Marry Me Chickpeas

Recipe and images courtesy of Romy London (@romylondonuk on Instagram)

Get ready to fall head over heels with this tasty love affair! This vegan twist on the viral "Marry Me Chicken" features tender chickpeas in a luscious, creamy sun-dried tomato sauce that’s so delicious, it might just lead to a proposal - or at least a second helping!

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 tins chickpeas, drained (about 480g) or 300g (1 ½ cups) dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked
• 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tsp (10g) tomato paste
• 240ml (1 cup) vegetable stock
• 240ml (1 cup) coconut cream
• 60g (½ cup) sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 30g (¼ cup) nutritional yeast
• 3 cups baby spinach
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preparation: If using dried chickpeas, soak and cook them according to package instructions until tender.

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add minced shallot, garlic, Italian seasoning, and chilli flakes. Sauté until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add vegetable stock, coconut cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and nutritional yeast. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5–7 minutes.
4. Stir in the cooked chickpeas and spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Garnish with fresh basil and a sprinkle of vegan cheese. Serve with freshly toasted bread.