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A colorful vegetarian paella served in a traditional black cast iron paellera pan, featuring golden saffron rice topped with vibrant red bell pepper strips, bright green peas, chickpeas, and quartered artichoke hearts, garnished with fresh lemon wedges on a rustic wooden surface.
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Spanish-Style Saffron Rice with Chickpeas and Roasted Vegetables

This vibrant Spanish-Style Saffron Rice with Chickpeas and Roasted Vegetables brings the warmth of Mediterranean flavors to your table while keeping sustainability at its heart. With aromatic saffron, protein-rich chickpeas, and colorful seasonal vegetables, this one-pan wonder delivers authentic Spanish taste in under 1 hour.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Spanish
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan
Keyword Paella
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 3
Calories 754kcal
Author Claude 4.0 Sonnet Thinking

Equipment

  • Large wide pan or paella pan (or large skillet)
  • Cutting board and knife
  • Wooden spoon
  • measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups basmati rice white
  • 1 can (400g) chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (400g) diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 large bell peppers mix of colors, sliced
  • 200 g fresh green beans trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 jar (280g) artichoke hearts in water drained and halved
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp saffron threads
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 vegetable broth cube
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 large lemon
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Prepare the saffron: Crush saffron threads in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Add 3 tablespoons warm water and set aside to bloom.
  • Make the sofrito base: Heat olive oil in your large pan over medium heat. Sauté onions for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  • Add vegetables: Add bell peppers and green beans to the pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes until slightly softened. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Build the flavor: Stir in both paprikas and cook for 30 seconds. Add diced tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced.
  • Add rice and liquid: Dissolve vegetable broth cube in 3 cups hot water. Add rice to the pan, stirring to coat with the vegetable mixture. Pour in the broth and saffron water. Bring to a boil.
  • Simmer: Reduce heat to low, add chickpeas and artichoke hearts. Simmer uncovered for 15-18 minutes without stirring, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
  • Final touches: In the last 5 minutes, scatter frozen peas over the surface. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges. Drizzle with a bit of extra olive oil if desired.

Notes

Serving suggestions:
  • Serve with a simple salad of lettuce and cucumber dressed with olive oil and lemon
  • Offer additional lemon wedges and a sprinkle of smoked paprika
  • Accompany with crusty bread if desired
  • I recommend two excellent beverage pairings that complement the dish's Mediterranean flavors and saffron-infused character: As alcoholic option a crisp Spanish Albariño or Verdejo white wine, as these varietals naturally pair with saffron and seafood-inspired dishes; or a refreshing Spanish-inspired agua fresca (muddle fresh orange slices with a sprig of rosemary and a pinch of smoked paprika, then top with sparkling water and ice) as non-alcoholic option.
 
Allergens:
  • Check the ingredients of the vegetable broth
 
Emission Hotspots:
  • Rice farming
  • Shop to home transportation, if a combustion car is used
  • While canned goods are convenient, they carry a higher environmental cost than their raw counterparts. The processing, metal packaging, and shipping of these heavier water-filled cans all contribute to their larger carbon footprint.
 
Alternatives (including Non-vegan):
  • For a more authentic "Paella" experience, replace the chickpeas with pan-fried vegan "chicken" bits, added at the end of the cooking process. It would increase the carbon footprint by ca. 4%
  • Farmed bivalves would be an excellent animal protein alternative for the recipe, even decreasing the carbon footprint by ca. 12%.
  • A roughly 50:50 mix of chicken meat and farmed bivalves would have the same carbon footprint as the canned chickpea version
 
Sustainability tips:
  • Buy climate-friendly rice grown using regenerative farming techniques instead of conventional rice
  • Instead of buying canned chickpeas, bulk-cook and freeze dried chickpeas. If you have a pressure cooker, you can minimize the energy used for cooking
  • Instead of buying canned artichokes in liquid, use artichokes in packaging without excessive liquid, or frozen products
  • Walk or bike to the supermarket and farmer’s market
  • Bell pepper is one of guinea pigs' 🐹 favorite vegetables and a main source of essential Vitamin C
  • Save the water used to rinse rice for watering plants. Rice water contains essential plant nutrients that can help support growth and development
  • Buy ingredients with minimal packaging when possible, and choose bulk items like rice and chickpeas to reduce packaging waste. Bring reusable bags for shopping and select loose vegetables over pre-packaged ones when available
  • Save the aquafaba (chickpea water) to make a dessert, e.g. a nice vegan Mousse au Chocolat.
  • Freeze leftovers in individual containers for quick future meals