Vegan Sweet and Sour Chickpeas

These sweet and sour chickpeas are super flavorful yet much healthier than Chinese takeout ! It is also super easy to make & is ready under 30 mins.

One of my childhood favourite dish is sweet and sour chicken. We will always order sweet and sour chicken as one of our main dishes when dining at Chinese restaurants. ( Me and my family are creature of habits, we will literally order the same dishes over and over again 🙂 )

Healthier version of Chinese takeout

In this recipe, chickpeas are used in place of chicken to veganise the recipe . I found that chickpeas work really well as a meat substitute ! Unlike store bought vegan chicken pieces or other fake meat products, chickpeas are loaded with tons of vitamins and minerals ( plus the fibre ! ) Of course there is nothing wrong with having fake meat products, but if you are looking for a more wholesome meal, this recipe is perfect ! If you are interested in knowing more about the health benefits of chickpeas, check out this great blog post by Healthline .

🍅 What you will need

• You can substitute the tomato paste with tomato sauce. Less sweetener will be needed.
• Both canned chickpeas or chickpeas cooked from scratch works well here.
• Feel free to substitute the veggies used here for any veggies you have on hand. Some veggies that works well in this recipe are zucchini, different types of bell pepper and broccoli.
• You will also need a good non-stick pan for this stir-fry. If you do not have one, I recommend getting this Cuisinart non-stick pan .

🍽 How to serve

The most basic and traditional way is to serve them up with some fluffy white rice. Or if you are looking for a healthier variation, feel free to use brown rice, quinoa or any other kinds of whole grain.

Looking to make this meal lower in carbohydrates ? No problem ! Pair this dish with some cauliflower rice or riced broccoli .

Or if you fancy making them special, try pairing them with some noodles. I can imagine them being paired up with some lightly seasoned rice noodles...

More vegan dinner recipes

• Simple Tomato Sauce Pasta
• Peanut Butter Roasted Chickpeas
• Vegan Egg Fried Rice

📖 Recipe

Vegan Sweet And Sour Chickpeas

meesha

These sweet and sour chickpeas are super flavorful yet much healthier than Chinese takeout ! It is also super easy to make & is ready under 30 mins.

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 2 servings

Calories 335 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the sauce

• 1 medjool dates *
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon corn starch
• ¾ cup water
• salt to taste

Veggies and chickpeas

• 1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained ( or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas )
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small red onion, diced
• ½ red pepper, diced
• ½ cup diced pineapple
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce ( sub for tamari if gluten-free )

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, combine the chickpeas and soy sauce . Coat well. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes.
• Place all ingredients needed for the sauce in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Heat up some oil in a medium pan. Add in the garlic and red onion. Stir-fry it for a few minutes or until the onion is translucent.
• Add in the rest of the veggies. Stir-fry for another 5 minutes.
• Pour in the sauce that was premade.
• Add in the veggies and the chickpeas to the sauce.
• Bring it to a boil and cover it. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens up. Add more seasonings, if needed.
• Serve it with some rice on the side !

Notes

* You can use 1 tablespoon of other sweeteners in place of the dates ( maple syrup, coconut sugar etc ).

** If you are cooking chickpeas from scratch, sprinkle a pinch of salt on the chickpeas immediately after you cooked them. This will boost the flavour of chickpeas.

This recipe can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

 

Keyword Asian, chickpeas, high protein