These creamy Vegan Marry Me Chickpeas are a delicious plant-based twist on the viral TikTok dinner. A rich, Italian inspired sauce made with sweet semi-dried tomatoes, canned chickpeas and fresh basil. So satisfying scooped up with a slice of crusty sourdough. It’s budget friendly, one pan, ready in 30 minutes and perfect for a family weeknight dinner.
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When I first saw the Marry Me Chicken recipe going viral on TikTok it immediately caught my eye – that ultra creamy, semi-dried tomato sauce looked so rich and delicious! I knew I had to make a vegan version, but it took me a few rounds of recipe testing to get the standard I wanted. I originally tested a version with tofu but it didn’t quite hit the mark as a chicken substitute (it sort of felt like a confused Italian tasting curry). Eventually, I landed on chickpeas as they feature in Italian cooking and feel like the perfect wholefood protein alternative. They also lend themselves perfectly to scooping with a slice of crusty toasted sourdough.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s so quick and even though it only takes 20 minutes, the sauce tastes rich, sweet and garlicky like it’s been simmering for an hour.
- The leftovers reheat really well in the microwave.
- It feels hearty and true to the flavors of the original Marry Me Chicken but without the heaviness of dairy cream. The fresh spinach and squeeze of lemon keep it balanced and bright.
- It’s budget-friendly, mostly pantry staples. You’d be amazed how a couple of cans of chickpeas stretch into a filling meal for four.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Vegan Marry Me Chickpeas taste delicious but are made from mostly pantry staples. I’ve written out a quick shopping list below – but you’ll find the exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Jarred semi-dried tomatoes
- Garlic
- Thyme (fresh or dried – either is fine)
- Red pepper flakes
- Jarred semi-dried tomatoes
- Vegetable broth
- Coconut milk
- Canned chickpeas
- Fresh baby spinach leaves
- Lemon
- Fresh basil
- Sourdough bread (to serve)
Instructions
You’ll find all the exact times, temperatures, and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step One: Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
Step Two: Mix in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
Step Three: Add the chickpeas and coconut milk. Stir well and let the sauce thicken while the chickpeas soak up the flavor.
Step Four: Stir in the spinach until it wilts, then finish with lemon juice and fresh basil. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve with toasted bread.
Step Five: Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve with toasted bread.
Substitutions & Variations
- Spinach can be omitted if you don’t have any (but it’s a great way to add extra veggies).
- Swap the coconut milk for canned coconut cream (unsweetened) if you want an even richer sauce. Or alternatively, you could also use an unsweetened vegan cream substitute.
- To extend the meal even further, you can serve it over white rice instead of with sourdough.
Storage
- Keep leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- It freezes well too in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Thaw and reheat in the microwave on defrost or in 90 second bursts, stirring in between so it heats evenly. Add a splash of water if it starts to get too thick.
Expert Tips
The flavor of the coconut milk in this recipe is well-masked by the herbs, sweet semi-dried tomatoes and garlic. But if you are sensitive to coconut flavors, then try using a unsweetened vegan cream substitute instead (like Oatly or similar).
FAQ
Yes, just make sure they’re fully cooked before adding them. Canned chickpeas save time, but cooked-from-scratch ones give a slightly firmer texture.
Cashew cream or unsweetened oat cream both work nicely. They still give that creamy texture without the coconut flavor.
More Easy Chickpea Dinner Recipes
For another cozy dinner recipe, try my Thai Chickpea Curry – it’s equally creamy but has lots of fresh Thai flavors. Or for something very quick, my Chickpeas with Tahini Sauce is a lighter option, fresh and zesty but still filling. And if you’re craving pasta, my Chickpea & Lemon Pasta is bright, tangy, and perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to know what you thought! Leave a review in the comments below or tag me on Instagram @glowdiaries___ so I can see how it turned out 🙂
Vegan Marry Me Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes finely chopped; about 60 g
- ½ cup vegetable broth low-sodium; 120 ml
- 1 can coconut milk full-fat; 13.5 oz / 400 ml
- 2 cans chickpeas drained and rinsed; 15 oz / 425 g each
- 2 handfuls baby spinach about 3 oz / 85 g
- ½ lemon juiced; about 1 tbsp / 15 g; or more to taste
- ½ tsp salt plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper plus more to taste
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves torn; about 10 g
- toasted sourdough bread to serve
Instructions
- Heat sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Stir in garlic, thyme, and chili flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes and pour in the vegetable broth. Simmer for 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Stir in chickpeas and coconut milk. Simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in baby spinach and let it wilt, about 1–2 minutes. Squeeze in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Stir in most of the basil, saving a few leaves to top.
- Spoon into bowls and serve with toasted sourdough bread.
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