Vegan Marry Me Chickpeas (Creamy & High-Protein)

If you've seen "marry me chicken" all over Pinterest, you already know that it's a yummy rich, creamy, deeply flavorful skillet dinner that gets its name from how good it is. It's a dish that might just make somebody say "marry me" in hopes of all of their future dishes being that good.

And to be honest..it really is delicious. This vegan, high-protein version swaps in two cans of chickpeas for the meat and coconut milk for the cream, and it's exactly the kind of savory, comforting dinner I love when I want something quick without spending my whole night in the kitchen.

This one is one of my son's favorite chickpea dishes, and as someone who makes a lot of chickpea dishes in this house, that's saying a lot. The ginger is one of the things that does it for me. It adds a pop of flavor you don't expect in a "marry me" style sauce, and paired with the sun-dried tomato and coconut milk, this dish is booming with flavor.

We usually serve it over quinoa, though it's just as good over brown rice.

A Few Notes Before We Start

I cook this in one pan, but a few things make it come out right:

• Shake the coconut milk can well before opening. It separates in the can, and you want it fully mixed before it goes in the pan. Otherwise, it might become too thin (watery)
• Cook the garlic, ginger, tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes in the oiled pan for a minute or two before adding any liquid. That step builds a lot of the flavor, so don't skip it.
• Add the kale right at the very end. It only needs a minute to wilt, and it turns limp and overcooked if it goes in too early. Plus when it's not overcooked, a lot of the nutrients are protected.
• Want it lighter or richer? Use the smaller end of the coconut milk range (½ can) for a lighter sauce, or the full can if you want it extra creamy.
• If the sauce looks thin after simmering, just keep it going uncovered a few more minutes. It thickens as it reduces.

Ingredient Notes

• Chickpeas: two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed. Home-cooked chickpeas work too; you'll want about 3 cups.
• Garlic and ginger: both fresh here is what we like. But hey I'm a mom, so if all you have is jarred, or packaged, that works too.
• Tomato paste: adds umami flavor and a little sweetness to balance the coconut milk.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: chopped, adds a chewy, slightly tangy pop that plain tomato paste doesn't give you. The jarred or packaged both work great.
• Coconut milk: full-fat canned coconut milk is what makes this dish so creamy and delicious.
• Kale: added at the very end so it just wilts instead of overcooking. Baby spinach works as a swap.
• Fresh basil: stirred in at the end for a fresh, herby finish. Fresh is drastically better than dried.
• Seasonings: Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder completes the seasoning list.
• Better Than Bouillon: whisked into water to make a quick broth or you could add this at any point. Just make sure it's stirred in well so as not to have a clump of sauce stuck in one place. You could also pre-stir it into water to make a bit of a slurry before pouring it. Any vegetable bouillon or store-bought broth works as a swap.
• Equipment: just grab your skillet and get to cooking!

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Saute the aromatics. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Be sure not to burn the garlic (sautéing at a lower heat helps with this)
2. Build the sauce base. Stir in the tomato paste, ½ cup water, Better than Bullion, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
3. Add the broth and chickpeas. Pour in the chickpeas. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Try to coat as much of the chickpeas with the sauce.

5. Stir in the coconut milk. Shake the can well, then add the coconut milk. Simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and turns a rich orange-red.
6. Wilt the kale. Stir in the kale during the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, just until it wilts.
7. Finish and serve. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm over brown rice or quinoa.

Storage and Freezer Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. We also love to freeze this and have on hand for later. Especially on the busy nights when you have .5 seconds to figure out dinner.

However, the coconut-milk sauces can separate slightly in texture after thawing; it will still taste good, just give it a good stir while reheating on the stove.

Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Serve It With

• Brown rice or quinoa (our favorite)
• Warm crusty bread, for scooping up the sauce (I LOVE sourdough for this)
• A simple side salad if you want something fresh alongside it (try our favorite kale salad)

FAQ

Leave a comment below if you made and loved this recipe. I'd love to hear how it turned out for your family!

Vegan Marry Me Chickpeas

A creamy, dairy-free chickpea skillet inspired by the viral "marry me chicken" trend - coconut milk, sun-dried tomato, and ginger simmered into a rich sauce. Ready in about 30 minutes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, plant-based

Servings 4 servings

Calories 409 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large skillet or saute pan (12-inch)

Ingredients

  

• 2 cans chickpeas (15 oz each) drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
• 1-2 handfuls kale added at the end
• ½ to 1 can full-fat coconut milk (about 7-14 oz) see Note 2
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon vegetable base
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Be sure not to burn the garlic
• Stir in the tomato paste, ½ cup water, Better than Bullion, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
• Pour in the chickpeas. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Try to coat as much of the chickpeas with the sauce.
• Shake the can well, then add the coconut milk. Simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and turns a rich orange-red.
• Stir in the kale (see Note 3) during the last 1-2 minutes, just until wilted.
• Remove from heat, stir in the fresh basil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Notes

 

1. Coconut milk: use the smaller end (½ can) for a lighter sauce, or the full can for something extra creamy. This recipe and its nutrition info are based on ¾ can as a middle ground.
2. Kale must go in at the very end of cooking (last 1-2 minutes) so it just wilts instead of turning limp and overcooked.
3. Always shake the coconut milk can before opening - it separates during storage.

Keyword chickpea recipe, high protein, marry me chickpeas, stovetop, vegan