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Sticky-sweet-spicy Mongolian chickpeas is a one-pot meal that’s super versatile. Try this delicious sauce with different plant-based proteins and dish it up over rice or quinoa. It makes great lettuce wraps, too!
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This is a super quick, one-pot meal with that same, delicious Mongolian sauce that is often used to make Mongolian beef or chicken. Here, I’ve made a vegan version using chickpeas.
This sauce is often paired with crisp battered chicken in Chinese and Asian restaurants. It’s of Chinese-American origin and is popular for its sticky sweet spicy ginger pepper flakes flavor profile.
You can use addictive Mongolian sauce in so many ways! If Mongolian chickpeas aren’t for you, feel free to change it up to your vegan protein of choice. The sweet sauce goes amazingly well with literally anything. You can make this with crispy tofu, soy curls, seitan, or vegan chicken, if you prefer.
It’s just a fabulous sauce to use everywhere you like!
Why You’ll Love Mongolian Chickpeas
- quick and easy one-pot meal ready in a half hour
- addictive sweet-sticky-spicy sauce
- versatile! Use your plant-based protein of choice like crispy tofu, vegan chicken, or seitan.
- naturally nut-free and gluten-free
More Delicious Stir Fries
- Sweet and Sour Tofu Veggie Stir Fry
- Sticky Ginger Sesame Tofu Stir Fry
- Gochujang Tofu Stir Fry
- Sesame Shallot Soy Curl Stir Fry
Mongolian Chickpeas
Ingredients
For the Mongolian Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, or use tamari for gluten-free
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, or use sweet soy sauce or hoisin sauce ( Use gluten-free versions, if needed.)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
For the Stir Fry
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 cloves garlic,, minced
- 1/2" piece of ginger, minced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced or chopped into 1/2 inch petals. Or use a mix of 1/2 green, 1/2 red for more color!
- 1 cup small chopped broccoli, or more, if you like
- 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained, or 1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas, or use any other beans or crisped up tofu
- 3 or 4 green onions, chopped. Keep some of the green portions for garnish, and chop the rest of the green onion into 1” pieces.
- sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
Make the sauce.
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to a bowl, mix really well, and set aside.
Make the Mongolian chickpea stir fry.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the ginger and garlic and cook for a minute or so, or until the garlic is turning golden.
- Then, add in the peppers, broccoli, and a pinch of salt. Mix well, cover the pan, and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until broccoli is bright green. At this point you can remove the broccoli to add back later, so that it doesn’t overcook, or continue with the broccoli in the pan.
- Add the mixed sauce to the pan along with the chickpeas. Mix in, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to bring it to a boil. The sauce will thicken at this point.
- Simmer for another minute or so, then add in the green onion and fold in the broccoli again, if you removed it. Switch off heat, then taste and adjust flavor by adding a pinch of salt or a few drops of vinegar while still hot, if you like, and mix in.
- Garnish with some sesame seeds and serve over rice or quinoa. Or you can make lettuce wraps!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- soy sauce – For salty, umami flavor. You can use tamari for gluten-free.
- dark soy sauce – Has a stronger flavor than regular soy sauce. Use a gluten-free version, if needed. Or use hoisin sauce
- red pepper flakes – Adds a little heat to the sauce.
- brown sugar – Helps the sauce get sticky sweet!
- cornstarch – To thicken the sauce. You can use other starches instead, like potato starch or tapioca starch.
- oil – To stir fry.
- aromatics – Garlic, ginger, and green onion give the Mongolian chickpeas such an amazing flavor!
- bell pepper and broccoli – Adds texture, flavor, and veggies!
- chickpeas – This is your protein. You can make this with other plant-based proteins, like soy curls, crisped-up tofu, seitan, etc, if you prefer.
- sesame seeds – For garnish and even more protein!
Tips
- If you like your broccoli tender crisp rather than soft, remove it from the pan before adding the sauce. If you don’t mind softer broccoli, you can leave it in the pan.
- Adding a little vinegar at the very end of cooking can bring out the other flavors, if needed. If you taste and feel like something is missing, add a few drops of vinegar!
How to Make Mongolian Chickpeas
Make the sauce by adding all of the sauce ingredients to a bowl, mixing really well, and setting aside.
Now, make the Mongolian chickpea stir fry.
Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the ginger and garlic and cook for a minute or so, or until the garlic is turning golden.
Then, add in the peppers, broccoli, and a pinch of salt. Mix well, cover the pan, and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until broccoli is bright green. At this point you can remove the broccoli to add back later, so that it doesn’t overcook, or continue with the broccoli in the pan.
Add the mixed sauce to the pan along with the chickpeas. Mix in, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to bring it to a boil. The sauce will thicken at this point.
Simmer for another minute or so, then add in the green onion and fold in the broccoli again, if you removed it. Switch off heat, then taste and adjust flavor by adding a pinch of salt or a few drops of vinegar, if you like, and mix in.
Garnish with some sesame seeds, green onion and serve over rice or quinoa. Or you can make lettuce wraps!
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is naturally nut-free and gluten-free with tamari instead of soy sauce.
yes use cooked beans or tofu or seitan or soy curls or vegan chicken, beef.
Use Tofu: toss pressed and cubed or torn into bite size pieces – extra firm tofu in a tablespoon cornstarch , then crisp on skillet or bake for 20 minutes. Then add it in with the sauce instead of chickpeas.
Use soycurls: Soak 4 oz soycurls in hot broth for 15 mins, drain and squeeze lightly. Then crisp up on the skillet with a tsp of oil. Then add to sauce instead of chickpeas.
I have made this numerous times. It’s delicious!
Awesome!!
Delicious and quick. It was done before the basmati rice was ready.
Awesome!
This was even a better than the some of its parts. It made a quick, easy and delicious lunch. Thank you for the recipe
Awesome!!
Looks delicious!
What type of vinegar do you recommend?
This recipe doesn’t have vinegar. The type of vinegar I use depends on the recipe or what you want to use it for.
Great flavor, came together super fast, and made for great lunches for the week 🙂
Yay!!
I really likes this with quinoa. Was a quick dinner and I was able to find everything I needed quickly.
Awesome! So happy you liked it.
I am delighted that I chose to make chickpea meatballs for this recipe. They were a nice addition that went well with the broccoli, peppers, carrots and mushrooms. It was so delicious with a side of brown rice, and the perfect amount of heat in the sauce. My husband went back for seconds, the greatest compliment. #richaveganuary2025
So good to hear!
This came together really quickly using frozen pre-chopped veggies and it’s a fun non-traditional way to use chickpeas. The tasty sauce is easy enough to become a go-to for ‘lazy stiry-fry’ days. Thanks!
Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
This was great and easy to make as well! Thanks!
Awesome!
I made this as written with chickpeas but with two changes. I added 6 sliced mushrooms with the broccoli and I halved the chili flakes because my husband doesn’t like too much spice. We liked this a lot. Although I would’ve preferred it with the full amount of chili flakes, even halved there was still enough chili flavor to make it interesting. Great simple recipe!
Yay! Sounds delicious!
Excellent and easy
Awesome!