Indulge in the goodness of this creamy one dish Tuscan chickpea, which puts a vegan twist on the beloved classic Tuscan “chicken.” Experience the familiar and delightful ingredients you adore, complemented by a perfect balance of protein, wholesome greens, and savory spices.
This great recipe is a delightful choice for any day of the week. If you’ve seen the viral “Marry Me Chicken” but want a vegan version of this recipe from TikTok – make this one! Fan of one-pot recipes? Be sure to check out my collection of One Pot Vegan Meals here.
If you’re looking for more plant-based chickpea recipes, feel free to explore my full collection of vegan chickpea recipes here.
Ingredients and Substitutions For This One Dish Tuscan Chickpea
The recipe is made from simple ingredients and the main ingredient is the chickpeas, a perfect option with many health benefits to include more plant-based meals into your diet. Opting for canned chickpeas saves time and is cost-effective.
The dish’s creamy texture and rich flavor come from using full-fat coconut milk, which is a versatile and nutritious ingredient packed with healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. If you’re not fond of coconut milk, cashew cream or any non-dairy milk can be used as an alternative. This dish is thicker than a creamy soup and is more of a stew or thick curry texture.
Other Ingredients
The sundried tomatoes add sweetness, tanginess, and a ton of flavor to the recipe, but you can use fresh or canned tomatoes, roasted red peppers, or artichoke hearts for different flavors.
Onions and fresh garlic are prevalent in many cuisines worldwide and give this creamy one dish Tuscan chickpea recipe depth and complexity while also being packed with health-promoting compounds.
Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy and nutty flavor and is a fantastic source of protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. If you don’t have any, grated vegan parmesan cheese can be used instead.
Spinach is a superfood packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it an excellent addition to any plant-based meal. Swiss chard can be used instead of spinach if desired, however, spinach adds the best flavor. Using Swiss chard makes this recipe more similar to a delicious super old recipe – cacciucco di ceci. There are Italian fish soups that are very similar to this as well. Another great substitution is adding chopped Tuscan kale to this Italian food recipe.
Hearty soups often include diced yellow onion however red onion can easily be used as a substitute.
Fresh basil and Italian spice blend give the dish a bright and fresh flavor. If you don’t have an Italian spice blend on hand, you can create your own blend or use a store-bought seasoning blend.
This delicious Tuscan chickpea soup recipe is even better the next day! Save a portion of the leftover chickpea soup and freeze it to enjoy on the next chilly day.
Overall, these ingredients work together to create a delicious and nutritious plant-based dish that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re vegan or just want to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet, this Creamy Tuscan Chickpeas recipe is a new favorite waiting to be discovered.
Helpful Tools To Make This One Dish Tuscan Chickpea
- Large Pan: You’ll need a large pan or a large pot to make this recipe, as it includes several ingredients and requires space to simmer and reduce the sauce. A non-stick or stainless steel pan is ideal.
- Sharp Knife: You’ll need a sharp knife to dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the basil. A chef’s knife or a paring knife works well for these tasks.
- Cutting Board: A sturdy cutting board is essential for chopping and preparing ingredients.
- Lemon Juicer: The best way to juice your lemon is by using a lemon juicer or a citrus reamer.
- Food Processor: a food processor can be used to dice the onion instead of a knife if desired.
How to Make This Creamy Tuscan Chickpea Dish
Making this recipe is a breeze, with just a few easy steps to follow. By following these instructions, you’ll create a delectable and creamy Tuscan-style chickpea dish that’s ideal for a cozy night in.
Begin by rinsing and draining the chickpeas, mincing the garlic, dicing the onion – finely, and chopping the basil. Open the can of coconut milk and tomato paste.
Heat a large pan on medium heat with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Then add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add the Italian seasoning spice blend, coconut milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas, tomato paste, and half of the chopped basil. Stir the ingredients together and let the mixture simmer on low heat for 12 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and the flavors to meld together. (To transform this into an easy chickpea soup, simply add 2-3 cups of vegetable stock.)
Once the sauce has thickened, add the spinach and stir until the spinach has wilted. This should take 2-3 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste.
Top with the remaining chopped basil or fresh parsley and serve either by itself like a bowl of hearty chickpea soup, with crusty bread, pita bread, pasta, rice, or gnocchi.
Tips & Tricks
- Because this recipe is so simple, it’s important to use high-quality ingredients nutritious ingredients to ensure that the flavors shine through. Use good-quality coconut milk (or coconut cream), sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil for best results. If you don’t have basil, try cooking in some other fresh herbs such as a handful of fresh rosemary for a delicious twist.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes or some cayenne pepper to the recipe.
- This One Dish Tuscan Chickpea dish is great for meal prep because it reheats well and can be eaten in a variety of ways. Consider making a double batch and storing the leftovers in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container for later.
- If you don’t have all of the ingredients on hand, you can easily substitute some of them. For example, you can use kale instead of spinach, or canned diced tomatoes instead of sun-dried tomatoes.
- This dish is versatile and can be served with a variety of sides. Some options include crusty bread, pasta, rice, or gnocchi.
- To make this recipe into a creamy chickpea soup, simple add 2-3 cups of vegetable broth or vegan chicken stock (or vegan clear chicken broth) to the recipe. Use an immersion blender to blend up half of this hearty soup if desired.
- This delicious recipe should not be stored at room temperature. Save any leftover portion of the soup for next time by storing in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Creamy One Dish Tuscan Chickpea FAQs
Yes, you can use cannellini beans or navy beans as alternatives. Cannellini beans will provide a creamier texture similar to chickpeas, while navy beans offer a slightly firmer bite. Adjust cooking time by 2-3 minutes if using canned beans.
Kale, chard, or collard greens make excellent substitutes. For tougher greens like kale, add them 5 minutes earlier in the cooking process. If using delicate greens like arugula, add them just before serving.
While coconut milk provides optimal creaminess, almond milk or soy milk can be used. For richer texture with nut milks, add 1 tbsp cashew butter per cup of milk. Oat milk (unsweetened) also works well but may sweeten the dish slightly.
Yes! This recipe maintains quality for:
- Refrigerator: 5 days in airtight containers
- Freezer: 3 months in freezer-safe bags (lay flat to freeze)
Reheat with 1-2 tbsp water or vegetable broth to restore creaminess.
Creamy Tusan Chickpeas – Vegan Tuscan “Chicken”
Ingredients
- 1 19 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can full fat coconut milk (cashew cream can be substituted)
- ¾ cup chopped sundried tomatoes in oil
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 4-6 cups spinach (2 big handfuls)
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp Italian spice blend
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a pan on medium heat, add 1 tbsp of oil (I used oil from the sun-dried tomatoes) and the chopped onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, and cook for another minute.
- Add the Italian spice, coconut milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas, tomato paste, and half the basil. Simmer for 12 minutes to reduce the sauce.
- Add in the spinach, and salt and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the spinach has wilted.
- Top with the remaining fresh basil, and serve either by itself, with a crusty bread, over pasta, rice, or gnocchi. Buon Appetito!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Conclusion: One Dish Tuscan Chickpea
For those craving the classic flavors of Tuscan cuisine in a plant-based form, this vegan Tuscan “chicken” dish (inspired by Kristi Roeder) is an excellent choice. This hearty dish offers a creamy and flavorful experience with straightforward ingredients and clear instructions. Feel free to personalize it to your taste and dietary requirements. Give it a try and relish a comforting, healthy, and delightful meal!
This recipe was great! I added in some noodles to the dish and was extremely pleased. Thank you!
Hi Saleem! Thank you so much for the feedback and so happy you loved this recipe 😊
I’ve been trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into my diet, and this recipe has become one of my absolute favorites. The blend of spices and textures is superb. Plus, it’s so filling!
Hi Isabella, so happy you love this recipe, glad you liked the blend of spices ☺️
Loved this recipe so delicious 😋
Thank so much Grace!
This recipe was so delicious and easy to make I made it for some of my meat eating family members and they also loved it!! Thanks for this tasty recipe!
Thanks so much Peyton so happy your family loved it too!
This was so amazing so creamy and delicious, who would have thought I would enjoy chickpeas this much
Hi Sarah, thank you so much for the feedback, so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
YUM! So creamy and delicious! Absolutely love this chickpea recipe 🤩
Thank you so much Amelia, this is also one of my personal chickpea favs too!
Yum I Loved this recipe, one pot easy to clean up and was so so delicious 🤤
Thanks so the feedback Stephanie, and I agree, the one pot dishes are great for less clean up!
This recipe is absolutely fantastic so delicious and my meat eating husband loved it so that says a lot right there!!
Thank you so much for trying my recipe Bailey and so happy your husband loved it too!
Excellent recipe so nice and creamy I doubled the nooch and it was delicious. Can’t beat these 1 dish recipes.
Thank you so much Reese! We love Nooch here at Essy Cooks as well 😊
I made this for my bumble date and it turned out great I needed something to make it seem like I was plant based lol and this worked.
Thanks so much Tanner, so happy this recipe turned out well for you and your date!
I’m not vegan but I’m trying to eat less meat and I have to say I really liked this dish, I will be making it again on my meatless Monday 😀
So happy you liked it! If you liked this try out my Peanut Butter Chickpeas and Curry recipe!
This is so tasty.
Thanks April!!
Loved the sauce base of this dish I’m also trying to eat more plant based and find chickpea dishes my favourite so far. Thank you for sharing and I will be browsing your other chickpea recipes as well.
So happy you loved the sauce of this dish I hope you enjoy my other chickpea recipes you can find them here!
Where is the tomato paste added in the recipe? It is included in the ingredients but not used in the recipe instructions.
Hi Jordan, I’m so sorry about this. The tomato paste should go in at the same time as the coconut milk and other ingredients. I have updated the recipe now so it shows when to add the tomato paste. I hope you love this recipe, it’s one of my favourites. Thank you so much for letting me know! 🙂
This was absolutely delicious!!
Thank you Pamela!
Such a nice flavor and the chickpeas went perfect with the sauce. I made mine a little spicier!
Thanks so much Sandra!
This Tuscan chickpea recipe was fantastic, I have told a few of my girlfriends about it and they also love it! 🥰
Thanks so much Marcy! And thank you for telling your friends I really appreciate it!
Loved this dish and the fact it was one dish, easy clean up and fairly easy meal to make with amazing flavours. Highly recommended.
Thanks so much Irene, one pot meals are some of my fav as well!
Delicious and so quick to make! Definitely recommended this to another friend who is trying out some more plant based recipes.
Thanks so much Laura!
So tasty and easy! Loved this recipe. I will be making this weekly. Added a lot more plant based recipes into my diet and that’s super easy with delicious recipes like this.
Thanks so much Tiffany!
Great recipe absolutely loved how quick this was and the flavor was amazing.
Thanks so much Chels!
This recipe was delicious!!
Thanks Kamila!
I’m becoming a big fan of chickpeas and this recipe has become one of my favourites.
Thanks Becky!
So good thank you!
Thanks Erin!
I made this tonight and came together really easily and will definitely make it again. Flavor was delicious highly recommend.
Thank you so much Reagan, so happy you enjoyed it!
So delicious!!
Thank you!
I have been incorporating more chickpeas into my diet as I love them and this has become my new favourite recipe!!
That’s fantastic to hear! I’m thrilled that this chickpea recipe has become your new favorite. Chickpeas are a versatile and nutritious addition to any diet. If you ever want more chickpea-inspired recipes or cooking tips, feel free to reach out. Happy cooking!
Amazing flavor and quick to make 10/10 would make this again.
Thanks so much Chels!
Delicious and filling! Loving chickpeas lately and this did not disappoint.
I’m thrilled to hear that you found the dish delicious and filling! Chickpeas are indeed versatile and make for a great addition to many recipes.
Loved how this was made with one dish! Easy clean up and it was super creamy and delicious. Easy to follow recipe too.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the one-dish preparation for this recipe! The easy cleanup, creamy texture, and your positive feedback on the easy-to-follow instructions are much appreciated!
10/10 very impressive on how quickly I made this 😊
Thanks so much for the feedback Kane!
This Tuscan chickpea stew was delicious.
Thank you so much for trying the recipe! I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed it.
Very creamy and delicious thank you 🙏
You’re very welcome! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the creamy goodness. If you ever have more feedback or questions, feel free to share. Happy cooking
Excellent chickpea stew recipe amazing flavor I will be adding this into my weekly rotation. Easy to make when I’m tried from the day.
Thank you! Delighted you enjoyed the flavor and found it easy to make, perfect for busy days! Enjoy adding it to your weekly rotation!
One of the BEST chickpea dishes I have ever made! Thanks Essy 😀
I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the chickpea dish so much. Your feedback means a lot to me.
Loved this recipe thank you 🙏
You’re welcome! I’m glad you loved the recipe!
Sooo Good!! Thanks for creating this deliciousness
I did use ½ cup dried chickpeas soaked overnight instead of canned.
Cooked it in the Instant Pot for 11 minutes with 10 minutes pressure release
Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, so happy you enjoyed it, and thanks for sharing your instructions on the Instant pot! 😊
Loved this dish! DELICIOUS 😋
Thank you! So happy you enjoyed it!
This was such an amazing recipe I have been eating more plant based recipes lately and becoming a huge fan of chickpeas and loved this dish especially
Thank you so much Jessika! I’m so happy to hear you are trying out more plant-based recipes and I’m so happy you loved this dish!
SO GOOD!!
thank you SOOOO much!!
Amazing flavours, I used some dried, rehydrate sundried toms which gave it a darker colour but it was delicious, creamy, herby, and an amazing flavour profile…. served with warmed homemade foccaccia….. yum
Hi Tim! THank you SO much! I’m so happy you loved the recipe. And wow with warm homemade focaccia that sounds unreal. Now I want to have it again but with focaccia this time! 🙂
Soooooo Good! 🔥
Thank you Sam! SO happy you love it 🙂
Loved this dish!
Thank you so much Orla! 🙂
Excellent recipe, very detailed instructions and super easy to follow. Came out perfect
Thank you so much! I’m glad you found the recipe excellent with detailed instructions that were easy to follow. I’m thrilled it turned out perfect for you!
Really nice recipe love the flavour loved how easy it was to make. Thank you.
Thank you so much Madison! 🙂
Great recipe the Tuscan chickpea was creamy and delicious. Simple to make and kept very nice for leftovers for a couple of nights. Been eating more plant based lately and this has been one of my favourite recipes so far.
Thank you sooo much Lily! I’m so happy this chickpea recipe made it into your new plant-based rotation! 🙂
I don’t know who gave this lesson a five star, but this is so tasty!!
THank you SO much Leeann! I’m so happy you loved it. It’s one of our favourite dishes, we make it on repeat!
This was an excellent recipe. I’ve been eating more plant lately. Absolutely love this recipe and all your recipes of chickpeas have been fantastic. Thanks so much.
Thank you so very much for leaving this review! I’m so happy you loved the recipe 🙂