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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!

Marry me chickpeas in a pan.
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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:

  1. Easy to make, requiring just 1 pan and 15 minutes
  2. Served any way, like with a thick slice of sourdough bread or over a bed of rice
  3. 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

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Marry me chickpeas in a pan.

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.
Marry me chickpeas in a pan.

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!

  1. Make the flavor base, a delicious combination of butter, garlic, and spices.
  2. Add the fillings and cook for a few minutes.
  3. 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!

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

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Dipping bread into marry me chickpeas.

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

4.90 from 378 ratings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Win hearts and prepare to fall in love with these Marry Me Chickpeas, a vegetarian twist on Marry Me Chicken! With a creamy Italian-style tomato sauce and nutritious chickpeas, this incredible 30 minute meal is perfect for date night.

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
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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.
    Garlic and butter in a pan.
  • 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.
    Chickpeas and sun dried tomatoes in a pan.
  • 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.
    Marry me chickpeas in a pan.

Notes

Storage: This recipe does well stored in the fridge for up to 7 days. When ready to reheat, just pop it in the microwave in 30 second bursts until warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.2g | Protein: 15.7g | Fat: 22.3g | Saturated Fat: 12.9g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 1204mg | Potassium: 452mg | Fiber: 8.3g | Sugar: 0.8g | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 3mg

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!

Marry me chickpeas as vegetarian meal prep.
Eat vegetarian cookbook.

Let's eat more plants!

Packed with over 100 reader-favorite vegetarian recipes, my cookbook is your go-to guide for easy, healthy meals that make plant-based eating a breeze.

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4.90 from 378 votes (92 ratings without comment)

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585 Comments

  1. Claudia says:

    5 stars
    Very simple and tasty. I used an immersion blender to reduce the amount of whole garbanzo beans and give the soup a smooth thick texture. I will make it again but I will use white beans.

  2. Heather says:

    5 stars
    Love this! I added an onion, mushrooms and towards the end I stirred in a bag of fresh spinach to up the veggie count. Served it over rice. It was really good and lots of leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Will definitely make again.

    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Spinach is such a great idea for this one! And the mushroom! And the onions! Happy you loved it 🙂

  3. Heidi Beasley says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious!!! I happened to have some fresh spinach so I added a couple handfuls when I took it off the heat. Thrilled to find this recipe as I don’t each much meat anymore.

    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Spinach is such a great idea here! Such an easy way of thinking in some veggies 😀

  4. Kay says:

    5 stars
    Delish and easy!

  5. Vee says:

    3 stars
    It was a bit bland but a good start. I added pesto , tom paste and rosemary with everything and paired it with angel hair pasta it def helped

  6. Rachel Dhanaraj says:

    5 stars
    Substituted the heavy cream with blended cashews and water for a low cal swap and it was PERFECT.

  7. jILL says:

    5 stars
    So, so good! Added some mushrooms and spinach and served over spaghetti. Huge hit with all (including a toddler!) so a win for us!

  8. Alison says:

    5 stars
    This was really good! I mashed up some of the chickpeas to make it a little more creamy in texture. I was also out of black pepper and we like some spice so I added some smoky hot sauce which complemented the other flavors really well! Served with roasted carrots and rice. I’ll definitely make this again!

  9. Vee says:

    5 stars
    Can I substitute vegetable broth with water?

    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Yes! Taste and add a bit of salt at the end if needed to compensate.

  10. Devon says:

    5 stars
    This is by far my favorite recipe (meal) in the whole world! My husband said at dinner, “Never lose this recipe!” to which i replied, I am printing, framing and hanging in our kitchen. I will always have the ingredients on hand to make for us and others! It is that good!

    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Oh my gosh, best review EVER! 😅 I’m so happy you loved it, Devon! 😀