Creamy Chickpea Pasta Sauce

A white plate of noodles tossed in a vegan chickpea pasta sauce.

5 from 3 votes

This vegan chickpea pasta sauce makes for the perfect weeknight dinner! It is quick + easy, healthy, nourishing and so full of flavors. You can make it in under 30 minutes and feel free to add your favorite vegetables. 100% vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Course: dinner, Pasta

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chickpea, creamy pasta, healthy pasta recipe, vegan dinner

Servings:

Calories: 336kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Equipment

Medium pan
Blender
Medium pot to cook the pasta

Ingredients

15 oz canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
1 yellow onion diced
2 clove of garlic crushed
¼-½ red pepper flakes
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Italian seasoning or dried oregano or dried basil
½-1 cup vegetable broth
salt to taste
8-10 ounces pasta for serving

Instructions

Cook the pasta in boiling water according to the packaging (keep them al dente). Reserve some pasta cooking water in case you need some later when combining the sauce and pasta, then drain and set the noodles aside.
Meanwhile, warm up a medium pan with a little oil and add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes while stirring often, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Remove the onion-garlic mix from the heat and transfer to a blender. Add the chickpeas, dried herbs, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, salt and vegetable broth (start with about ½ cup). Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add more broth and blend again until desired consistency.
Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta (use the same pot you used to cook the noodles) and stir to combine. You can add some pasta cooking water to help create a luscious sauce and taste to adjust the seasonings to your preference. Serve warm with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and some more red pepper flakes.

Video

Notes

Keep the pasta al dente! The noodles will keep cooking once combined with the warm sauce.
Adjust the consistency of the pasta sauce right in the blender by adding more veggie broth until it reaches the desired texture.
Add some pasta cooking water to the pot when combining the sauce with the noodles. The starches for cooking the pasta help create a luscious and rich texture.
Make sure to cook the onion until lightly browned and almost caramelized, which adds lots of amazing flavor to the sauce.
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition