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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!
My husband doesn’t like chickpeas, and he loved this recipe!
We love this recipe! It’s easy to make and has lots of flavor. I use coconut milk instead of half and half and I serve it over brown rice. I’ve made it several times for my husband and I and look forward to making it for dinner guests.
This was awesome. My neice was coming for dinner and she has a myriad of Allergies. I did switch half and half to coconut milk and I tossed in some eggplant that was cubed and I roasted in the air fryer. It was coated with arrowroot to make it crispy. My neice who is a college senior is always struggling to find something tasty that she is not allergic to said it was the best thing she had eaten in months! Thanks for the great recipes
I thought you were a bit crazy to suggest eggplant like that and when I made it at first (without the sauce) I was disappointed at how bland it was. Once I realized it soaked up the chickpeas’ flavor and still had a great texture it was a game changer. Love it!
I can imagine how good this would be with the heavy cream. Would it be possible to substitute yogurt?
Yes plain yogurt should work, just remove it from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes before stirring it in to prevent curdling.
I’ve been vegetarian for 30 years and this has got to be my new all time favorite recipe. Thanks!
This makes me SO happy to hear, Joanne! Enjoy!!
Wow!!!! This was sooo flavourful. I made mine vegan with simply blending up silken tofu and coconut milk. This is delicious with some nice toasted bread.
Looks delicious! My husband doesn’t like sun dried tomatoes. What can I sub for them?7
You could do tomato paste or fire roasted bell peppers! 🙂
This was so good and easy to make ! It will be a recipe I make weekly
This a new and easy favorite in our house!
What can I use as a substitute for the heavy cream to make it dairy free will coconutmilk work?
Full fat coconut milk is great here! 🙂