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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!
Fantastic!!!!
thanks so much Freida!
This was the first recipe of yours I’ve tried, and I’ll definitely make more! I put it on some crusty bread, SOO delicious. It had such a nice thick and creamy texture.
Thank you for the tasty recipe! 😋
Thanks for cooking with me, can’t wait for you to try more!
Thank this recipe is absolutely delicious. Even my husband had seconds!
Nothing better than hearing this, thank you!
I don’t have sun dried tomatoes on hand, can I use roasted red bell peppers from a jar? Thanks, Pat
Yes! Roasted bell peppers are a tasty sub here 🙂
Love your recipes, but have a question. Something I have noticed on all your recipes you don’t list how big a serving size is. With the nutrition listing of your recipes, why isn’t what the serving size the calculations are made on listed? It just says one serving, but it does not say how big that serving is. It would be helpful to know what portion size is for the nutritional information.
Thank you!
Great question! I keep it simple by dividing the full recipe by the number of servings—so if it serves 4, one serving is about one-fourth of the batch. That keeps it consistent no matter what measurement units folks are using! 🙂
Did you remove the chickpea skin or does it not matter? That clear outside layer
I don’t usually peel them but it comes down to personal preference 😊
Love it. It is just me so I do batch cooking and usually freeze a couple portions or more. Not this time. So good and it keeps well, so will have 3 days of this delicious meal. I added organic baby spinach and Italian squash (mexican zucchini) to the mix for a healthy vegetable boost. Thank you. I buy garbanzos and cook them because the jars here in mexico are very expensive and I make most things from scratch. Love your cookbook and daily emails!!!!!
Love hearing that Belle, thanks for getting the cookbook and so glad you enjoy the emails!
Delicious!! I made it with coconut milk as I didn’t have the half n half. Family loved it!! It’s a must for every week. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Big smiles over here, thanks for trying it!
Made this and it is soooooo delicious! Served it with rice and naan bread! Family loved it! Definitely a regular meal now.
So happy you loved it, happy eating!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I actually made this last night and it was delicious and easy to make. I didn’t have sun dried tomatoes so substituted roasted bell peppers for that pop of color. It was still perfect for a quick dinner. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Big smiles over here, thanks for trying it!
Sauce is fabulous. Plan on making this all the time in various ways.
Keep up the good work..
Thanks for the sweet review, happy cooking!