Marry Me Chickpeas

Name: Marry Me Chickpeas
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 5 cloves garlic (minced); 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (chopped); 1/2 teaspoon oregano; 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; (2) 15-ounce cans chickpeas (drained and rinsed); 1 cup vegetable broth; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 cup vegan cream (See Notes); 2 cups baby spinach (sliced); 4-5 fresh basil leaves (chopped); optional: 1/2 cup grated vegan parmesan cheese (I used Violife)

This one-pan Marry Me Chickpeas recipe puts a vegan twist on the viral comfort food, Marry Me Chicken! Get ready to fall in love with this indulgent 15-minute meal.

For more easy ways to use the canned chickpeas in your cupboard, check out my Chickpea Salad Sandwich, Italian Chickpea Soup, Chickpea Burger, and Biscuit Topped Chickpea Pot Pie recipes!

a wooden spoon stirring a batch of Marry Me Chickpeas in a large skillet.

The viral Marry Me Chicken recipe is no match for my vegan-friendly Marry Me Chickpeas. It’s as creamy, indulgent, and family-friendly as the original, but made without dairy or meat!

What’s better is that this one-pan meal is totally foolproof. Just simmer the protein-packed chickpeas in the dreamy Tuscan sun dried tomato cream sauce for 15 minutes, then enjoy it for family dinners or date nights at home. Don’t forget the hunks of crusty bread for scooping up every luxurious bite!

Why you’ll love this easy plant based recipe

Rich Tuscan-inspired flavors – Like my Tuscan Vegan Gnocchi, vegan marry me chickpeas feature incredible Italian-inspired flavors that will keep you going back for more.
Packed with protein – Two cans of chickpeas pack this dish with about 30 grams of plant-based protein!
An easy one-pan meal – The everyday ingredients in this dish are cooked together in one pan in just 15 minutes.

a piece of bread dunked in a bowl of Marry Me Chickpeas.

How to make marry me chickpeas

Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

Warm the olive oil in a large pan over low-medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Stir in the sun dried tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and ground black pepper.

Add the chickpeas, vegetable broth, tomato paste, vegan cream, and spinach to the pan. Simmer until the sauce is warmed through and the spinach is wilted.

Garnish the Tuscan chickpeas with chopped fresh basil and vegan parmesan. Scoop up every bite with crusty bread or serve it over rice, pasta, or baked sweet potatoes. Enjoy!

fresh spinach in a large pan with chickpeas and cream sauce.

Frequently asked questions

What is Marry Me Chicken?

Marry Me Chicken is a dish that combines cooked chicken with a sun dried tomato and garlic cream sauce. The original recipe is made with heavy cream and chicken breasts, but in vegan marry me chicken recipes, they’re swapped for vegan cream and canned chickpeas.

Why is it called Marry Me Chickpeas?

It’s simple: the silky smooth cashew cream sauce, Italian flavors, and hearty chickpeas in every bite are so good that you’re bound to get a marriage proposal from anyone you serve it to!

What can I use instead of chickpeas?

Canned cannellini beans or another white bean will work well. For a meatier dish, you can use my Vegan Chicken recipe, homemade seitan bites, or baked tofu.

My cream sauce is too thin. How can I thicken it?

I recommend making the cream sauce with cashew cream for a thick and luxurious consistency. While store-bought vegan cream (I love Ripple’s dairy free half and half) or coconut milk also work, they’ll make the sauce slightly thinner. To help thicken it, stir a cornstarch slurry (made by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl) into the sauce at the end and gently simmer until it thickens.

How do you store the leftovers?

The leftovers will keep for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy them for quick and easy meals or meal prep throughout the week! To reheat, zap the chickpeas and sauce in the microwave or warm them in a saucepan on the stove until heated through.