This sesame chickpeas and broccoli stir fry turns humble ingredients into a ridiculously tasty, saucy dinner that’s nutritious, satisfying, and ready in about 30 minutes.
For more quick Asian-inspired dinners, try our Tofu Stir Fry, Yaki Udon, or Vegetable Fried Rice.
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Why you’ll love this Sesame Chickpeas and Broccoli!
Let’s be honest: broccoli and chickpeas are not exactly the ingredients that make you race into the kitchen. 😂 But char that broccoli, add plenty of garlic and ginger, then toss the whole thing in a glossy, savory-sweet sesame sauce and…well…things get interesting very quickly.
Louise and I absolutely demolished this the first time we made it. The sauce does some serious heavy lifting here: salty, sweet, gingery, garlicky, loaded with umami, and importantly, there’s PLENTY of it. No sad, dry chickpeas on our watch. 😋
And somehow, underneath all that takeout-style deliciousness, you’ve got a nutritious, fiber-rich dinner packed with broccoli and plant-based protein. Not bad for two ingredients that started out with very little going for them.
Pile this sesame chickpeas and broccoli stir fry over fluffy rice or serve it with udon, yakisoba, or whatever noodles are lurking in the pantry. 🍜 Dangerously easy. Ridiculously tasty. Weeknight dinner sorted.
P.S. Make it a full meal with our Asian Cucumber Salad, Asian Cabbage Salad, or Soba Noodle Salad on the side.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Broccoli: fresh florets get beautifully charred while staying tender-crisp. Substitute broccolini, cauliflower, green beans, or snap peas.
- Chickpeas: hearty, affordable, and perfect for soaking up the sauce. They make this easy chickpea dinner surprisingly satisfying. Substitute white beans or shelled edamame.
- Cooking oil: olive, avocado, or another neutral cooking oil works well for high-heat stir-frying.
- Garlic: adds plenty of savory flavor. If garlic bothers you, leave it out and add extra ginger, scallions, or garlic-infused olive oil.
- Ginger: fresh ginger gives the sauce its signature warmth. Substitute ginger paste in a pinch.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: provides the salty, umami backbone. Use tamari for gluten-free or coconut aminos for a milder option.
- Maple syrup or honey: balances the savory sauce with gentle sweetness. Brown sugar works too.
- Rice vinegar: adds brightness. Substitute apple cider vinegar or lime juice.
- Toasted sesame oil: gives these sticky sesame chickpeas their deep, nutty flavor. A little goes a long way.
- Cornstarch: thickens the sauce so it clings beautifully. Arrowroot starch works too.
- Sriracha: optional for heat. Try chili garlic sauce or red pepper flakes.
- Scallions and sesame seeds: add freshness and crunch to this broccoli chickpea stir fry. Cilantro or chopped peanuts are delicious alternatives.
How to Make Sesame Chickpeas and Broccoli Stir Fry
1. Prep the ingredients and sauce
If your rice isn’t cooked yet, start cooking it now so it’s ready when the stir fry is done.
Cut the broccoli into small, roughly even florets so they cook at the same rate. Drain and rinse the chickpeas well.
Finely grate or mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Slice the scallions and set them aside for serving.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, maple syrup or honey, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, cornstarch, and sriracha until smooth.
2. Cook the broccoli
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the broccoli and season with a pinch of salt and a few good grinds of black pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring a few times, until bright green with lightly charred edges.
Add the water, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the broccoli is tender-crisp.
3. Add the chickpeas
Remove the lid and let any remaining water cook off.
Add the chickpeas and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot and lightly browned in spots.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring often, until fragrant.
4. Add the sauce and serve
Give the sauce another good whisk—the cornstarch will settle at the bottom—then pour it into the skillet.
Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing often, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
If it gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of water. Finish with scallions and sesame seeds, then serve hot over rice or noodles.
Serving Suggestions
- Make it a complete dinner: Serve over steamed jasmine or brown rice. The rice soaks up that generous sesame sauce beautifully.
- Serve it with noodles: Toss with udon, yakisoba, ramen, or rice noodles for an easy alternative to rice.
- Add more protein: Top with baked or pan-fried tofu, edamame, a fried egg, or shredded rotisserie chicken for those who eat meat.
- Turn it into meal prep: Divide the stir fry and rice into containers for easy grab-and-go lunches. Keep a little extra sauce handy to loosen everything after reheating.
- Make it stretch: Add extra broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, carrots, or mushrooms when you need to feed a few more people.
- Add something crunchy: Finish with roasted peanuts or cashews, extra sesame seeds, or crispy fried onions just before serving.
Tips
- Prep everything before you start: Stir fries cook fast. Cut the broccoli, drain the chickpeas, grate the garlic and ginger, and whisk the sauce before heating the skillet.
- Use a large, hot skillet: Give the broccoli enough room to make contact with the pan so it chars instead of steaming.
- Don’t stir constantly: Let the broccoli sit against the hot skillet for a bit between stirs. That’s how you get those tasty browned edges.
- Keep the broccoli tender-crisp: The quick splash of water and covered cooking finishes the inside without making the florets soft or soggy.
- Whisk the sauce again before pouring: Cornstarch quickly settles at the bottom of the bowl. A final whisk gives you a smooth, evenly thickened sauce.
- Watch the sauce once it hits the skillet: Cornstarch thickens quickly. As soon as the sauce is glossy and coats everything, you’re done. Add a splash of water if it becomes too thick.
- Cook your rice or noodles first: The stir fry itself is fast, so have whatever you’re serving it with ready before you start cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Let it thaw first and pat it dry as well as you can. Frozen broccoli contains more moisture, so it won’t char quite as well as fresh, but it still works.
Bell peppers, snap peas, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, and cauliflower are all good choices. Keep the total amount of vegetables similar so there’s enough sauce to coat everything.
Yes. This is a great 30 minute vegetarian dinner to prepare ahead for busy days. Cook the stir fry as directed, refrigerate it, then gently reheat it with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Try udon, yakisoba, ramen, rice noodles, quinoa, or even cauliflower rice. Chickpea stir fry with rice is our go-to, but the generous sauce makes it especially good with noodles too.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
You can also freeze it for up to 2 months, although the broccoli will be softer after thawing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More easy chickpea dinners
- Chickpea Curry
- Chickpea Stew
- Greek Yogurt Chickpea Curry
- Moroccan Chickpea Stew
- Vegetable Curry
- Spinach Stew
- Curry Chickpea Salad
- Chickpea Salad
If you try this Sesame Chickpeas and Broccoli Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Sesame Chickpeas and Broccoli Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cups broccoli florets about 1 large head
- 2 cans chickpeas 15 oz / 400 g can – drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Sesame Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce reduced-sodium
- ¼ cup water
- 1½ tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1½ tablespoons vinegar rice or apple cider
- 1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce sriracha or chili sauce, optional
- 3 cups cooked rice or serve with your favorite noodles
Instructions
- Prep: If your rice isn’t cooked, start it now.Prepare 5 cups broccoli florets. Drain and rinse 2 cans chickpeas. Grate 2 cloves garlic and 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, and slice 2 scallions.In a small bowl, whisk ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup water, 1½ tablespoons maple syrup, 1½ tablespoons vinegar, 1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 2 teaspoons hot sauce until smooth.
- Cook the broccoli: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.Add the broccoli, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring a few times, until bright green and lightly browned.Add the water, cover with a lid, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the broccoli is tender but still has a little bite.
- Add the chickpeas: Remove the lid and let any water cook off.Add the chickpeas and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds, stirring often.
- Add the sauce: Whisk the sauce again, then pour it into the skillet.Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring and tossing until the sauce is thick and glossy and coats the broccoli and chickpeas.If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water. Top with scallions and sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.
Notes
- Broccoli → Broccolini, cauliflower, green beans, or snap peas.
- Chickpeas → White beans or shelled edamame.
- Cooking oil → Olive oil, avocado oil, or another neutral cooking oil.
- Garlic → Extra ginger, scallions, or garlic-infused olive oil.
- Fresh ginger → Ginger paste.
- Low-sodium soy sauce → Tamari or coconut aminos.
- Maple syrup or honey → Brown sugar.
- Rice vinegar → Apple cider vinegar or lime juice.
- Toasted sesame oil → No substitution listed.
- Cornstarch → Arrowroot starch.
- Sriracha → Chili garlic sauce or red pepper flakes.
- Scallions and sesame seeds → Cilantro or chopped peanuts.
- Prep first: Stir fries cook fast, so have everything ready before heating the skillet.
- Use a large, hot skillet: Give the broccoli room to char instead of steam.
- Don’t over-stir: Let the broccoli sit against the pan to develop browned edges.
- Keep it tender-crisp: A quick covered steam cooks the broccoli without making it soggy.
- Whisk the sauce again: Cornstarch settles, so whisk just before adding it.
- Watch the sauce: Stop when glossy and thickened; loosen with water if needed.
- Cook rice or noodles first: Have them ready before starting the stir fry.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and reheat with a splash of water.
Nutrition
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