Spiced Spinach & Chickpea Rice
This is a dish that I make quite often—it’s essentially a love letter to the humble pantry staple.
I must admit, I have a thing for those little frozen spinach cubes. They are incredibly affordable, nutritionally dense (flash-frozen at the peak of their power!), and, frankly... they're just cute! I find myself reaching for them constantly to boost the nutrient profile of almost any meal. Plus, chickpeas rule! They are the ultimate budget-friendly protein. So this meal has it all.
Recently featured in our $20 Community Workshop, where we set out to feed a group for under $20, this spinach and rice dish was the undisputed star. We served it alongside my Golden Citrus Tofu, and the combination was an absolute hit.
It’s simple, affordable, and proves that "budget" doesn't have to mean "compromise." In the workshop, we talked a lot about "satiety on a budget." By pairing the fiber-rich earthiness of the spinach with the plant-based protein of the chickpeas and the sustaining energy of rice, we’ve created a meal that fills you up without weighing down your wallet.
Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large brown onions, finely diced
1.5 tsp ground cumin (add a pinch of ground coriander if you have it)
1 tsp salt & a generous grind of black pepper
2 packs (approx. 500g) frozen spinach
1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 can (400g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups Basmati rice, rinsed well under cold water
2.0 cups boiling water
Instructions
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot (with a tight-fitting lid), heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Fry the diced onions until translucent (about 5 mins). Clear a small space in the pan and stir in your cumin and black pepper, frying for exactly 30 seconds to "bloom" the spices in the hot oil and release their deep flavours.
Add the spinach to the pot, followed by the 1 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar. Toss it all together for 1–2 minutes or until the spinach is thawed.
Stir in the chickpeas and the salt. Add the rinsed Basmati rice and stir for 1 minute so the grains coat in the spiced oil. Pour in the 2.0 cups of boiling water. Bring to a vigorous bubble, then immediately drop the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover tightly with the lid.
Leave the rice undisturbed. You will know it is ready when the water is entirely absorbed. Look for little "steam craters" on the surface, and listen closely—the sound should change from a wet bubbling to a very faint, dry crackle.
Once you hear that dry crackle, remove the pot from the heat. Do not open the lid. Let it sit off the heat for about 10 minutes. This trapped steam finishes cooking the rice flawlessly so it won't be gluggy.
