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Win hearts and prepare to fall in love with these Marry Me Chickpeas, a vegetarian twist on Marry Me Chicken! With over 35 million views across social media, this incredible 15-minute meal chickpea recipe has been devoured in thousands of kitchens around the world.
Pairs well with Air Fryer Veggies on the side. Finish the meal with Vegan Panna Cotta!
save this recipe!These Marry Me Chickpeas – the vegetarian equivalent of Marry Me Chicken – are about to have you head over heels for chickpeas! Wrapped in a creamy Tuscan sauce and absolutely loaded with flavor, they’ve quickly become one of my favorite ways to use a can of chickpeas! They’re:
- Easy to make, requiring just 1 pan and 15 minutes
- Served any way, like with a thick slice of sourdough bread or over a bed of rice
- Made with mostly pantry staples so you can enjoy this without much advanced planning!
Reader rating
“I made this dish for the first time about a month ago and last week my boyfriend proposed. Could be a coincidence, but also could be the power of delicious Tuscan cooking.” —Kyra
Key Ingredients
The ingredients are mostly pantry staples, so you can make it just about whenever the mood strikes! Jump to the recipe for measurements–this is just an overview.
- Chickpeas: We’re using two cans of chickpeas, or you can cook your chickpeas from dried.
- Garlic: Alright, garlic may not be the most romantic ingredient, but if you’re about to propose, we should be past the point of caring about garlic breath, right?
- Seasonings: Salt, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper bring flavor and spice!
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Bring that savory Tuscan flavor. Get the kind packed in oil!
- Broth: Vegetable broth, either from a carton, cube, or homemade from veggie scraps.
- Cream: In testing, I found heavy cream to give the best texture, but feel free to use half-and-half for a lighter dish, or coconut milk for a vegan option.
- Parmesan: Brings a savory taste perfect for rounding out this dish. Vegans should omit or use a plant-based parm.
How to make Marry Me Chickpeas
Making this dish takes just 1 pan and less than 15 minutes. This is an overview, jump to the recipe for the full printable recipe!
- Make the flavor base, a delicious combination of butter, garlic, and spices.
- Add the fillings and cook for a few minutes.
- Finish it off with cream, parmesan, and basil!
I like adding veggies
While I absolutely love this dish just how it is, sometimes I’ll bulk it up with veggies! I’ll cook a bunch of veggies in the air fryer (zucchini and cauliflower are my favorites for this one), then stir them in right before serving.
Protein Variations
Not a fan of chickpeas? Try one of these variations!
- White Beans – add them at the same time that you would have added the chickpeas (see also Marry Me Butter Beans)
- Tofu – cube and crisp it up (air fried tofu is my personal favorite)
- Soy Curls – this vegan ingredient has the texture of chicken and would be great here (how to cook soy curls here)
Reader rating
“Holy h*ll this was amazing!!! Wow I was scared it wasn’t going to be much because of how few ingredients it called for but WOW it packed a flavorful punch!” —Sam
Serving Suggestions
- With vegetables, like these air fryer veggies which can cook while the chickpeas cook
- With bread, like crusty sourdough, fluffy naan, or toasted rye
- With rice, like jasmine or basmati rice
How To Make Marry Me Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 28 g
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp each salt, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 cup vegetable broth, 236 mL
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained, 425 g cans
- 1 cup heavy cream, can sub half-and-half
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Flavor Base: Heat 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 4 cloves garlic, ½ tsp each salt, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper in a large saute pan or pot over medium heat. Cook for about 2 minutes, until garlic is fragrant.
- Fillings: Stir in ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1 cup vegetable broth, and 2 15-oz cans chickpeas. Continue cooking on medium, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
- Finish: Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream ½ cup grated parmesan, and 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil. Serve warm with crusty bread.
Notes
Nutrition
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!Meal Prep it!
Make a batch of these proposal-worthy chickpeas and portion them into 4 or 5 meal prep containers with a grain (like brown rice or quinoa) and a steamed veggie (like broccoli or asparagus). I like to add a handful of cherry tomatoes as well!
So, is the serving size equal to 2 cups? I still couldn’t find the size of a serving. The recipe states that it makes 4 servings, but not the size of a serving…
Each serving ends up being about 1 cup 🙂
I made this with chickpeas, cauliflower, and mushrooms. Incredibly delicious! I couldn’t stop eating it. Thank you, Sarah, for such an outstanding recipe.
I started to make this and realized I didn’t have sun dried tomatoes. So I used roasted red peppers, fresh cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, and the heavy cream and it’s so delicious! I can’t wait to make it with actual sun dried tomatoes!
I’m about to make this, but first I need to thank you for adding the measurements in the instructions. nobody does that and I always have to scroll back and forth between measurements and instructions!
sincerely, thank you! looks delicious!!
So happy to hear it’s helpful for you! 😀
Sarah, I’ve got a batch of your Nature Valley knock offs cooling and eager to try them. The original recipe were my favorite energy / snack bar so as many others was very disappointed with NV decision to change the recipe.
As far as a this soup recipe, I’m lactose intolorant so heavy cream has not been my choice of thickners for sauces or soup bases. I might try this recipe and substitue a cannellini broth paste to replace the cream which is by the way very delicious but a bit too rich for my system. Thanks again and looking forward to try some of your recipes. Sincerely CM
I could not stop eating it and neither could my 4-year-old!!!
thank you!!!
Excellent! I used oat milk instead of cream, and cooked it down for a couple of minutes. Turned out creamy and delish.
The first recipe I made from my new EAT! cookbook by Sarah and it was delicious! I too added a few handfuls of fresh spinach and served over brown rice.
Yay!! Happy eating! 😀
So simple, and so delicious! I used one can of chick peas and one of white kidney beans since that’s what I had around. I also followed someone else’s lead who added in cauliflower, and it was nice to get the veg in. I think next time I’ll add a bit of fresh chopped spinach as well.
Like another commenter, I also appreciated having the measurements in the instructions!
#liveeatlearn I made this Marry Me Chickpea soup, all except the cream — I only had milk — and it is SOOO GOOD, I had seconds! Wonderful for a chilly winter afternoon! I added chopped onion, celery and carrots because they were in the fridge.