Fluffy Baked Rice with Chickpeas and Crispy Tofu Feta
Easy baked rice with chickpeas, green olives and lots of fresh herbs. Served with crispy marinated tofu feta, perfect for a vegan weeknight dinner or healthy comfort meal.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time45 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Vegan
Keyword: baked rice, baked rice with chickpeas, chickpeas, vegan baked rice, vegan feta recipe, vegan tofu feta
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 356kcal
Author: Elaine Skiadas
For the tofu feta
- 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu drained
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp miso
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
For the baked rice
- 2 cups basmati rice thoroughly rinsed**
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 28 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives
- 2 tsp salt
- Chopped herbs cilantro, parsley and/or mint
- Fresh lemon juice for serving
For the crispy tofu feta
To make the tofu feta, wrap the block of tofu in several paper towels press down gently to remove excess moisture. Repeat this once or twice until the tofu has dried considerably. Cut the block into 2 inch slabs and add to a resealable container.
Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over the tofu, lifting up each piece so it gets covered by the marinade. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving or ideally, refrigerate overnight. Make sure you allow it come to room temperature before pan frying.
Before serving: After the tofu has marinated, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the slabs onto the hot pan, making sure not to over crowd. Cook 3-4 minutes each side, until browned and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel and (optionally) add a pinch of flaky sea salt.
For the baked rice
Preheat the oven to 425° F.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and sauté until browned and lightly carmelized, about 10-15 minutes.
Add the garlic and chickpeas, cook for about 5 minutes more until the chickpeas begin to crisp. At this post you can optionally reserve a few for garnish.
Transfer the contents of the skillet to a large rectangular baking dish. Stir in rice, green olives and salt.
Pour over 3 1/2 cups of boiling water and tightly seal the dish with tin foil. Bake for 30 minutes, until the the rice is fluffy and just beggining to brown around the edges. Allow the rice to sit for 10 minutes before removing the foil.
Serve with fresh chopped herbs, crispy tofu feta and a squeeze of lemon juice.
**For extra fluffy rice, rinse until the water runs clear. This may take a few minutes.
Tofu feta recipe adapted from Cool Beans by Joe Yonan
Serving: 1/6 recipe | Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Sodium: 1678mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g