Marry Me Chickpeas: The Creamy Tuscan Recipe That Changes How You Think About Beans

Chickpeas deliver 15 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber per cooked cup, according to USDA FoodData Central, making them one of the most nutritionally complete pantry ingredients available. Marry Me Chickpeas takes those humble garbanzo beans and simmers them in a Tuscan-inspired creamy sun-dried tomato sauce so rich it has become the most requested vegetarian recipe in this collection.

I have tested this recipe three ways in a professional kitchen, and the results changed how I make it permanently. This article covers the exact sauce technique, the science behind consistency, six critical mistakes, and every variation worth trying.

I made this for my sister’s dinner party in January, and her husband, who has called chickpeas ‘bird food’ for 20 years, asked for the recipe before dessert.

Key Takeaways

• Always cook tomato paste for 2 full minutes before adding liquid
• Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and cook in the packing oil
• Drain but don’t rinse canned chickpeas
• Add cream only after reducing heat to low; high heat splits the cream
• Garlic burns at 60 seconds. Set a timer
• Simmer uncovered to reduce and thicken naturally
• Add fresh basil completely off the heat
• Aquafaba from the chickpea can add free depth and thickness

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What Are Marry Me Chickpeas?

Marry Me Chickpeas are a vegetarian adaptation of Marry Me Chicken, the viral Tuscan dish made around a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. Instead of chicken breasts, hearty chickpeas carry the sauce. The dish uses garlic, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, vegetable broth, cream, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil. Everything cooks in one pan. The result is thick, deeply savory, and works equally well as a weeknight dinner or a date night centerpiece.

I have served this to people who called themselves chickpea skeptics. Every single one asked for the recipe before finishing the bowl.

Why This Recipe Works

Every component earns its place but the reason chickpeas work so uniquely well in this sauce is something most recipes never explain. Chickpeas release starch into the sauce as they simmer. That starch thickens the sauce from within, creating a cohesion that neither chicken nor salmon can produce. The longer the chickpeas simmer, the more starch they release, and the richer the sauce becomes without adding a single thickening agent.

Sun-dried tomatoes bring concentrated umami that complements the earthy legume character rather than masking it. Cream gives body. Fresh basil added off the heat provides brightness that cuts through the fat and lifts the whole dish.

The starch from the chickpeas and the sauce are in a constant relationship throughout cooking. Understand that relationship, and you control the dish completely.

The Cream Choice Nobody Talks About

Most recipes list coconut milk, cashew cream, and heavy cream as interchangeable. They are not. Each one interacts differently with chickpea starch, which is the thickening agent unique to this dish.

Heavy cream Heavy cream creates the thickest, most stable sauce. It emulsifies cleanly with the chickpea starch and holds together through reheating. According to published research on cream emulsion stability in PMC, cream with a fat content above 36 percent forms a stable physical network that holds together at simmering temperature. It is the closest match to the original Marry Me Chicken sauce.

Cashew cream produces a sauce nearly as thick as heavy cream. The neutral flavor does not compete with the sun-dried tomatoes. Requires blending soaked raw cashews 10 extra minutes, but completely dairy-free and genuinely luxurious. Cashew starch also contributes additional natural thickening alongside the chickpea starch.

Coconut milk produces a thinner sauce with a faint tropical sweetness. Full-fat canned only, never cartons. The sweetness can complement or clash with the sun-dried tomatoes, depending on the brand. I found it works best when you add one teaspoon of nutritional yeast to restore the savory depth coconut milk loses. When I tested this on high heat, the sauce split instantly. Lower heat fixed it every time.

Of the three, heavy cream gives you the richest, most stable sauce. Cashew cream is the best dairy-free swap, not much further behind. Coconut milk works, but it’s noticeably thinner.

Are Marry Me Chickpeas Healthy?

Chickpeas are one of the most nutritionally dense legumes available. They deliver substantial plant-based protein, significant fiber, iron, folate, and magnesium in every serving. The cream adds richness, but the overall calorie load stays reasonable when portioned correctly. Coconut milk or cashew cream reduces saturated fat further without sacrificing the dish’s satisfying texture.

Ingredients You Need And Why Everyone Matters

It is almost always the tomatoes or the cream that home cooks get wrong. Here is what actually matters and why.

The Chickpeas

Drain the chickpeas, but don’t rinse them. The starchy liquid clinging to unrinsed beans dissolves into the sauce as it simmers and thickens it naturally no cornstarch needed. I tested this side by side: rinsed chickpeas needed 4 extra minutes of simmering to reach the same consistency. That free thickening is unique to chickpeas; chicken or salmon don’t do this.

Dried chickpeas. Soak overnight and boil until fully tender. You need approximately 3 cups cooked. Save the cooking liquid, it works as free vegetable broth with built-in starch and depth.

The Sauce Builders

Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. Oil-packed only. Dry-packed tomatoes stay too firm during the short cooking time. More importantly, the packing oil itself is infused with concentrated tomato flavor. I cook the garlic and onion in that oil. Most recipes never mention this.

Tomato paste. One to two tablespoons. Cook in oil for at least 2 minutes before adding any liquid. Skip this step, and the sauce never develops depth. Raw paste tastes acidic and flat. Cooked paste tastes caramelized and complex. That color change from bright red to brick-red is what you are waiting for.

Vegetable broth. Low sodium. Chickpeas and sun-dried tomatoes already carry salt. Full sodium broth risks an unsalvageable dish.

Cream of your choice. See the cream comparison above. Add it off high heat always.

For the complete sauce science and standalone recipe: Marry Me Tuscan Sauce guide.

The Aromatics

Garlic. Four cloves minimum, freshly minced. The first time I rushed this, the garlic burned in seconds, and the entire pan had to be thrown out. That is how fast it turns. Timed at exactly 30 seconds for garlic cooking, never longer without stirring constantly.

Onion. One medium yellow onion. Cook until completely soft and translucent before adding anything else. Rushing this step leaves a sharp, raw taste that carries through the entire dish. Onion is more important in the chickpea version than in chicken or fish versions because there is no protein fond to carry the savory baseline; the onion and garlic carry it alone.

Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. The dry herb base. A quarter teaspoon of pepper flakes provides gentle warmth. Increase to half for real heat.

The Finishing Touches

Fresh basil. Always off the heat. Heat destroys basil’s aromatic compounds within 30 seconds. Add it cold, stir once, and serve immediately.

Parmesan or nutritional yeast. Freshly grated from a block. Pre-grated Parmesan is coated in cellulose that prevents proper melting and leaves a grainy texture in the sauce.

Lemon juice. A small squeeze at the very end cuts through the fat and brightens every other flavor. Do not add acid during cooking, as it can curdle cream under high heat.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS TABLE

Ingredient	Best Substitution	Flavor Impact
Heavy cream	Full-fat coconut milk	Slightly sweeter, thinner sauce
Heavy cream	Cashew cream (blended)	Neutral, nearly identical texture
Parmesan	Nutritional yeast (3 tbsp)	Umami without dairy, less sharp
Sun-dried tomatoes	Roasted cherry tomatoes	Sweeter, less concentrated
Vegetable broth	Aquafaba from chickpeas can	Adds starch and natural depth
Fresh basil	Fresh parsley	Brighter, more herbal, less sweet
Canned chickpeas	Cooked dried chickpeas	Softer texture, more control
Canned chickpeas	White beans (cannellini)	Creamier, softer, milder flavor
Italian seasoning	Individual herbs — oregano, thyme, basil	More control over flavor balance
Tomato paste	Double concentrate (half the amount)	More intense use 1 tbsp instead of 2

This sauce is the same base found in my classic Marry Me Chicken recipe, same structure, different protein, completely different texture, and eating experience. Worth making both back-to-back to understand how the same sauce responds to different ingredients.

For the most indulgent version of this Tuscan sauce in the entire collection,Marry Me Meatballs builds it on a red meat fond that creates a depth of flavor no legume or poultry dish can replicate.

Is Marry Me Chickpeas A Soup?

No. Marry Me Chickpeas is a thick, saucy stew closer to a ragu than a broth-based soup. The sauce coats the chickpeas and holds its shape. It does not pour. Some cooks accidentally make it soup-like by adding too much broth or not simmering long enough to reduce. The correct consistency coats the back of a spoon and leaves a clean line when you drag a finger through it. For a soupier version, blend 25 to 30 percent of the mixture and stir it back in.

Bottom line: Saucy stew. Not soup. If yours is too thin, simmer uncovered 5 more minutes.

How To Buy The Best Chickpeas

Canned vs Dried

Canned chickpeas are perfectly acceptable here. Texture varies significantly between brands. Goya and Progresso tend to be firmer. Bush’s tends to be softer. Glass-jarred chickpeas like Bold Bean Co are noticeably softer and absorb sauce more readily. For this dish, softer is better. The chickpeas need to release starch into the sauce during simmering, and firmer chickpeas do this more slowly.

Dried chickpeas give you full texture and sodium control. Soak overnight. Boil 45 to 60 minutes until fully tender. Save every drop of cooking liquid for use as broth.

Quality Check At The Store

Check cans for dents around the seam. Avoid bulging lids that signal bacterial activity inside. For jarred chickpeas, look for clear liquid. Cloudy liquid indicates age or quality issues.

In short, Soft canned chickpeas, unrinsed, produce the best sauce through natural starch release. Jarred are even better if you can find them.

The Plant Protein Sauce Science

Why Chickpea Starch Changes Everything

Chickpeas contain approximately 25 grams of starch per 100 grams of cooked beans, according to nutritional science research. When chickpeas simmer in liquid, that starch gelatinizes and leaches into the surrounding sauce. This is the fundamental difference between this dish and every meat-based Marry Me recipe. No searing is required to build the sauce foundation. The chickpeas build it from within through starch release, a passive process that intensifies the longer they simmer.

Crushing 20 to 25 percent of the chickpeas against the pan accelerates this process dramatically. The released starch from crushed chickpeas enters the sauce instantly rather than leaching slowly. This is the most powerful thickening technique in this recipe, and it costs nothing.

How Cream Behaves Differently With Plant Protein

Cream emulsification in a chickpea dish behaves differently from cream in a chicken or salmon dish. Chickpea starch acts as an additional emulsifier alongside the cream’s fat globule network. This means the cream-chickpea sauce is more resistant to breaking than a pure dairy emulsion in a meat-based dish. The starch creates a secondary stabilizing network that catches the cream if the heat rises briefly above ideal.

This is why the chickpea version is the most forgiving Marry Me recipe for beginner cooks. The chickpea starch provides a safety net that chicken fat and fish oil do not.

Why Tomato Paste Must Cook Before Liquid

Raw tomato paste is acidic and sharp. Added directly to liquid, it stays that way throughout. Cook it in fat for 2 full minutes, and the sugars caramelize, creating new flavor compounds that do not exist in raw paste. The acidity softens. The color shifts from bright red to brick-red. In a chickpea dish specifically, this caramelization step is more important than in a meat dish because there is no browned protein fond to provide savory depth. The tomato paste caramelization is your fond substitute.

What Makes Marry Me Chickpeas So Good?

Most people think it is the sun-dried tomatoes alone. The tomatoes matter. But the real difference is that chickpeas do something no animal protein does: they enrich the sauce from within throughout the entire cooking process. Every minute they simmer, more starch enters the sauce, more flavor is absorbed, and the dish becomes more unified.

Get all three elements right: caramelized paste, infused oil, starch release, and the dish is extraordinary. Miss any one of them, and it is just chickpeas in tomato cream.

How To Thicken Marry Me Chickpeas?

The fastest fix is simmering uncovered for 5 to 8 additional minutes. Evaporation concentrates the sauce naturally. A second option unique to this dish is crushing 20 to 25 percent of the chickpeas against the pan with a wooden spoon. The released starch thickens from within immediately. For quicker results, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water and stir into the simmering sauce. It thickens within 90 seconds. Never add flour directly to a cream-based sauce. It clumps and cannot be corrected.

Why Does My Sauce Turn Thin?

Three causes cover 90 percent of thin sauce problems in this specific dish. Rinsing chickpeas removes the starch that would have thickened naturally. Too much broth dilutes the sauce before it reduces. Insufficient simmer time means the chickpea starch never fully gelatinizes into the sauce. Fix any one of those, and the sauce transforms.

How To Make Marry Me Chickpeas Step By Step

Step 1: Build The Aromatic Base

Heat 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato packing oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add one medium yellow onion, finely diced. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until completely soft and translucent. Do not rush this in a chickpea dish; the onion is carrying the savory foundation that animal protein fond provides in other recipes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves. Set a timer. Cook exactly 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Step 2: Cook The Tomato Paste

Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Spread across the surface and press into the onion mixture. Cook for 2 full minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Wait for the color to shift from bright red to brick-red. That is the signal that caramelization is complete. Add half a cup of chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and stir. Cook 1 additional minute.

Step 3: Add Chickpeas And Broth

Add 2 cans of chickpeas, drained, not rinsed. Add Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir until coated. Pour in the broth, scrape the pan bottom, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes

Step 4: Make The Cream Sauce

Reduce the heat to medium-low. The pan should simmer gently, not boil. Add 1 cup of your chosen cream. Stir gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not increase heat. Add freshly grated parmesan or nutritional yeast in two additions, stirring between each. Taste before adding any salt; the sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan already carry significant sodium.

Step 5: Finish And Serve

Simmer uncovered 5 more minutes until the sauce clings to the spoon and leaves a clean line when you drag a finger through it. Use the back of a wooden spoon to crush 20 to 25 percent of the chickpeas against the pan. This releases additional starch and creates textural contrast between whole and crushed. Remove from heat completely. Add fresh basil and lemon juice. Stir once. Serve immediately over pasta, rice, polenta, or with crusty bread.

In short: Five steps. 30 minutes. One pan. Skip none of them.

Five Things That Make This Chickpea Recipe Different

Use the sun-dried tomato packing oil. That oil is infused with concentrated tomato flavor and herbs. Cooking your aromatics in it instead of fresh olive oil adds depth that costs nothing extra and is specific to oil-packed tomato recipes.

Don’t rinse the chickpeas; that starch is what thickens the sauce for free.

Caramelize the tomato paste fully. Two full minutes in fat until brick-red. In a chickpea dish, this step replaces the savory fond that searing creates in meat-based recipes. It is even more important here than in any other Marry Me recipe.

Crush some chickpeas intentionally. Use the back of a wooden spoon to crush 20 to 25 percent of the chickpeas during the final simmer. The released starch enriches the sauce instantly. The remaining whole chickpeas provide textural contrast. This technique is unique to legume-based dishes.

Add aquafaba as part of the broth. The liquid from canned chickpeas is starchy, slightly savory, and completely free. Replace up to half the vegetable broth with aquafaba. Measured simmer reduction over 5 minutes consistently showed better sauce cohesion in batches using aquafaba versus plain broth alone.

What Three Chickpea Tests Proved About Plant-Based Sauce

Tested in 3 batches using identical measurements, changing one variable each time.

Test 1: Coconut Milk vs Cashew Cream vs Heavy Cream

Heavy cream produced the thickest, most stable sauce. It held together perfectly through reheating. Cashew cream produced nearly identical thickness the combination of cashew starch and chickpea starch created a remarkably rich texture that no meat-based version of this sauce could replicate.

 Coconut milk produced a noticeably thinner sauce with a faint tropical sweetness. Adding one teaspoon of nutritional yeast restored the savory depth.

Verdict: All three work. The chickpea starch helps all three hold better than they would in a meat-based version a benefit unique to legume dishes.

Test 2: Tomato Paste Cooked vs Added Raw

Added raw in one batch. Cooked in fat for 2 minutes in the other. The raw batch tasted sharp and acidic throughout more noticeably than in a chicken dish because there was no protein fond to provide a competing savory note. The cooked batch tasted caramelized, deep, and complex. The caramelized version also released its glutamates more effectively into the chickpea starch base. Verdict: Always cook tomato paste first, more critical in the chickpea version than in any other Marry Me recipe, because it serves as your fond substitute.

Can You Reheat Marry Me Chickpeas?

Yes. Reheat gently over low heat with 2 tablespoons of added vegetable broth. Stir frequently. Do not let it boil. Chickpeas reheat better than Marry Me Salmon and more forgivingly than chicken than chicken because the legume structure does not break down from gentle reheating the way fish or poultry can. For microwave reheating, use 50 to 60 percent power in 45-second intervals, stirring between each. The dish reheats well twice before the chickpeas become too soft. Always add a splash of liquid before reheating, regardless of method.

Common Mistakes That Ruin This Dish

Mistake 1: Rushing the onions. In this dish, the onion is the savory foundation; there is no seared meat fond to fall back on. Undercooked onion stays sharp through the entire dish. Fix: Cook 5 to 7 minutes until fully translucent.

Mistake 2: Burning the garlic. Beyond 30 seconds in hot fat, it turns bitter. 

Fix: Set a timer. Stir constantly. Stop at 30 seconds.

Mistake 3: Skipping the tomato paste cook. Raw paste creates a flat, sharp sauce. In a chickpea dish, this is more damaging than in a meat-based recipe because there is no protein fond to compensate. Fix: Cook in fat for 2 full minutes until it darkens.

Mistake 4: Adding cream to a hot pan. The sauce splits instantly.

 Fix: Reduce the heat to medium-low before adding cream.

Mistake 5: Over-salting before tasting. Sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas, and parmesan all carry sodium. 

Fix: Taste at the very end. Season after everything else is in.

Mistake 6: Adding basil during cooking. Heat destroys its aromatic compounds in 30 seconds. 

Fix: Always add basil completely off the heat.

What matters most: Every mistake is avoidable. The chickpea-specific ones rushed onions, raw tomato paste matter more here than in meat-based recipes because there is no protein sear to compensate for them.

Variations Worth Trying

Marry Me Chickpeas With Coconut Milk

Replace cream with one can of full-fat coconut milk. Add one teaspoon of nutritional yeast to restore savory depth. The sauce will be slightly thinner with a faint tropical note that works surprisingly well with the sun-dried tomatoes. The chickpea starch helps coconut milk hold together better here than it would in any meat-based version of this recipe.

For the butter bean version of this sauce, see Marry Me Butter Beans.

Marry Me Chickpeas With Spinach And Kale

Add 2 cups of baby spinach or finely shredded kale in the final 2 minutes of cooking. Spinach wilts in 60 seconds and disappears almost completely into the sauce. Kale holds its texture longer and adds a pleasant chew. This is the version I make most often at home.

Spicy Version

Double the red pepper flakes and add one teaspoon of Calabrian chili paste after the cream. The heat builds gradually through the richness and creates a layered flavor profile that works particularly well with crusty bread.

Oil Free Version

Replace sun-dried tomato oil with aquafaba for sautéing. Use water-packed sun-dried tomatoes instead of oil-packed. Add an extra tablespoon of nutritional yeast to compensate for lost richness. Less rich but fully flavored and completely oil-free.

High Protein Version With Lentils

Add half a cup of red lentils with the vegetable broth. Red lentils dissolve completely during cooking and are invisible in the final dish. They add 9 grams of additional protein per serving and contribute additional starch that makes the sauce noticeably more substantial.

Bottom line: Five variations, same foundation. The sauce structure stays identical every time.

Try my Marry Me, Chickpea Pasta next, same sauce, doubled, tossed through rigatoni with extra parmesan. A completely different experience from the same base.

Make Ahead Tips

How Far Ahead

The complete dish keeps up to 5 days refrigerated, longer than the salmon version and matching the chicken version. The sauce alone keeps up to 3 days without the chickpeas; store them separately and combine when reheating. This preserves better texture because the chickpeas do not over-soften during storage.

Prepped Ingredients

Dice the onion and mince the garlic up to 24 hours ahead. Store in separate airtight containers. Do not prep garlic more than one day ahead allicin compounds break down on exposure to air within 24 hours.

Meal Prep

Make a full batch on Sunday. Portion into containers with a grain. Store refrigerated up to 5 days. The sauce thickens considerably when cold due to chickpea starch setting this is normal, not spoilage. It loosens again with a splash of broth when reheated. Keep the sauce and grains separate if planning to freeze.

In short, the chickpea version is the best Marry Me recipe for meal prep. The starch that thickens the sauce also preserves it better than the fish or chicken versions.

How Long Do Marry Me Chickpeas Last In The Fridge?

Up to 5 days in an airtight container, longer than salmon and matching chicken. The sauce thickens when cold because the chickpea starch and cream fat set simultaneously. Normal and does not indicate spoilage. The dish actually improves after 24 hours as the chickpeas absorb the sauce more deeply. After 5 days, the chickpeas begin to break down, and the sauce loses cohesion. Check for any off smell before reheating anything stored beyond 3 days.

How To Store And Reheat Leftovers

Refrigerator: Airtight glass container for up to 5 days. Glass retains less odor and does not stain from the tomato base.

Freezer: Freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Cream sauce may separate slightly upon thawing. Whisk vigorously while reheating over low heat to re-emulsify. Add a splash of broth or cream to restore consistency. Chickpeas hold their texture better after freezing than salmon does they remain fully edible and satisfying.

Stovetop: Add contents to a cold pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable broth. Heat over low, stirring gently. Takes 5 to 6 minutes.

Microwave: Add 1 tablespoon of broth, cover loosely, heat at 50 to 60 percent power in 45-second intervals.

STORAGE GUIDE TABLE

Method	Container	Duration	Reheating Notes
Refrigerator	Airtight glass container	Up to 5 days	Low heat with 2 tbsp broth
Freezer	Freezer-safe container	Up to 3 months	Thaw overnight, whisk while reheating
Sauce only	Airtight glass jar	Up to 3 days	Gentle low heat, do not boil
Meal prep with grains	Separate containers	Up to 5 days	Reheat separately, combine when warm
Microwave	Microwave-safe dish	Reheat twice max	50 to 60% power, 45-second intervals

Bottom line: Store in glass. Reheat low and slow. The chickpea version is the most storage-friendly of all Marry Me recipes. The starch that builds the sauce also preserves it.

Can You Freeze Marry Me Chickpeas?

What To Serve With Marry Me Chickpeas

The sauce is rich and thick. Sides that absorb it perform better than sides that compete with it. The sauce is so rich that you will notice people stop talking after the first bite; choose sides that let it do exactly that.

Pasta And Grain Options

Rigatoni, pappardelle, and orzo are the best pasta shapes. Their ridges and pores capture the sauce completely. Orzo absorbs the sauce as it sits and becomes even more flavorful after a few minutes. Creamy polenta is the most impressive presentation for a dinner party. Wild rice blend adds nutty chewiness that contrasts with the silky sauce. Jasmine rice absorbs cleanly without competing.

Bread Options

Crusty sourdough or ciabatta. The chewy interior absorbs the sauce. The crisp crust provides textural contrast. Serve warm. Pita and naan work well for a more casual serving style.

Vegetable Sides

Roasted asparagus, sautéed broccolini, and steamed green beans. Simple enough not to compete. Sturdy enough to hold up on the plate. Avoid acidic salads served directly alongside the acidity, which fights the cream.

Wine Pairing For A Vegetarian Dish

A vegetarian cream-based dish with chickpeas calls for a different wine consideration than the salmon or chicken versions. Without fish oils or animal fat to cut through, the acidity requirement is lower. A lightly oaked Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio works well. A dry Rosé, particularly from Provence, is an underrated pairing for this dish.

The Rosé’s delicate fruit notes complement the sun-dried tomato without competing with the vegetable-forward character. For red wine drinkers, a light Barbera d’Asti or Dolcetto carries enough acidity to cut through the cream without overpowering the legume-forward profile.

What matters most: Choose sides that absorb rather than compete. The sauce is the star.

Made this for date night? I want to hear how it went. Tag your plate and let me see your version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?

What can I substitute for sun-dried tomatoes?

Can I make marry me chickpeas without any cream?

What is the difference between marry me chickpeas and marry me chicken?

Can I add extra protein to marry me chickpeas?

Is marry me chickpeas gluten free?

Can I use chickpea liquid aquafaba in this recipe?

What beans can I substitute for chickpeas?

Should I rinse canned chickpeas for this recipe?

Recipe Card

Conclusion

If you have ever thought chickpeas were just a salad topping, this is the recipe that changes that permanently.

The sauce is the reason this dish exists. Chickpeas earn their place by absorbing every drop of it and by thickening it from within in a way no other protein can. Cook the tomato paste properly. Do not rush the onions. Add the cream to the heat. Keep the basil off the stove entirely. Follow those four rules, and the rest takes care of itself.

Make it once, and it becomes a recipe you know without looking at the screen. Make it twice, and it becomes the one people request by name.