General Tso's Chickpeas | Vegan General Tso's Recipe (2024)

By Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan 45 Comments

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Long time no post but I’m finally back with these amazing General Tso’s chickpeas! I’m quite afraid that’s starting to be a theme. I probably mentioned in the past that I work for a startup company right now. With most startups there comes a point where either A) the company goes down in flames or B) the company starts to grow rapidly and things get really really crazy. I’m happy and grateful that we are thankfully experiencing item B right now.

General Tso's Chickpeas | Vegan General Tso's Recipe (1)

{get the pin}

Of course, that means that I’m busy busy busy (in a good way!). The past week or so hit especially hard and I didn’t find much time to cook and photograph food for the blog. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: all of my respect goes out to the parents of the world because I could not imagine how much of a balancing act it is when children are in the mix. Anyway, I’m back now and hopefully can get back to my regular posting rate.

General Tso's Chickpeas | Vegan General Tso's Recipe (2)

This recipe for General Tso’s chickpeas is pretty appropriate for the whole ‘time crunch’ thing, especially if you choose to use canned chickpeas. The prep work comes together in a snap and the cook time is under 10 minutes too. I was searching for ‘authentic General Tso’s recipes’ when I learned what I probably should have already realized: General Tso’s is really an American/Canadian dish that emerged in Chinese restaurants here. It’s generally some kind of protein that’s battered and deep-fried, and served with a sweet sauce that has a bit of a kick.

I skipped the deep frying and instead lightly stir-fried the chickpeas along with the vegetables that I added. And I also took some liberty with the sauce recipe to make it more salty, spicy and savory, and less sweet (restaurant versions can be very over-the-top in that regard). I’m happy to eat the General Tso’s chickpeas and veggies on their own as a complete meal, but this can also be served over rice. Enjoy!

General Tso’s Chickpeas

A simple and filling stir-fry of General Tso's chickpeas, a vegetarian and vegan version of the classic Chinese-American restaurant dish. Gluten-free optional.

Course Asian, Main Course

Cuisine gluten-free, vegan

Keyword general tso's chickpeas

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 3 servings

Calories 253kcal

Author Yup, it's Vegan

Ingredients

For marinating the chickpeas:

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for GF)
  • 1 tbsp mirin (or dry sherry)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (equal to 1 15-oz. can), rinsed and drained

For the General Tso's sauce:

  • 6 tbsp low-sodium vegetable broth (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp)
  • 1 and 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 tbsp natural peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari for GF)
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 4 tsp coconut sugar (or other sugar)
  • 2 tsp sriracha or other chili sauce
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tsp prepared mustard (grainier and nuttier mustards are better; if using the bright yellow mustard, reduce to 1/2 tsp)
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper or white pepper

For the General Tso's chickpeas stir-fry:

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil (I used sunflower seed oil)
  • 1/4 of a large onion (or 1 shallot), thinly sliced
  • 1 large broccoli crown , cut into florets
  • 1 red bell pepper , cut into thin strips
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • General Tso's sauce (above)
  • marinated chickpeas (above)
  • (optional) green onions, sesame seeds, and fresh red onion, for serving
  • (optional) cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

For marinating the chickpeas:

  • Stir together the soy sauce and mirin in a bowl and add the chickpeas. Let sit for 10 minutes (I do this first and let them marinate while I prepare the sauce and veggies).

For the sauce:

  • Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.

For the stir-fry:

  • If you plan to garnish your dish with extra diced red onion, put the amount you want for garnish in a small bowl with cold water now. This will help to mellow out its flavor.

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, stirring continuously.

  • Continuing to stir, add the broccoli, bell pepper strips, ginger, and garlic.

  • Stir in the General Tso's sauce. Drain the chickpeas and stir them in too. Cook for 1-2 more minutes, continuing to stir frequently, or until the mixture is hot throughout and the sauce has coated the chickpeas and vegetables. Add more soy sauce or chili sauce to taste.

  • Serve over rice if desired; garnish as desired with green onions, sesame seeds, and drained soaked red onion from above.

Notes

If your pan is large enough, you can keep the vegetables and chickpeas separate by pushing the vegetables to one side of the pan before you add the chickpeas. But I mostly just did that for presentation 🙂

For this recipe, it's important to do all of the prep work before you start cooking anything because you need to be stirring the whole time.

In a pinch, you can use rice vinegar instead of mirin or sherry.

Nutrition facts exclude rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1third recipe | Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1850IU | Vitamin C: 129.5mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2.5mg

General Tso's Chickpeas | Vegan General Tso's Recipe (4)

Sources consulted: General Tso’s Chicken; Kung Pao Chicken with Broccoli; Kung Pao Chickpeas

Enjoy these General Tso’s Chickpeas? Try some of my other super-easy Asian-inspired recipes:

General Tso's Chickpeas | Vegan General Tso's Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you forgot to soak chickpeas overnight? ›

Cover the lid with a heavy object and seal in the chole and water as quickly as possible. Let it be for 10-15 minutes depending on the quantity of your legumes and take the lid off once the water has cooled down. What you have in front of you is fully soaked and soft chana which is ready to be used!

How to make chickpeas fast? ›

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with water by a good few inches then leave them overnight (8 to 24 hours). Quick soaking method. This takes only 1 hour before cooking. Put the chickpeas in a large pot and cover them with plenty of water, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.

Can I cook dried chickpeas without soaking? ›

Dried chickpeas — also known as garbanzo beans — can be cooked without presoaking in anywhere from 40 minutes to eight hours, depending on the method that best suits your needs. However, cooking garbanzo beans without soaking first can increase risk of digestive side effects including gas and bloating.

How do I cook canned chickpeas? ›

One way you can cook canned chickpeas is on the stovetop. First, drain the chickpeas in a strainer and rinse them off with cool water. Pour the chickpeas into a large pan so they're in a single layer, then fill the pan with enough water to just cover the chickpeas. Heat the chickpeas over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Is soaking chickpeas for 2 hours enough? ›

Allow to soak overnight, or about 12 hours. A teaspoon of baking soda can be added to aid with the soaking process, but plain water for 12 hours tends to work just fine.

How many hours do chickpeas need to soak? ›

Slow soaking dried chickpeas: Tip them into a bowl and cover with cold water, and use plenty of water as they will swell as they soak. Leave overnight or for 8-12 hours to absorb water and swell.

Is soaking chickpeas for 3 hours enough? ›

In an insulated casserole, the chickpeas should soak in an hour. In any other container, it may take about 2-3 hours. You'll know that the chickpeas are soaked well, when you try to pinch one between your nails and it goes right through without too much trouble. That's it!

Why should you not boil chickpeas? ›

Always soak the legumes and cook them thoroughly to avoid digestive issues. You have to first soak the chickpeas and then cook them on medium heat or pressure cook them. Force cooking chickpeas is not a good idea. Consumes lot of time and gas and also might leave them slightly uncooked.

How long does it take to cook chickpeas? ›

(I typically start with 8 cups of water for every 1 cup dry beans, when using a 3-quart pot.) Bring them to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer (you still want to see small bubbles on the surface) and let the chickpeas cook uncovered until they are tender, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Why are my chickpeas still hard after soaking and cooking? ›

Chances are your beans are old. Old beans can seem to take forever to get soft. Cook them longer, making sure you are using plenty of water. Next time, if you have beans from the same source, soak for 48 hours.

Why are my dried chickpeas still hard after cooking? ›

On the other hand, if you plan to add the beans to a salad or stew, you may want them on the firmer side. If your chickpeas are still hard after the cooking time we suggest and you want them to be softer, continue to cook until soft.

How do you know when chickpeas are cooked? ›

Yes. You should stir the garbanzo beans a few times throughout the cooking process to ensure that they get cooked evenly. You'll know the cooking process is done when you take a garbanzo bean and bite or squeeze it. You should be able to squeeze it with your fingers, and it should have a very soft consistency.

Do I drain canned chickpeas? ›

If you are using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them with water to cut the sodium (salt) content by almost a half. Rinse well in cold water to make them easier to digest and less gas-producing.

Can you eat chickpeas straight from can? ›

Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked chickpeas. You can eat canned chickpeas straight out of the can! (Just be sure to rinse them off before chowing down to wash out excess sodium) Otherwise, you can roast them or turn them into any number of delicious dishes, like these here.

Should canned chickpeas be rinsed? ›

Do You Need To Rinse Canned Beans? According to The Bean Institute, you can reduce up to 41 percent of the sodium in canned beans by rinsing them. "It's fine to add the bean liquid to many recipes, but if you want to reduce the amount of sodium, it's best to drain and rinse canned beans," the website states.

What if I forgot to soak my beans overnight? ›

If you forgot to soak your beans the night before you plan to cook them, the hot soak method can come to the rescue. Cover the beans with water, bring to a boil and boil for three minutes. Remove them from the heat and let them soak in the hot water for an hour. Then drain, rinse, add fresh water and cook.

Is 4 hours enough to soak chickpeas? ›

Category 3: Beans & Chickpeas

Due to their size and tough structure, it is suitable to soak this variety for 8-10 hours.

What happens if you don't soak beans before cooking? ›

Modern cooking websites often say it doesn't matter. In a way, they're both right. Soaking beans can help improve the texture of the final product once the beans are cooked and reduce the gas produced when the food is being digested. But it isn't necessary to soak them.

References

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