from cooking the garbanzo beans. If you are using canned garbanzo beans, use vegetable broth or just plain water. Add just a table spoon or two.
    12. Adjust the spices/seasonings used to suit your taste.
    Garbanzo Beans Wild Rice
    Garbanzo Beans Wild Rice
    Garbanzo_Beans_Wild_Rice

    Wild Rice with (Black)Garbanzo Beans

    Here is some healthy, hearty, nutritious and elegant Wild Rice with (Black) Garbanzo Beans. This is such an easy and versatile dish. Meatless Mondays just got tastier.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes
    Calories 151 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 packet Uncle Ben's Microwavable long grain and wild rice substitutions in Recipe Notes
    • ½ cup Black Garbanzo beans Kala Chana; soaked overnight and pressure cooked. Reserve the water.
    • 2 cups chopped spinach
    • 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
    • 1 tablespoon oil
    • 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes; adjust to taste
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds jeera
    • 1 small zucchini; quartered
    • 1 bell pepper capsicum cut into ½ inch square pieces
    • Salt to taste

    Garnish

    • Cilantro
    • Sunflower seeds
    • Lemon wedges

    Instructions
     

    • Cook the rice according to package directions.
    • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, once they splutter, lower the heat. Add red chilli flakes and garlic and fry for a few seconds.
    • Add cooked garbanzo beans and salt. Stir.
    • Add chopped spinach and let it wilt.
    • Add the cooked rice to the garbanzo beans-spinach mix and stir to combine. (if you find it too dry, add a tablespoon of the reserve garbanzo beans water). Adjust the seasoning. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.
    • To the same skillet, add a little more oil and zucchini, bell pepper, and salt and saute till the vegetables are cooked to your preference. Toss the rice mixture back into the skillet and stir well to combine.
    • Serve warm, garnished with sunflower seeds, lemon wedges, and cilantro.

    Notes

    1. Cooking chana on a stove top without a pressure cooker.
    I never cook dried beans directly over a stove top. If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can cook it on the stove top, but it will take a really long time to cook perfectly. I guess they would take anywhere from 1 to 1.5 hrs (maybe more). After soaking, drain the water and add fresh water. Bring the water and beans to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the beans till they are tender. Check for doneness by smashing the beans between your thumb and index finger - When it easily smashes, it is done.
    2. Pressure cook chana;
    Drain the soaked chana and add it to the pressure cooker with 2 cups of water. Close the cooker and put the whistle on. Cook on high heat till the cooker lets out one whistle. Lower the heat to medium and pressure cook for another 20-25 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the steam escape on its own (about 5-8 minutes).
    3. Use vegetables of your liking.
    4. I do not over cook the vegetables, just enough to caramelize them. I like the vegetables to be juicy but still maintain the crunch (not mushy). Cook vegetables to your preference.
    5. This can be served as a wholesome meal on its own, or as a warm salad.
    6. A light squeeze of lemon juice helps perk up the dish.
    7. I highly recommend using black garbanzo beans for the recipe, but in times of time-crunch, use (canned) garbanzo beans .
    8. Instead of microwaveable rice, you could also use a microwaveable rice and quinoa mix. You could also use cooked brown rice or just plain quinoa for the recipe.
    9.Leftovers can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator and reheated in a microwave oven or a skillet.
    10.Instead of serving the vegetables as side, you could also mix them in the rice-garbanzo mixture, especially when you plan to serve this as a warm salad.
    10. Add any additional protein of your choice for added protein content.
    11.In this recipe, keep in mind that you are adding salt in different phases of cooking.
    « Chicken Ghee Roast
    5 Easy Indian Dinners »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cindy says

      January 26, 2023 at 4:39 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this recipe, I really enjoyed it. I decreased the pepper flakes to 1/2 tsp and as I did not have cumin seed I used 1/2 tsp ground cumin. I found that some lemon squeezed on the dish really enhanced the flavors.

      Reply
    2. Aruna says

      October 21, 2020 at 5:46 am

      Such a simple recipe yet chockfull of nutrition. Those bell peppers and zucchini pieces add some colour to what would have been a dull dish. I have never cooked with wild rice but you are now inspiring me to do so.

      Reply
      • Framed Recipes says

        January 04, 2021 at 4:03 pm

        Thanks Aruna. It surely is delicious and very quick to prepare. I have gotten some nice feedback from people who have tried it. Do try this with wild rice.

        Reply
    3. Mumbai 2 Melbourne says

      April 13, 2017 at 4:40 am

      Liked the pictures and.such a lovely write up. The recipe is delicious simple yet packed with flavour.
      Love it ..
      Sharvari

      http://www.mumbai2melbourne.com/2017/04/11/date-and-nutella-bliss-balls/

      Reply
      • Framed Recipes says

        April 16, 2017 at 7:28 am

        Thanks much Sharvari

        Reply
    4. Meera Seetharaman says

      April 11, 2017 at 3:39 pm

      Nice post Sreelatha. That does sound hearty and healthy. And you know I'm waiting for your dance video ?

      Reply
      • Framed Recipes says

        April 16, 2017 at 7:28 am

        :). Thank you so much Meera

        Reply
        • Lalitharani says

          January 06, 2021 at 4:35 pm

          Thank you so much for this healthy recipe

          Reply
          • Framed Recipes says

            January 07, 2021 at 9:01 am

            Thank you so much for trying it and letting me know how you liked it. Appreciate your comment.

            Reply
        • Lalitharani says

          January 06, 2021 at 4:35 pm

          Thank you so much for this healthy recipe

          Reply
          • Framed Recipes says

            January 07, 2021 at 9:01 am

            Thank you so much for trying it and letting me know how you liked it. Appreciate your comment.

            Reply

    If you tried this recipe, please consider giving us a star rating and feedback. Reviewing, leaving feedback, and star rating a recipe, not only helps me grow as a food blogger but also helps others discover my blog. I L-O-V-E to hear from you! :) Your email address will not be published. Thank you for your support! When leaving a comment on framedrecipes, you will be asked to enter your name and email address. This is to help prevent spam comments. Your name will be displayed with the comment, but your email address will not. If you prefer not to display your real name, using a nickname or pseudonyms is perfectly OK. You will also see an option to save your information for future comments – this function uses a cookie to store the information on your browser. Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Sree - the blogger

    Hi! I am Sree and welcome to my sweet little corner of the internet! Good Food = Good Mood! This blog is all about celebrating good food – from desi (Indian) to videshi (global). 

    More about me →

    New Recipes

    • Roasted Sweet Potato Salad With Arugula
    • Pumpkin Coconut Bisque
    • Meal Plan Number 9
    • Apple Butter

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    Got a query? Need help with a recipe? Want to request a recipe? Or just want to say Hi?

    Email Us: [email protected]

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Framed Recipes

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.Read More.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookie Settings

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    __cfduid1 monthThe cookie is used by cdn services like CloudFare to identify individual clients behind a shared IP address and apply security settings on a per-client basis. It does not correspond to any user ID in the web application and does not store any personally identifiable information.
    cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    CookieDurationDescription
    __cf_bm30 minutesThis cookie is set by CloudFare. The cookie is used to support Cloudfare Bot Management.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    CookieDurationDescription
    YSCsessionThis cookies is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    CookieDurationDescription
    _ga2 yearsThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
    _gid1 dayThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    CookieDurationDescription
    IDE1 year 24 daysUsed by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile.
    test_cookie15 minutesThis cookie is set by doubleclick.net. The purpose of the cookie is to determine if the user's browser supports cookies.
    VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysThis cookie is set by Youtube. Used to track the information of the embedded YouTube videos on a website.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    CookieDurationDescription
    _gat_gtag_UA_49569906_11 minuteNo description
    CONSENT16 years 9 months 8 days 3 hoursNo description
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    Powered by CookieYes Logo
    x

    Subscribe to our newsletter!

    We share new recipes every week. These are tried, tested, and framed recipes. From my kitchen to your inbox. Subscribe to enjoy them!