Fall in love with Marry Me Chickpeas, a delicious vegetarian spin on Marry Me Chicken! 💍✨ Creamy, comforting, and loaded with flavor, it’s a dish you’ll want to make again and again. My high-protein version swaps heavy cream for cottage cheese and milk, making it lighter yet just as indulgent.
If you’ve heard of Marry Me Chicken, you know it’s a creamy, flavor-packed dish that’s said to be so good it could inspire a proposal. Now, imagine that same irresistible, comforting flavor—but in a vegetarian version featuring chickpeas!
I’m giving this classic a nutritious twist by creating a healthier, protein-packed Marry Me Chickpeas recipe. The sauce is just as rich and indulgent but lighter and even more nourishing than most versions out there.
Instead of heavy cream, this recipe swaps in cottage cheese and high-protein soy milk for a creamy texture without the extra fat. Chickpeas add a satisfying plant-based protein boost, while sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and aromatic herbs bring deep, savory flavor to every bite. It’s a meal that’s as wholesome as it is delicious—and it comes together in no time!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
See recipe card for quantities.
- Chickpeas: The star of the dish, adding a meaty texture and protein.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Tomato Paste: These add a rich, slightly tangy, umami-packed depth and lots of color to the sauce. Choose oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for the best flavor.
- Butter & Garlic: A must for any good sauce!
- Cottage Cheese & Soy Milk: The secret to a rich, creamy sauce without the extra fat! I prefer high-protein soy milk for an extra boost, but any milk will do. As for the cottage cheese, any type works, so choose your favorite!
- Parmesan: Adds a cheesy, savory depth.
- Vegetable Broth: Helps create the sauce base.
- Fresh Baby Spinach: Wilts beautifully into the sauce for extra nutrition.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Just a little spice to balance the richness.
- Italian Seasoning, Salt & Black Pepper: Essential for enhancing the flavors!
- Fresh Basil: Brightens up the dish with fresh, herby goodness.
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Visual Step-by-Step Instructions
- Blend cottage cheese and soy milk in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat a skillet with butter. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the Italian seasoning, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another minute.
- Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, chickpeas, and vegetable broth. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in blended cottage cheese mixture and spinach. Let it simmer for another few minutes until the spinach has wilted.
- Stir in parmesan and fresh basil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately on its own, with crusty bread, rice, or pasta.
How to Serve
Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve these chickpeas:
- As a standalone dish for a high-protein vegetarian meal with 36g of protein per serving.
- With basmati or jasmine rice to soak up the sauce.
- Over pasta for a comforting meal.
- With a slice of crusty bread, perfect for dipping! 🙌
Tips for Success
- Blend the Cottage Cheese for Extra Creaminess: For an ultra-smooth sauce, blend the cottage cheese and soy milk together before adding them to the dish. This prevents lumps and creates a velvety texture.
- Vegan: If you would like to make a vegan Marry Me Chickpea version, swap butter with olive oil, parmesan with 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, and use ½ – 1 cup of coconut milk instead of cottage cheese and milk.
- Store Properly: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water to loosen the consistency if needed.
More Comforting Dinners
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📖 Recipe
Marry Me Chickpeas
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Plus, enjoy weekly doses of recipe inspiration as a bonus!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 15-oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed, 425 g cans
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup soy milk, or milk of choice, opt for high-protein milk if possible
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Blend cottage cheese and soy milk in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat a skillet with butter. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the Italian seasoning, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another minute.
- Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, chickpeas, and vegetable broth. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pour in blended cottage cheese mixture and spinach. Let it simmer for another few minutes until the spinach has wilted.
- Stir in parmesan and fresh basil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately on its own, with crusty bread, rice, or pasta.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water to loosen the consistency if needed.
- Vegan: If you would like to make a vegan Marry Me Chickpea version, swap butter with olive oil, parmesan with 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, and use ½ – 1 cup of coconut milk instead of cottage cheese and milk.
Nutrition
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It was delicious! Thank you so much Aline! I made the vegan version. The sauce is very fragrant and very tasty. It’s a quick dish, perfect for the evening. I’d do it again. I really like the descriptions of your recipes because they are very detailed and complete.
Happy to hear! Thank you so much for your kind words, Nathalie! 🙌❤️