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This Creamy Golden Rice with Spiced Chickpeas is the best bowl of (healthy) comfort food. Kind of like soup, similar to a stew, but creamier with more rice. Turmeric infused golden rice made creamy with coconut milk and made “soupy” with a bit more broth than usual. Top each bowl of souper golden rice with spiced, extra crispy chickpeas, and a dollop of creamy yogurt. The perfect bowl of warming comfort food that’s also healthy and quickly made on the stove in less than an hour. Just be sure to serve with a side of fresh naan for a bowl of (easily made vegan) comfort food.

overhead photo of Creamy Golden Rice with Spiced Chickpeas

Starting the week off on a healthy, but still cozy, note with this Indian..ish inspired recipe. Somehow it’s already the second week of February and I know many of you have spring on your minds. Here in Colorado, it’s still very much winter, and very, very much comfort food kind of weather.

That said, we’re coming off a weekend of enjoying way too much ski resort food, meaning lots of french fries and cocktails, after watching my younger brother, Red, compete (and win!!!) at the Dew Tour on Saturday. I will share more details and photos in Sunday’s Favorites post, but I will say that it was such a special weekend and everyone soaked up the time together. I know I’ve said it before, but being able to watch both Malachi and Red achieve their goals, and do it together, makes me the happiest, proudest sister.

Anyway, a fun weekend spent snowboarding and eating with family means that colorful recipes full of food with all things good for us are very much needed today.

Enter this “souper” creamy golden rice. This is the ultimate bowl of healthy comfort food that’s truly just as delicious as a bowl of cheesy pasta. That’s saying a lot coming from the girl who loves both cheese and pasta more than most.

It. Is. SO GOOD. Creamy, herby, perfectly spiced, and topped with addictingly delicious crispy chickpeas…and served with naan. Of course.

photo of Spiced Chickpeas

Ingredients

  • Salted butter 
  • Ground turmeric 
  • Crushed red pepper flakes 
  • Long grain rice, such as jasmine or basmati 
  • Full fat coconut milk
  • Low sodium vegetable or chicken broth 
  • Kosher salt 
  • Greens such as kale, chard, or spinach 
  • Extra virgin olive oil 
  • Chickpeas 
  • 4 cloves garlic 
  • Shallots 
  • Ground ginger 
  • Unsweetened coconut flakes 
  • Raw sesame seeds 
  • Fresh mint or cilantro 
  • Toasted naan, Greek yogurt, red harissa sauce for serving 

The inspiration.

Growing up my mom would make what she called “souper rice”. Basically, it was cream of chicken soup plus a whole lot of rice. So much rice that you really couldn’t call it soup anymore…enter “souper rice”.  To this day she still recalls it as one of her favorite childhood comfort foods.

I drew inspiration from mom’s souper rice and created a more Indian inspired version, made with coconut milk for extra creaminess. It’s not quite the same as mom’s canned soup version (thankfully), but it’s just as delicious. Different, but delicious.

Creamy Golden Rice cooking in pot

Here is how you make this creamy golden rice.

First up, the rice. GOLDEN RICE, I’m all about some golden rice. It’s simple. Just melt a little butter, add in some turmeric, crushed red pepper, canned coconut milk (preferably full fat for extra creaminess), and water. Once boiling, stir in the rice, then add plenty of greens, cover and let the rice steam until cooked.

For the greens, you can really use whatever greens you love most. My top choices are kale, spinach, or chard. The greens steam with the rice, so you don’t even have to worry about cooking them. It’s so easy.

While the rice is cooking, you should make the chickpeas, and trust me, you do NEED the chickpeas. They add not only heartiness but a nice crunch and plenty of good flavor to this creamy rice. They’re salty, savory, and just a little hard to stop eating. Kind of like a healthier chip with crispy shallots, nutty coconut, and toasty sesame seeds too.

overhead close up photo of Creamy Golden Rice with Spiced Chickpeas and spoon in bowl

 

The secret to souper golden rice?

Once the rice is cooked, stir in a splash more broth to make the rice on the soupy side. As you are stirring, smells of turmeric, coconut, and butter will quickly hit your nose.

It’s wonderful.

Remove the rice from the heat, and simply top with a dollop of yogurt, those spiced crispy chickpeas, and plenty of fresh mint or cilantro. At this point, you should eat immediately. This dish is meant to be on the soupy side, meaning there should still be broth around the rice. The rice will soak up the broth if it sits too long. So enjoy it right away, it will be just perfect.

So much flavor. Extra creamy. A touch crunchy. So delicious.

overhead photo of Creamy Golden Rice with Spiced Chickpeas with spoon in bowl

 

How are the leftovers?

The leftovers are just as good, but a little different. Even though this is best right off the stove, the leftovers are still so delicious. The rice becomes more like risotto and when heated up, makes for the perfect lunch the next day. Love a dish that you can enjoy for dinner one night and lunch the following day!

If you’d like to make this a little heartier, try adding a fried or soft boiled egg. Or serve alongside last week’s lemon garlic chicken. That would be so good.

And that’s it. The simplest, healthy bowl of winter comfort food. Hope you all enjoy!!

overhead photo of Creamy Golden Rice with Spiced Chickpeas and hands on bowl

If you make this creamy golden rice with spiced chickpeas, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Souper Creamy Golden Rice with Spiced Chickpeas

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1080 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • 1. To make the rice. Melt the butter, turmeric, and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium pot over high heat. Add the rice and toss to coat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of broth, the coconut milk, and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Add the greens on top of the rice, but do not stir. Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook ten minutes on low and then turn the heat off completely. Let the rice sit, covered, for another 10 minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, make the chickpeas. Heat a large, high sided skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, chickpeas, garlic, shallots, ginger, and a pinch of red pepper flakes and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chickpeas are crisped all over, about 8-10 minutes. Add the coconut flakes and sesame seeds, tossing to combine. Cook 2 minutes, until toasted, remove from the heat.
    3. When the rice is cooked, switch the heat onto low, add additional broth 1/2 cup at a time until the rice is creamy, but with just a touch of liquid. Taste, adding salt as needed.
    4. To serve, divide the rice among bowls and spoon the chickpeas overtop. Serve with naan, yogurt, and fresh mint or cilantro. Enjoy!
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horizontal photo of Creamy Golden Rice with Spiced Chickpeas

This post was originally published on February 10, 2020
4.23 from 576 votes (454 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  3. 5 stars
    Such a comforting dish! I’ve followed Half Baked Harvest for years, but mostly haven’t indulged my cook’s heart these past few years between raising a toddler and working full time. This recipe hits all the right notes – subtle coconut, salty, crispy, and creamy – a cross between the classic rice dishes of my childhood and the vegetarian/vegan foods that leave me most energized. Thank you for this easy-to-follow recipe, which feels slightly exotic in my bland dinner rotation!

    Reply

    1. Hi! I am so glad you have been following and enjoying my blog for so long! That is amazing! Also, I am really glad you enjoyed this! Thank you! xTieghan

      Reply

  4. 5 stars
    Made this on Thursday night and we loved it–and/but the left overs I’m having for lunch today (Saturday) are maybe even better. My husband and I are trying to eat more “meals without a face” for various social justice/environmental reasons, and this meal is now at the top of our rotation. We used lacinato kale that we had on hand and it worked super well; the topping was amazing, too–three huge cheers for this recipe!

    Reply

  5. I made this last night. Super Yummy. Next time I will double the chickpea portion of the recipe as there ends up being a lot of rice to chickpea. Will definitely make again!

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    Made this last night and my husband spent the entire meal Raving about how delish it was! So yummy and healthy!

    Reply

  9. 2 stars
    no idea what I did wrong but this did not come out well for me. I am a good cook and followed the recipe correctly. the rice did not cook in 10 mins, it needed about 10 more minutes with a lot more broth added (which didn’t surprise me as the bag of basmati rice said it would take 20 mins to cook). I doubled the chickpeas because I have no idea how 1 can could feed 6 people. Overall the dish was too coconuty/sweet for me and lacked other flavors/spice. I ended up needing to add 2-3 teaspoons of a South African curry powder I had. the chickpeas did not crisp for me but probably because with 2 cans the pan got overcrowded

    Reply

    1. Hi Sophie! I am really sorry this did not work out well for you! Please let me know if you have any questions or if anything could have gone wrong in the making…Please let me know! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hey Connie, I would use quinoa or orzo pasta in place of the rice. Cooking times will vary dependent on the grain you choose to use, so please be sure to adjust. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan

      Reply

  14. Could I use half cauliflower rice, half basmati rice or will the cooking times be too different to do in the same pan?
    I have been loving so many of your recipes! Thanks in advance 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hey Lan! I think that will work. Just use 3/4 cup rice and 1 1/2 cups broth, then stir the cauli rice in once the regular rice is cooked. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hey Holly! I would use whole milk or heavy creamy. Either will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan

      Reply