Sweet and Sour Chickpeas

These sweet and sour chickpeas are a quick and easy healthy dinner option that only uses a handful of condiments to make the perfect sauce.

Plate of rice, sweet and sour chickpeas, avocado and topped with diced spring onion and sesame seeds.

This past weekend we were kind of set to go and get take out. I was super excited, but ultimately, with everything going on in the world, we made the right decision to stay inside. It felt right to us, so we just went with the flow. So, I took takeout into my own hands and the results made me happy we stayed in. These sweet and sour chickpeas had the perfect sticky sauce with the play on sweet and sour flavors I absolutely adore. Faster to cook and put together compared to takeout and just as satisfying in my opinion.

Close up of a spoonful of sweet and sour chickpeas.

Are chickpeas healthy?

Chickpeas are part of the pulse family. Pulses include all beans, lentils and peas. Chickpeas and other pulses are loaded with a host of different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Because of the wide array of nutrients they have, they are often associated with cardiovascular benefit, better blood sugar control and often lead to better satiety. Here are just a few of the nutrients you can find in abundance with chickpeas specifically.

  • Fiber
  • Iron
  • Folate
  • Protein
  • Zinc

Sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl ready to mix together.

How to make sweet and sour chickpeas

  1. Whisk up a corn starch slurry as well as your sweet and sour sauce before you start cooking. Mix these up first to help make this recipe come together quickly.
  2. Make sure to cook your aromatics. Start by cooking your onions until translucent and then layer in your garlic and ginger to add on a lot of flavor on the front end of this recipe.
  3. Follow up with adding veggies and chickpeas and then covering both with your sauce and corn starch slurry.
  4. Allow sauce to simmer and thicken for a few minutes and then serve.

Pan of sweet and sour chickpeas in a pan.

How to become a better bean eater

Interested in the health benefits of beans, but not a bean eater? There are many ways to approach increasing the beans in your diet.

  • Slow and steady. If you don’t eat beans, remember that they are high in fiber. Your gut might not be prepared to handle a large influx of fiber rich foods, which may lead to constipation. Aim to slowly increase in small amounts at your own pace. Start with 1-2 tbsp. Work your way up to 1/4 cup. Wait a few days and see how you feel before progressing closer to a 1/2 cup serving. Everyone is different, so some might be able to work up to that 1/2 cup faster than others. Be patient, and if you are not seeing improvements, definitely schedule a visit with a dietitian to come up with a proper plan of action.
  • Rinse and repeat. Canned beans are nutritious! Feel free to use these especially if you find it easier to get beans in this way. If you are concerned about the sodium, rinse your beans well under running water. This will not only remove a significant amount of sodium, but will also remove some of the starches that often lead to gas.
  • Add them to things you already love. Hate the taste of beans? Think about adding them to dishes you already love. Saute them in your favorite sauces or roast them with your favorite seasonings.
  • Change the texture. If you are not a fan of their texture, then transform them into a texture you prefer. You might like them pureed into a flavorful hummus for dipping or spreading. Or you might prefer them roasted to crispy perfection. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Sweet and sour chickpeas that are being scooped up from a plate.

Tips for making a sweet and sour chickpeas

  • Corn starch slurry. Stir corn starch and water together and make sure that no lumps remain.
  • Use fresh garlic and ginger if possible. Fresh ingredients tend to amp up flavor better. If you do need to use garlic and ginger powder, you can opt for using 1 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp ginger powder to replace the fresh ingredients.
  • Cooling and setting. When you finish cooking your chickpeas, give them a minute or two away from the heat to set. You will notice the more time that passes, the more sauce around the chickpeas will thicken.

Need more chickpea inspiration?

Pan with sweet and sour chickpeas stirred up and ready to serve.

Print
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Sweet and sour chickpeas that are being scooped up from a plate.

Sweet and Sour Chickpeas

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These sweet and sour chickpeas are a quick and easy healthy dinner option that only uses a handful of condiments to make the perfect sauce.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tsp corn starch
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 1 tsp garlic chili sauce
  • 2 tsp vinegar
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 5 mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup broccoli florets

Instructions

  1. In a cup prepare corn starch slurry by whisking together corn starch and water until corn starch is fully dissolved, then set aside.
  2. In a separate cup or bowl add soy sauce, maple syrup, chili garlic sauce, vinegar, ketchup and mustard and whisk together then set aside.
  3. Bring a saute pan up to medium heat.
  4. Add in onion and mushrooms to the pan and saute until onions are softened.
  5. Add in broccoli, garlic and ginger and saute for 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant.
  6. Add in chickpeas, stir together to combine, then add in the sauce you whisked together.
  7. Stir well and then add in corn starch slurry.
  8. Stir and allow to simmer on low until sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
  9. Remove from heat, stir well again and serve as desired.

Notes

  • Feel free to swap out the maple syrup with another liquid sweetener of choice or for equal amounts brown sugar.
  • If you do not have ketchup swap in for 1/2 tbsp tomato paste and a little extra sweetener to taste.
  • You can replace corn starch with regular flour, chickpea flour, or arrow root powder. 

Did You Try This Recipe?
Then let me know what you thought! Share your creations by tagging me on Instagram with the hashtag #plantbasedrdeats

 Catherine

These sweet and sour chickpeas are a quick and easy healthy dinner option that only uses a handful of condiments to make the perfect sauce.
These sweet and sour chickpeas are a quick and easy healthy dinner option that only uses a handful of condiments to make the perfect sauce.

7 Comments

  1. This recipe is such an easy, weeknight meal! After prep, it only took me 10 minutes to cook. The flavors were amazing and paired nicely with a side of brown rice. I will definitely be making this again!






  2. Made this tonight and it was sooooo good! I’ve been oil free, low sodium, low sugar over a year now and Chinese takeout is something completely unpalatable to me now. Thank you so so much for creating this to remind me I can still have everything I loved before and enjoy it even more actually tasting the ingredients. ❤️






    1. Awww! If anything thank you for taking the time to make this and leave such a kind review. Thank you so much Tara and absolutely planning to share some more recipes like this soon. 🙂

  3. This recipe comes together very quickly as mentioned by another commenter. A flavor-packed, healthy, easy meal!






  4. Just reading the ingredients, I know my picky daughter will like this. I appreciated your “better bean eater” advice. I know many people fear repercussions from beans. I’m the exact opposite. For 20 years, I have had beans at least 5 times a week and since becoming vegan more often than that. I just eat a larger variety.






    1. Makes me so happy to know that the information was super helpful. I find beans are often misunderstood and hoping that more people can find value in them. Hope you and your daughter love this recipe and thank you so much for the kind message Donna. 🙂

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