Marry Me Chickpeas (Easy 20 Minute Dinner)

Name: Marry Me Chickpeas (Easy 20 Minute Dinner)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cans chickpeas (each 15 oz / 400 g) - reserving the aquafaba/ liquid from the can; ½ white or yellow onion; 2 large cloves garlic; 1 tablespoon concentrated tomato paste; ⅓ cup jarred sun-dried tomatoes; 4oz / 120g cherry or small grape tomatoes; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 cup canned coconut milk; 2 cups spinach - chopped; ½ cup grated parmesan cheese - or vegan parmesan; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon oil from the sun dried tomato jar; Handful fresh basil leaves; Salt and black pepper to taste

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This one-pan Marry Me Chickpeas is so creamy and delicious, its guaranteed to secure you a proposal! Ready in 20 minutes, it's a healthy vegetarian spin on the viral recipe. Serve with basmati rice or dip with crusty bread or pita bread

Piece of bread dipped into pan of marry me chickpeas

This Marry Me Chickpeas recipe is a cozy comforting dish that's deliciously creamy, and tastes that good you'll be proposed too afterwards! It's a fun vegetarian twist on the viral “marry me chicken” that's been trending all over Tiktok and social media for a while. Rather than chicken, we’re using chickpeas as a plant-based protein which are also high in fiber and nutrients. Personally I love chickpeas and always have a few cans stocked in my pantry since I use them in so many of my recipes. Especially where I'm substituting meat such as kotlet - patties, chickpea tuna and my chickpea stew.

Ready in 20 minutes and all made in the one-pot, these marry me chickpeas are great for busy weeknights and made using pantry staples which makes it super affordable too. Fun fact, when I first explained the dish to my husband he didn't seem so excited and wasn't sure he was going to like it…little did he know he’d be going back for seconds and absolutely loved it!

The magic is in the creamy tomato sauce which the chickpeas are simmered in. It uses both cherry and sun-dried tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, and finished with spinach, parmesan cheese and basil...yum! I've then reused the chickpea water from the can known as aquafaba as part of the broth for extra flavor. Serve with your favorite bread to scoop up the delicious sauce such as pita bread or I also love serving it alongside jasmine rice or even mashed potatoes.

You all know I'm not a fan of heavy cream, so I've used coconut milk which is lighter and my preference. You can even swap out the parmesan to make the dish fully vegan too. I’ve previously shared a similar recipe that you've all loved which is my creamy orzo pasta. The sauce was quite similar actually, however I used orzo as the main star, with the addition of cannellini beans for a creamy touch, without any cream 😉

Table of Contents

What makes this recipe special
What are Marry Me recipes?
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to make Marry Me Chickpeas
Tips and Tricks
Storage Instructions
Serving Suggestions
FAQs
Pairing
More Easy Dinners
Recipe
Comments

What makes this recipe special

Quick & Easy: Ready in 20 minutes and easy steps anyone can follow
Affordable: Made with pantry staples, its cost effective and great for weeknights
Healthy & Nutritious: Packed with protein and fiber from the chickpeas and veggies
Versatile: Serve over a bed of rice or dip in with your favorite bread

What are Marry Me recipes?

"Marry Me" recipes are inspired by the original marry me chicken, which is a Tuscan chicken dish with a creamy sauce that's so delicious - people joked that it would score you a marriage proposal!

These days there are many “marry me” recipes including marry me pasta, marry me orzo, marry me butter beans and even marry me chickpeas.

They all have a similar base to the creamy sauce made with sundried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, parmesan cheese, and usually heavy cream. Here I’ve put a lighter healthier vegetarian spin on that, which can also easily be switched to vegan.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Canned chickpeas are the star! They are protein-packed, high in fiber, iron, magnesium, and more! I’ve also used the liquid in the can known as aquafaba, as part of the broth. If you’re not a fan of chickpeas, substitute with butter beans or white beans if you prefer. Dried chickpeas can be used but take more time as they need to be soaked overnight, then boiled before adding
Onion and garlic adds a mild sweetness and body to the base of the sauce, shallots can work too
Tomato paste concentrate adds a rich tomato flavor and adds a deep red color
Sun-dried tomatoes give a tangy, slightly sweet boost and so much flavor! I also like to add some of the oil from the jar too
Cherry tomatoes or small grape tomatoes add freshness and bursts of juiciness to the sauce. Regular tomatoes diced will do as well, if that's what you have on hand
Canned coconut milk creates the creamy, luscious texture and is lighter than using heavy cream, also keeping it dairy-free. Cashew cream is an alternative or milk, but it wont be as thick
Spinach adds color, freshness and nutrition - you cant even taste it once its chopped up and wilted. Baby spinach or regular english spinach works, kale or chard are delicious too, just ensure to chop them up finely
Dried oregano complements the tomato sauce beautifully, then finished with fresh basil leaves for freshness and a delicious aroma. Italian seasoning is a good substitute
Parmesan cheese adds a cheesy umami savory finish and also makes the sauce extra creamy. Vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast can be used for a vegan variation
Extra virgin olive oil builds flavor and body when sautéing the vegetables and is my preferred cooking oil

How to make Marry Me Chickpeas

Here’s my quick and easy way to make creamy, flavorful Marry Me Chickpeas - all in one pan and cooks in 20 minutes! Follow my simple steps below (note quantities are listed in the recipe card below)

Finely chop the onion, garlic, spinach, grape tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes

Sauté the onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent

Tomato paste and garlic added to the onions

Add garlic, tomato paste and a tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar. Sauté for a couple of minutes

Sundried tomatoes and tomatoes added to the pan

Stir in the chopped tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook until slightly softened

Add chickpeas, 1 cup of aquafaba, oregano, salt and pepper

Add coconut milk, stir in and simmer covered over low-medium heat for 10 minutes

Finishing with the addition of spinach and parmesan cheese

Mix in the spinach and parmesan until wilted and melted. If too thick, add a splash of aquafaba, water, or coconut milk to loosen

Serve over basmati rice, crust bread or my soft pita breads and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

Simmer on low-medium heat to let the sauce thicken slowly and develop
Save the aquafaba water from the chickpea jar and use it for the broth, this adds nutrients and flavor and no need to add vegetable broth
Don’t skip the sun-dried tomato oil from the jar, it adds an extra layer of flavor
If you like it spicy, sprinkle in some red pepper flakes for a subtle kick
Add the fresh spinach or kale right at the end to keep it bright and nutrient-rich

Storage Instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days
Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water to keep the sauce creamy. You can also microwave but it may dry out and not be as creamy
This dish freezes well, so it's great for meal prep. Portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat from frozen

Close up of bread after dipped into stew

Serving Suggestions

Here are my favorite dishes to serve with Marry Me Chickpeas:

FAQs

What are Marry Me Chickpeas?

A vegetarian spin on the viral "Marry Me Chicken" which is a creamy Tuscan chicken dish made with garlic, herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan and usually heavy cream. Here using chickpeas instead of chicken

Are chickpeas healthy?

Yes they sure are! They’re high in protein, fiber, and nutrients and a great plant based protein that can be added to so many recipes

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?

Yes you can. They will just take a little longer. Soak in water overnight, then boil them the next day until cooked through and use as per the recipe, adding vegetable broth instead of the aquafaba