Teriyaki Chickpeas is a quick and easy recipe that can be made in 10 minutes! A healthy vegan version of teriyaki chicken with all the same salty, sweet, tangy, and umami flavors of your favorite takeout! This one-pan meal is also gluten-free, allergy-free, and completely plant-based! It's great for a weeknight dinner or meal prep for lunch!
Salty, sweet, tangy, umami...everyone loves that distinctive teriyaki flavor! A classic Japanese takeout dish, but this time we're swapping the chicken for chickpeas! Vegan teriyaki chicken perfected with the use of chickpeas and made with a flavor-packed sticky sauce without soy! Why sacrifice this delicious Asian dish when, with just a few swaps, you can make it healthier, allergy-free, and 100% plant-based?
What Exactly Is Teriyaki?
Teriyaki is the term used for a specific style of Japense cooking that includes grilling or broiling with a sweet and savory umami sauce made of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar (i.e. "Glossy Broil". Nowadays, you'll also find the technique used in other Asian cuisines such as Chinese, Indonesian, and Thai. The sauce is used to marinate the meat, typically chicken, duck, or fish, before it is cooked. In America, we've taken the essence of the sauce and used it at will, not always with the specific cooking technique.
Why You'll Love This Vegan Recipe
Obviously, this recipe is meatless and vegetarian, but we're not subbing in gross mock meat or soy, like tofu. We're using everyone's favorite meaty legume, the chickpea! Since this blog is allergy-free, meaning no soy, the teriyaki sauce is made without soy sauce and uses coconut amino instead. If you'd like to make a large batch of teriyaki sauce, you can follow my recipe for homemade soy-free teriyaki sauce here! This recipe for teriyaki chickpeas is:
- Gluten-Free
- Vegan & Vegetarian
- Allergy-free (Dairy-Free,Β Soy-Free,Β Egg-Free,Β Nut-Free,Β Peanut-Free,Β Wheat-Free,Β Sesame-Free,Β Corn-Free)
- Grain-Free
- Healthy & Budget-Friendly
- Packed with 100% Plant-Based Protein
- Quick & Easy Lunch or Dinner
- Great for Meal Prep & Leftovers
Ingredients For Vegan Teriyaki Chicken
- Chickpeas: A can ofΒ chickpeas, drained and rinsed. Chickpeas are the best hearty bean to stand up to this sticky teriyaki sauce without becoming mushy.
- Starch:Β You can coat the chickpeas with cornstarch orΒ arrowroot starch, which is grain-free. This helps the sauce thicken and cling to the chickpeas.
- Black Pepper + Salt: Season the starch with a bit of black pepper and a pinch of salt. I prefer to use extra salt due to the saltiness of the coconut aminos.
- Coconut Aminos:Β Coconut aminos are the equivalent of a soy-free, gluten-free soy sauce! It has the distinct salty umami flavor you love without the allergens. It is slightly less salty than real soy sauce, so you can factor that in when choosing to season with extra salt.
- Pineapple Juice: I love the natural sweetness and tanginess of using pineapple juice when making teriyaki sauce. I love the fruity notes it adds and the natural sweet/sour stickiness.
- Rice Vinegar: For some acidity to break up the sweetness, a splash of rice vinegar is added to the sauce.
- Sugars: A small amount of brown sugar and granulated sugar is used in the sauce. I choose to use sugar-free brown sugar and sugar-free granulated sugar. These help bring the sweetness level up a notch since 100% pineapple isn't 100% sweet.
- Chili Paste + Garlic + Ginger: For some heat, we're using chili paste (or sriracha), minced garlic is a must for flavor, and ground ginger for warmth and spice.
- Broccoli + Scallions: You might as well throw in some veggies for good measure, and broccoli is ideal since it soaks up all the flavors of the sauce in the soft crown as it stir-fries. Scallions are used as a garnish at the end before serving since teriyaki doesn't contain onion directly.
Ingredient Substitutions And Add-Ins
- Add More Veggies: You can add more veggies or swap out the broccoli for options like bell peppers, snow peas, water chestnuts, cauliflower, bok choy, carrots, mushrooms, etc.
- Other Sweeteners: You can swap the brown and granulated sugars for vegan honey, brown rice syrup, or maple syrup.
- Make-Ahead Teriyaki Sauce: If you already have homemade teriyaki sauce, you can use Β½ cup and 2 tablespoons of the sauce instead of measuring out all the portioned ingredients here.
- Spiciness: If you want a spicier teriyaki, feel free to add more chili paste. Seasonings can all be adjusted to your flavor preferences!
How To Make Teriyaki Chickpeas
- Toss your drained and rinsed chickpeas with the starch, black pepper, and pinch of salt.
- Mix together the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a small bowl until everything is fully combined.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan before adding the coated chickpeas and broccoli (or other veggies you choose to include). Saute for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
- Now, pour in the bowl of teriyaki sauce and stir to combine. Turn the heat down to a simmer and allow the mixture to thicken until it becomes sticky and easily clings to the chickpeas and veggies, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and serve the teriyaki chickpeas with chopped scallions, sesame seeds, and white rice, if desired.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- The sauce thickens even more as it cools. If you want a looser sauce, add an extra tablespoon of both coconut aminos and pineapple juice. If you feel the sauce isn't thick enough (99.5% chance this will not happen), continue to stir fry over low heat until the sauce becomes syrupy.
- If you choose to add more veggies, you may need to add an extra tablespoon of oil when you initially saute the veggies and chickpeas so nothing gets stuck and burns to the pan.
- Taste and adjust any seasonings to the sauce before adding it to the pan.
- You can easily make a larger batch of this recipe by doubling or tripling the ingredients and following the same directions.
What To Serve Teriyaki Chickpeas With
Keep it classic and simple with a side of white rice and garnished with fresh chopped scallions. A sprinkle of sesame seeds is delicious if you don't need the dish to be sesame-free! You can also serve these chickpeas with vegetable fried rice, pineapple fried rice, sriracha quinoa, low-carb cauliflower rice, steamed veggies, or a scoop of gluten-free scallion noodles!
How To Store Leftovers
Store leftovers or make-ahead meal prep by allowing the teriyaki chickpeas to cool to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container and storingΒ in the fridge for 5-7 days.Β You can freeze the chickpeas by adding them to a freezer-safe bag and laying the bag flat in the freezer until solid (this makes it easier to store and move around the freezer. Use within 5-6 months for best quality. When you're ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge.
How To Reheat
Toss leftover chickpeas into aΒ pan on the stove over low heat to warm them back up! Add a tablespoon each of coconut aminos and pineapple juice, if needed, to loosen up the sauce. You can also heat individual servings in the microwave for a minute or two. We all know that takeout makes the best leftoversΒ since the flavors have more time to develop!
More Vegan Takeout Recipes:
- Vegan Sweet and Sour Chickpeas
- Vegan Orange Chicken (Orange Chickpeas)
- Vegan Butter Chicken (Indian Butter Chickpeas)
- Vegan General Tso's Chickpeas
- Easy Vegan Pad Thai
- 10-Minute Vegetable Lo Mein
- Cold Sesame Peanut Noodles
Teriyaki Chickpeas
Teriyaki Chickpeas is a quick and easy recipe that can be made in 10 minutes! A healthy vegan version of teriyaki chicken with all the same salty, sweet, tangy, and umami flavors of your favorite takeout! This one-pan meal is also gluten-free, allergy-free, and completely plant-based! It's great for a weeknight dinner or meal prep for lunch!
- Prep Time: 2 Minutes
- Cook Time: 8 Minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 Servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stove-Top
- Cuisine: Japanese, Asian
Ingredients
- 1Β 15 oz CanΒ ChickpeasΒ (aboutΒ 2 CupsΒ Cooked)
- 1Β TBΒ ArrowrootΒ orΒ Cornstarch
- ΒΌ TspΒ Black Pepper
- 1 TB Neutral Oil
- ΒΎ Cup Chopped Broccoli
- Chopped Scallions (optional, to garnish)
- Sesame Seeds (optional, to garnish)
Teriyaki Sauce
- ΒΌ CupΒ Coconut Aminos
- ΒΌ CupΒ 100% Pineapple Juice
- 1 TBΒ Rice Vinegar
- 1 TspΒ Minced Garlic
- 1 Tsp Dark Brown Sugar (or Sugar-Free Brown Sugar)
- Β½ TspΒ Granulated SugarΒ (or sugar-freeΒ granulated sweetener)
- Β½ to 1 TspΒ Chili Paste
- ΒΌ Tsp Ground Ginger
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas before tossing them in the starch and black pepper to coat.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large wokΒ orΒ saute pan over medium-high heat before adding the coated chickpeas and chopped broccoli. Saute for about 3 minutes on low heat, until the broccoli is slightly softened.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together the teriyaki sauce ingredients, including the coconut aminos, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, both sugars, chili paste, and ginger, until uniformly combined.
- Β Add the sauce to the saute pan on the stove with the chickpeas and broccoli and stir to combine.
- Keep the heat at a simmer and allow the mixture to thicken until it becomes sticky and syrupy, easily clinging to the chickpeas and veggies, about 3-5 minutes.
- Once the sauce has thickened, remove the pan from the heat and serve. Serve with white rice and top with chopped scallions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes
- The sauce thickens even more as it cools. If you want a looser sauce, add an extra tablespoon of both coconut aminos and pineapple juice. If you feel the sauce isn't thick enough (99.5% chance this will not happen), continue to stir fry over low heat until the sauce becomes syrupy.
- To make this recipe using already prepped soy-free teriyaki sauce, replace the sauce ingredients with Β½ cup and 2 tablespoons of homemade teriyaki sauce.
- Leftovers: Allow the chickpeas to cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.
- Freeze: Add the chickpeas to a freezer-safe bag and lay the bag flat in the freezer until solid. Best if used within 5-6 months, just thaw them overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat: Toss leftover teriyaki chickpeas into a pan on the stove over low heat to warm them back up! Add a tablespoon each of coconut aminos and pineapple juice,Β to get the sauce moving again. You can also add leftovers to a bowl and microwave for a minute or two for a quick and easy heating solution.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
Such a great quick and easy meatless recipe to make and eat on repeat! These teriyaki chickpeas will be a staple in your lunch and dinner rotation now!
So tell me:
+ Do you make your teriyaki sauce with pineapple juice?
βββββββββββββββ-
Stay connected: Facebook:Β Strength and Sunshine Twitter:Β @RebeccaGF666 Instagram:Β @rebeccagf666 Pinterest:Β RebeccaGF666 TikTok:Β @strengthandsunshine
Natasha Mairs
I am a big chickpea fan, so I am going to have to try this out. Love that it is also vegan
Rebecca Pytell
Great plant-based protein!
Joanne
This looks absolutely amazing!
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!
Pam
That looks truly delicious. I love teriyaki, and this looks so unique.
Rebecca Pytell
Great flavors!
Michael
I discovered terriyaki on my first trip to Hawaii, and it was love at first bite. Interestingly, when I visited Japan (I spent six months there), I was surprised that nobody had heard of it. Apparently, it was a regional dish and wasn't popular in the town I stayed in. Anyway, this recipe sounds delicious, and I love your pix! I'll have to try making it!
Rebecca Pytell
Hope you enjoy!
Elvira
Thank you for sharing! I must try this recipe!
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!
Kelly F.
This sounds delicious, even if I'm not a huge chickpea fan π
Rebecca Pytell
You will be now