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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!
Super easy to make and very tasty! Sarah, do you have any trick to make it thicker? It was a little « soupy ».
Yes! You could add a cornstarch slurry (about 2 Tbsp water mixed with 1 Tbsp cornstarch, whisk it in and simmer until thick). Or you could mash the chickpeas up a bit to release their starches!
To make this dairy free I am hoping to use olive oil, coconut milk (canned) and nutritional yeast. Do you think the recipe will work with those substitutions?
Yes those should work! It will taste a little different but pretty close. You could also use vegan parmesan cheese 😀
Excellent recipe. Substituted with coconut milk to make vegan. Added chopped collards and oyster mushrooms.
Oh yum!! Those changes all sound delish!
I don’t like sundried tomatoes. Can I omit them, or I replace with something and if so what? Thanks!
I would use a tablespoon or so of tomato paste to bring a savory element!
I didn’t think I lied sun dried tomatoes either but decided to follow recipe as is. The sun dried tomatoes made the flavor of this dish as it melded with the other ingredients. I urge you to try it as is. I think you will be in for a pleasant surprise.
This was super yummy! Even my meat eaters enjoyed this meal. It is quite filling so a little goes a long way. The red pepper flakes add depth to the meal which was very nice.
Seriously delicious and super simple, I made this right before I came home from the grocery store and had it ready to eat in less than 30 minutes (a real accomplishment for me). I did half chickpeas and half great northern beans and it was sooo yummy. Great recipe!
I made this last night, and it was so easy and delicious. I had some left over sour cream left so I just substituted that for the heavy cream, along with some milk. Quite rich, but still it ends up being so cheap and very filling. It’s a great, really flexible recipe!
So happy to hear you loved it! The sour cream is a great idea 😀
I am not a vegetarian but tried this because it sounded so good. It was so good that I crave it. Even had it for breakfast over rice. Can’t get enough of it.
I just finished making this and it is heavenly. I bought some naan to eat it with, but I almost prefer eating it by itself. Even my husband, who doesn’t like chickpeas, tried it. I’m bringing it to work for my colleagues but my husband wants it for dinner again this week. Thank you!
Do you cook the chick peas at all before putting them in or do you just pour them right from the can into the sauce pan?
Straight from the can into the sauce! They just need to be warmed.