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This Chickpea Ranch Casserole is a creamy, cheesy, dump-and-bake dinner with perfectly cooked rice, broccoli, and chickpeas with a punch of ranch flavor! It’s a vegetarian comfort meal that comes together with almost no effort and will have everyone reaching for seconds.

A plate of chickpea, broccoli, and rice casserole topped with melted cheese, served with a side of flatbread on a blue table.
I love this one-dish vegetarian meal because it’s the definition of weeknight-friendly. Everything goes into one dish, and there’s no precooking!
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We tested this dump-and-bake vegetarian casserole specifically to make sure the rice cooks through without turning mushy and that the ranch flavor stays balanced rather than overpowering.

It’s cozy, familiar, and insanely delicious in that casserole way that makes people go back for seconds, even if they swear they’re “not casserole people.”

Rectangular white dish containing uncooked brown rice, shredded cheddar cheese, broccoli florets, chickpeas, and shredded mozzarella cheese on a blue tile surface.
Like my Marry Me Orzo and Thai Noodle Casserole, this is a true no-prep dinner with no stovetop steps! Just toss it all in the casserole dish and bake.

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Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

  • Chickpeas: Add plant-based protein and a soft-but-hearty bite that holds up well during baking. Canned is perfect for a quick dinner.
  • Ranch Dressing: Acts as both a seasoning and a creamy base, streamlining flavor without extra steps. Use your favorite brand here or make your own kefir ranch.
  • Quick-Cooking Brown Rice: Cooks evenly in the oven and gives the casserole structure without pre-boiling.
  • Broccoli: Adds freshness and texture to contrast the creamy base while keeping the dish balanced. Fresh or frozen is fine. Cauliflower works too!
  • Cheese: Extra-sharp cheddar provides more cheese flavor with less cheese, and mozzarella gives it that gooey texture.

rice varieties

I tested this meatless weeknight casserole with both regular brown and quick cooking brown rice, and unfortunately, regular brown rice takes too long to cook and needs more liquid. This longer cook time resulted in mushy broccoli. So, stick with quick cooking brown rice as the recipe was designed with that in mind.

Bowls containing broccoli, broth, brown rice, chickpeas, smoked paprika, garlic, shredded cheese, and ranch dressing arranged on a white surface. Labels identify each ingredient.

can I make this ranch casserole ahead of time?

Certainly! But I recommend leaving out the rice and broth until just before baking if you’re going to refrigerate it. This way, you can make this cheesy chickpea rice bake up to 2 days in advance.

Close-up of baked broccoli and chickpeas covered in melted cheddar cheese and herbs.
A baked casserole with broccoli, chickpeas, rice, and melted cheddar cheese in a white dish, with a serving spoon and bread slices on the side.

For some other fun flavor options, feel free to mix in vegan bacon bits for another healthy comfort food or buffalo sauce for a spicy twist!

P.S. Try my unstuffed pepper and rice casserole next!

A comforting Chickpea Ranch Casserole, this dump and bake dish features broccoli, chickpeas, rice, and melted cheddar cheese, all baked together and served with a spoon in one corner.
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Chickpea Ranch Casserole (Dump & Bake)

4.55 from 11 ratings
By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
This dump-and-bake Chickpea Ranch Casserole is a creamy, cheesy vegetarian dinner with rice, broccoli, and big ranch flavor. Easy comfort food that’s always a hit!

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 4 cups broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
  • 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained
  • 2 cups quick-cooking brown rice, we used Minute Brown Rice
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella
  • 1 cup grated cheddar
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Instructions 

  • Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a large (9×13 inch or similar) casserole dish.
  • Sauce: To the prepared dish, dump in 1 cup ranch dressing, 4 cloves garlic (minced), and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Stir to combine.
    A white baking dish with chopped garlic, paprika, and creamy sauce being mixed with a black spatula, on a blue tiled surface.
  • Dump: Add 4 cups broccoli (cut into bite-sized florets), 2 15-oz cans chickpeas (drained), 2 cups quick-cooking brown rice, and 2 cups vegetable broth.
    Divide 1 cup grated mozzarella and 1 cup grated cheddar each in half. Add half of the cheeses into the dish, then stir everything to combine.
    A baking dish filled with cooked broccoli florets, chickpeas, and a creamy sauce, set on a blue tiled surface.
  • Bake: Sprinkle remaining cheeses on top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes, or until rice is al dente (mostly tender but still has a little firmness in the middle).
    Remove foil and return pan to the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Rice should be tender when finished.
    A rectangular baking dish covered with aluminum foil sits on a blue tiled surface.
  • Serve warm, topped with freshly ground black pepper with crusty bread on the side!
    A baked casserole dish filled with broccoli, chickpeas, rice, and melted cheddar cheese, with a serving spoon on the side.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through. Add a splash of broth if needed to loosen the rice.
Other veggie options: If you don’t have or like broccoli, you can use cauliflower, mushrooms, or green beans. All delicious!
My rice is still not cooked when I took the foil off! If this is the case, add another 10 minutes with the foil on, then remove the foil and let it finish up while the excess liquid cooks off.
There’s still liquid in the casserole after baking: This is an easy fix! Just let it cook a bit longer with the foil off. Any excess liquid will evaporate. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 900mg | Fiber: 11g | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!

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4.55 from 11 votes

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44 Comments

  1. Michele says:

    4 stars
    Great recipe for veggies, my daughter and I are always looking for quick dinners! Mine was good but turned out too salty. Couple of comments:
    With regard to the excess salt, I use what I have, so sometimes it involves somewhat of a substitution. For the rice I used Uncle Ben’s parboiled rice but it was Parmesan flavoured so added to the salt. The other thing is that I had regular veggie broth not low or no sodium. Next time I would make sure to use plain brown rice and low sodium veggie broth, and I’d go with a more broccoli!

    I’m curious to know if anybody’s ever tried to change the ranch dressing with something a little healthier?

    Reply
    1. Danielle Burns says:

      Hi Sarah have made this using a yoghurt based dressing with great success!!

    2. Crystal says:

      5 stars
      You could blend cottage cheese and add some ranch powder, lower in fat and adds to the protein content

  2. Marisa says:

    Quick cooking rice question, do you mean the rice in the bag that cooks in the microwave ??

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      The version we used came in a box, but I believe it’s the same rice! It’s sometimes also called instant rice.

    2. Tabitha Carroll says:

      5 stars
      How much is one serving? The nutritional info doesn’t specify.

    3. Sarah Bond says:

      The serving is simply one-sixth of the entire recipe!

  3. Alex WB says:

    I reeeeally didn’t want to buy instant rice just for this so I parboiled brown rice with a 1:1 water ratio. Once the water was fully absorbed, I put 2 cups of that semi cooked rice into the casserole with no other changes. It turned out delicious!

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      I’m so happy to hear that it turned out well. Thanks so much for letting us know how it went, Alex!

    2. Lisa says:

      Do you think white rice could be used? I’m hearing alot about pesticides in brown rice.

  4. izzy says:

    5 stars
    I used normal jasmine rice instead of quick cook rice and it came out great just had to be cooked a lot longer with more vegetable stock : )

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Thanks so much for letting us know how it went with that substitution, Izzy. Happy eating!

  5. Jessica says:

    1 star
    This was absolutely tasteless. As a vegetarian of 23yrs there was zero flavor aside from broccoli and it came out runny even though the recipe was followed. Not sure why people are raving in the comments.

    Reply
  6. Danielle says:

    5 stars
    I’ve made this 4 times and will probably make it at least 4 more. Perfect for meal prep and comes out perfect every single time. I make mine vegan just by switching out the cheese.

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Love hearing that, thanks for trying it Danielle!

  7. Juanita C. Ondrick says:

    Did anyone try this in a crockpot? I think I am

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      We would love to hear how it goes if you try it out. Happy eating!

  8. Leslie says:

    Would this work with orzo pasta instead of rice?

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Yes! I’d follow the temps and times in this orzo casserole to make sure the orzo has long enough to cook.

  9. Stephanie Landes says:

    5 stars
    So easy, so flavorful and so filling.

    Reply
  10. Liz says:

    5 stars
    I made this without the ranch, and replaced it with Dannyo seasoning (1. Tbsp) and added some sourdough breadcrumbs on top. SO GOOD.

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Yum! Thanks so much for dropping in to let us know how it went!