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Vegan Sticky Sesame Chickpea Recipe

4.8 from 99 reviews

This Vegan Sticky Sesame Chickpea recipe features tender chickpeas coated in a luscious, sweet, and savory sticky sesame sauce. Combining toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, tamari, garlic, and a hint of ginger, it’s a quick and flavorful plant-based dish perfect for a healthy meal. Ready in under 30 minutes, it pairs well with steamed rice, quinoa, or broccoli for a satisfying vegan dinner option.

Ingredients

Scale

Chickpea Mixture

  • 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil

Sauce

  • 1½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • ⅓ cup tamari or soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • ⅓ tsp ground ginger
  • 4 tbsp vegetable broth or water, divided
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot powder

Instructions

  1. Prepare chickpeas and garlic: Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly, then set aside. Mince the garlic cloves to prepare for sautéing.
  2. Sauté garlic: Heat the avocado or olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and add the minced garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the garlic releases a strong fragrance, making sure not to burn it.
  3. Make arrowroot slurry: In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth or water. Stir well until there are no lumps and set this mixture aside.
  4. Combine sauce ingredients: To the sauté pan with garlic, add the tamari, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, rice vinegar, ground ginger, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth. Whisk together thoroughly to blend the flavors.
  5. Add arrowroot mixture: Pour the arrowroot slurry into the pan and stir constantly. Wait for bubbles to form as the sauce begins to thicken.
  6. Coat chickpeas: Add the rinsed chickpeas to the pan and stir well to coat them evenly with the sticky sauce.
  7. Simmer and thicken sauce: Lower the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce becomes thick and sticky, clinging to the chickpeas.
  8. Rest the chickpeas: Remove the pan from heat and let the chickpeas sit for a few minutes to absorb the flavors fully.
  9. Serve: Enjoy warm, paired with steamed rice, quinoa, or broccoli for a wholesome vegan meal.

Notes

  • Use tamari for a gluten-free option; otherwise, soy sauce works fine.
  • Arrowroot powder can be substituted with cornstarch if unavailable, but arrowroot offers a clearer, shinier sauce.
  • Toast your sesame oil in advance for a deeper, nuttier flavor.
  • For added texture and nutrition, consider sprinkling with toasted sesame seeds or chopped green onions before serving.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.

Keywords: vegan chickpea recipe, sticky sesame chickpeas, plant-based dinner, quick vegan meal, gluten-free vegan sauce