Marry Me Chickpeas

It’s Lent, which means we are looking for meatless meals! Even when it’s not Lent, I do try to eat meatless meals a few times a week. It saves money and usually puts beans as the focus, which are high in fiber. Beans are customizable to just about any flavor profile, and in this recipe, we have chickpeas as the star. The “marry me” concept of a recipe usually involves sundried tomato, basil, and a creamy sauce. You can find recipes out there using chicken or pasta or sometimes both! I like enjoying these marry me chickpeas as is, but also served over orzo for an even more substantial meal.

Ingredients for Marry Me Chickpeas

• Olive oil: You can use regular olive oil in this recipe for marry me chickpeas, but if you’re using sundried tomatoes that are packed in oil, you can use the oil from that jar for even more flavor.
• Garlic: Measure with your heart; I usually use five large cloves of garlic but you can use less if you want.
• Tomato paste: Cooking the tomato paste for a few minutes after cooking the garlic in the olive oil is key for a deeper flavor.
• Salt and pepper: No notes needed!
• Chickpeas: I think that cannellini beans or gigante beans would also be great here! Any bean that has a milder flavor and texture will work.
• Sundried tomatoes: My love for sundried tomatoes runs deep. They are such a great way to add flavor to a dish and I always keep a jar in my pantry. For even more flavor, you can add the oil from the sundried tomatoes to the pan instead of olive oil in the beginning of the recipe when cooking the garlic.
• Oregano: A must for flavor!
• Vegetable broth: Chicken broth also works in this recipe, but to keep it truly vegetarian we are using vegetable broth.
• Heavy cream: This gives the perfect creaminess to the sauce. If you’re avoiding dairy, check out my trick for substituting heavy cream for raw cashes in my recipe for zuppa toscana.
• Red pepper flakes: I don’t like anything too spicy, but a pinch of red pepper flakes gives the perfect amount of heat. You can add more if you want it to be spicier!
• Spinach: I add a lot of spinach to this recipe because once it cooks down it takes up very little volume and we can pack a lot in!
• Fresh basil: Fresh basil is one of my favorite herbs. I love its subtle sweetness and the combination of fresh basil and sundried tomatoes is what we are looking for in a recipe with the “marry me” flavor profile.
• Parmesan Cheese: We mix parmesan cheese into the saucy chickpeas, and some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top sends this recipe to the next level!

How to Make Marry Me Chickpeas 

• First, heat your olive oil and sauté your garlic. It will cook quickly so keep an eye on it! Add the tomato paste and stir for a few more minutes. While whisking, add in the broth and cream.
• Season with salt and pepper and add sundried tomatoes, oregano, and chickpeas. For a saucier recipe, use one can of chickpeas. I like to use two to keep this recipe high in protein and fiber! Once it’s bubbling, stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Finally, add the fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed!
• Serve topped with additional parmesan cheese and basil and a few slices of crusty bread for dunking in the creamy sauce!

This recipe reheats well if you need something to make ahead! These marry me chickpeas are a great meatless meal for Lent or anytime.