Marinated Chickpeas (2 Ways, Ready in 15 minutes)

Marinated chickpeas are a must-have in your weekly rotation. These flavourful legumes, packed with protein, are a versatile addition to bowls, wraps, pasta, and salads, elevating the taste profile of any dish.

Let’s face it, plain chickpeas (garbanzo beans) can be a bit uninspiring on their own, but I’ve got something delicious in store for you. The chickpeas serve as a blank canvas, ready to absorb a myriad of flavours. I’ve created two simple yet punchy marinated chickpea recipes to expand your options and cater to your pantry staples.

These recipes are incredibly adaptable and require minimal preparation time, making them perfect for both meal prep and snacking. Consider them as a starting point, and feel free to customise them to suit your preferences.

Recipe features and ingredients

Both these marinated chickpea recipes are:

• Simple and easy to make
• Ready in just 15 minutes
• Perfect for meal prep or as a snack
• A great source of plant protein
• Packed with flavour
• Gluten-free
• Very versatile!

Tips

• If you have time to cook the chickpeas from scratch, you’ll find that they absorb the marinade even more. However, as we’re keeping these recipes to under 15 minutes, canned ones will do for convenience.
• As I mentioned earlier, feel free to mix and match the ingredients. Use these as inspiration or create them to a T. Whichever way you go, I’m sure it’ll be delicious.
• These marinades (like any) will get better with age. 10 minutes is the minimum time, which we did for the sake of keeping these recipes to 15 minutes each. However, give them a few more hours, or even overnight, and you’ll taste the difference.

Variations

• Don’t have chickpeas on hand? No worries, you can try it with butter beans or cannellini beans instead. These two beans are also pretty plain Jane on their own and would soak up these herbs and spices beautifully.
• Want to swap out the fresh herbs to use what you have on hand? Go for it! Coriander (cilantro), dill, and chives would all work well in the herby lemon marinade, whereas coriander (cilantro) and parsley would suit the Moroccan spiced marinade.
• For a different type of heat, feel free to swap out the black pepper (or add) chilli flakes, chilli powder or cayenne pepper.

How long do marinated chickpeas last in the fridge?

Both of these marinades will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge, and the best part is that the flavours will develop over time. So if you’re making this ahead, you will be rewarded for your efforts!

One thing to keep in mind is that if you know you’re meal prepping or making them ahead of time, leave the fresh herbs out and add them just before serving.

Serving ideas

For the Moroccan Spiced Marinated Chickpeas:

• Serve as a refreshing salad by adding some mixed greens, diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and crumbled vegan feta cheese.
• Create a hearty wrap by spreading some hummus on a tortilla, adding the marinated chickpeas, and topping with sliced avocado, shredded lettuce, and a drizzle of tahini sauce.
• Use as a filling for a Buddha bowl by combining the marinated chickpeas with quinoa, roasted vegetables, and a dollop of dairy-free tzatziki sauce.
• Add to a chickpea bowl with fragrant couscous, green olives, toasted pita wedges and a tahini yoghurt sauce. (Pictured above)

For the Herby Lemon Marinated Chickpeas:

• Make a delicious pasta salad by mixing the marinated chickpeas with cooked pasta, diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, and fresh basil. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheese.
• Create a flavourful bruschetta topping by spooning the marinated chickpeas onto toasted baguette slices. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and a sprinkle of red chilli flakes.
• Use as a protein-packed topping for this Rocca salad.
• Spread a generous amount of hummus on a plate and top with the chickpeas, drizzling with a balsamic glaze or pomegranate molasses. (Pictured above)

Not only are they great to enjoy with the serving options above, but you can also take them to a BBQ or picnic to add to enjoy with other side dishes.

Other beautiful recipes you’ll love:

1. Healthy Vegan Burrito Bowl
2. Rainbow Falafel Salad with Tahini Dressing
3. Vegan Falafel Wrap
4. Vegan Souvlaki (Tofu Skewers)
5. Turkish-Style Shredded Tofu Wraps
6. Buddha Bowls 3 Ways

If you try these recipes, let me know! We’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below. If you want to go that extra mile, tag us on Instagram or share your photo of the recipe/s on Pinterest.

Print