Chickpea Broccoli Brown Rice Bake

A hearty brown rice bake with chickpeas, broccoli and a cheddar crust. Cook brown rice fully before baking; dry grain will not soften in the short oven stage.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• A hearty brown rice bake with chickpeas, broccoli and a cheddar crust.
• Cook brown rice fully before baking; dry grain will not soften in the short oven stage.
• Makes 2 servings with measured ingredients and clear timing.

What you’ll need

Keep everything measured and close by before you start. You’ll find the full quantities in the printable recipe card below.

• 1 15-oz can canned chickpeas, drained
• 3/4 cup brown rice
• 3 cups broccoli, small florets
• 1/2 cup cheddar, shredded
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Let’s make it

1. 01

   Bring brown rice and measured water to a boil

   Bring brown rice and measured water to a boil. Cover and simmer low 35–40 minutes, following the package ratio and time if different.

2. 02

   Heat oven to 400°F during the final 10 minutes

   Heat oven to 400°F during the final 10 minutes. Steam broccoli in a covered pan with a splash of water for 4 minutes.

3. 03

   Oil a baking dish

   Oil a baking dish. Fold cooked rice, drained chickpeas, broccoli and half the cheddar together in it.

4. 04

   Bring it together

   Top with remaining cheddar and bake 10–12 minutes until bubbling and 165°F in the center.

5. 05

   Finish and serve

   Taste and finish with the measured salt and black pepper; use less salt if a prepared sauce is already salty.

Make It Even Better

Cook brown rice fully before baking; dry grain will not soften in the short oven stage.

Make it your own

Use cooked white rice to shorten preparation, measured after cooking.

What to serve with it

Let the dish settle briefly before dividing into portions. Serve from the baking dish while the top is still warm; extra vegetables alongside are optional groceries.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in a shallow covered container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat cooked leftovers to 165°F throughout; keep any raw salad garnish separate.