Marry Me Chickpeas

Why you'll love this recipe

• Just as indulgent as the original, but made without dairy or meat!
• Delicious Italian flavors cooked down in one pot.
• Clean out your pantry with these simple ingredients.

Ingredient notes

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for marry me chickpeas.

Chickpeas

The star of this dish! You can't have marry me chickpeas without the chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Chickpeas have a creamy texture with a mild nutty flavor.

Sun dried tomatoes

Grab a jar of sun-dried tomatoes at your grocery store or on Thrive Market! Sun-dried tomatoes bring that savory Tuscan flavor with a concentrated and intense tomato flavor. They’re sweet, tangy, and slightly salty.

Aromatics

A few cloves of fresh garlic complement the tomatoes and add a tangy, umami flavor. Feel free to substitute with shallot or toss in some chopped onion.

Vegetable broth

The veggie broth adds to the savory sauce. Use more or less depending on desired consistency. 

Coconut milk

In place of heavy cream, we're using canned coconut milk for its thick, silky smooth texture. If you're in a crunch, feel free to use any unflavored and unsweetened dairy free milk like oat milk or almond milk.

Spinach

Chop or slice baby spinach to add some bright greens to the dish. Chopped kale is a fantastic alternative, if needed.

Seasoning

I like to keep it simple with dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Italian seasoning would be great here too. If you don't want the touch of heat, omit the crushed red pepper flakes.

How to make marry me chickpeas

The measurements and full instructions are below in the recipe card. Use these step by step photos as a guide.

Step 1: Soften the sun-dried tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes are naturally chewy, cooking them down a bit will lend to a softer texture. Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and tomatoes. Let cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: Cook the chickpeas

Stir in the chickpeas and seasoning and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. Canned chickpeas are already cooked, but like the sun-dried tomatoes, cooking the chickpeas down a bit will give them a more tender texture.

Step 3: Stir in coconut milk and broth

Pour in the broth and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.

A note on coconut milk: Some coconut milk brands have a very strong coconut taste. I suggest using Aroy-D or Thai Kitchen.

Step 4: Add spinach and serve

Stir in spinach and let cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in fresh basil.

Cooking tips and variations

If your sauce is too thin, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl then stir into the chickpea mixture. This will thicken up the sauce nicely at the end.

No coconut milk? No problem! Use cashew cream instead. It’s thick, luxurious, and has a more neutral taste. Soak 1 cup raw cashews in boiling water for 15 minutes, drain, then blend with ½ cup water. Ta-da!

If you want to switch up the protein, I suggest your favorite canned white bean for their great, creamy texture. Butter beans, cannellini beans, or great northern beans would all work. Or serve with crispy tofu.

For extra curb appeal and flavor, garnish with vegan parmesan cheese! My homemade version is so easy to make using cashews, nutritional yeast, and sea salt.

Marry me chickpeas makes awesome leftovers! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, warm in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave until heated though.