Marry Me Chickpeas (Printable)

Creamy chickpeas with sun-dried tomatoes and herbs in a rich sauce

# What You Need:

→ Chickpeas & Vegetables

01 - 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
05 - 2 cups baby spinach, loosely packed

→ Sauce

06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
07 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
12 - 1/2 cup vegetable broth
13 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
14 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Finish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
16 - Zest of 1 lemon

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add sun-dried tomatoes and chickpeas; sauté for another 2 minutes.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Reduce heat to low, stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
06 - Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2–3 minutes.
07 - Finish with lemon zest and fresh basil. Taste and adjust salt or herbs as needed.
08 - Serve warm with crusty bread, over rice, or with pasta.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes but tastes like it simmered all day
  • The sauce is so good you will want to drink it straight from the pan
  • Perfect for impressing a date without actually trying that hard
02 -
  • I once forgot to rinse the chickpeas and the sauce turned out strangely thin from the canning liquid
  • The sauce continues thickening as it stands off the heat, so do not panic if it looks slightly loose in the pan
  • Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil add more richness than dry ones, but drain them well or your sauce will separate
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry pan before sprinkling them on top because the crunch factor is not optional
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre-grated because the melting quality makes a huge difference in how silky the sauce becomes

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