Pasta is starting to become a staple in our household (after rice of course) and we are loving it. This creamy chickpea pasta is an affordable dish that takes just 30 minutes to make.
I made this recipe with linguine pasta along with a handful of pantry-friendly items.
I made this recipe with linguine pasta along with a handful of pantry-friendly items.
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Why You’ll Love This
- Only 13 ingredients are required for this recipe! Half of which comes from your kitchen pantry.
- This recipe is completely meat-free, vegan, dairy-free, eggless, and can be made gluten-free!
- Chickpea pasta is the perfect recipe for something quick, easy, delicious, and can feed a whole family for CHEAP!
For more pasta recipes, check out our vegan Puerto Rican spaghetti, creamy rigatoni, spring spaghetti.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Linguine Pasta - This type of pasta is great for creamy dishes! However, feel free to switch it up and use what you like. Other types of pasta that go great with a creamy sauce include spaghetti or bucatini.
- Olive Oil
- Chickpeas - Canned or cooked from dried is fine. If using canned, be sure to drain and rinse the chickpeas. You'll also find chickpeas under the name of "garbanzo beans" - same thing.
- Red Onion - Shallots, yellow, and white onions may also be used in replacement of red onions.
- Garlic - We’re going for a small handful of garlic cloves for this recipe. If you’re not into garlic, omit it. If you’re a garlic lover (so are we), feel free to add more.
- Coconut Milk - This will be used as our dairy-free base for the cream sauce. The flavor in full-fat coconut milk is mild and will mellow out further in combination with the other ingredients in this recipe.
- Baby Spinach - Mature/regular spinach will work too.
- Nutritional Yeast - This will add some umami “cheesy” flavor to the pasta. However, feel free to omit this nutritional yeast.
- Dried Parsley
- Pasta Water - will add thickness, creaminess, and flavor to your cooked pasta!
Step-by-Step Recipe
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water, and set aside.
- Sauté the chickpeas and vegetables: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high. Cook the chickpeas with salt and pepper for about 5 minutes, then remove and set aside. In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion until soft, then add garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.
- Make the sauce and combine: Reduce the heat to medium-low and add coconut milk, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, parsley, and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until thickened. Add the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water, stir well, then toss in the chickpeas. Garnish with more parsley before serving.
Tips for the Best Creamy Chickpea Pasta
- Salt your pasta water like you mean it. This is your one shot to flavor the pasta from the inside out. A generous pinch of salt in the boiling water helps bring the whole dish together.
- Don’t skip the reserved pasta water. That starchy water is gold. It helps loosen the sauce and makes everything creamy and clingy without adding more fat.
- Let the chickpeas get golden. Give the chickpeas time to brown a little in the pan. A light crisp adds texture and makes them taste even better in a creamy sauce.
What to Serve with Creamy Chickpea Pasta
Creamy and rich pasta dishes are well-paired with a fresh and vibrant side like a small green salad. Other sides to consider include roasted or sautéed vegetables (green beans, asparagus, zucchini).
For heavier sides, garlic bread, crusty bread, or even bruschetta are great additions.
How To Store
Creamy chickpea pasta can be stored (and salvaged) for leftovers! Store the pasta in an airtight container or reusable silicone bag for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
To reheat: Creamy or saucy pasta is best eaten right away, but it can be used for the following day. To reheat over stovetop, heat the past over low heat with a touch of water or coconut milk, until warm all the way through.
Creamy Chickpea Pasta FAQs
Yes! Chickpeas add plant-based protein, fiber, and texture to the pasta. Canned chickpeas are also a quick and easy addition to any pasta.
To thicken coconut milk for pasta sauce, we whisked cornstarch directly into the coconut milk mixture in the skillet.
To make this chickpea pasta recipe gluten-free, go for gluten-free pasta! There are many types out there in grocery stores. You can even find pasta made from chickpeas.
To make this chickpea pasta recipe gluten-free, go for gluten-free pasta! There are many types out there in grocery stores. You can even find pasta made from chickpeas.
More Recipes with Chickpeas
Did you try out this creamy chickpea pasta recipe? Please leave a comment below, share it, rate it, or tag a picture @plantbasedandbroke on Instagram and hashtag it #plantbasedandbroke. Show off that creation with us!
Vegan Creamy Chickpea Pasta with Spinach
Ingredients
- Salt
- 16 ounces linguine
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 14 ounces cannned chickpeas drained, rinsed, pat-dried
- Black pepper
- ½ red onion chopped
- 5 garlic cloves crushed
- 6 ounces baby spinach
- 14 ounces full-fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon dried pasley plus more to garnish
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once at a boil, add the linguine pasta. Cook according to the pasta’s packaging - until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water, and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Then, add the crushed garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, or until garlic is fragrant. Add the spinach and cook down until wilted.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, parsley, and some salt. Stir and simmer for about 3-5 minutes until thick and creamy.
- Add the cooked linguine pasta to the skillet and add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir until well-combined. Then, toss in the cooked chickpeas.
- Serve and garnish with additional dried parsley.
Notes
- This recipe was inspired and adapted by NYT’s Cooking’s Creamy Chickpea Pasta with Spinach and Rosemary. We’re taking our own twist on the dish and making it dairy-free, vegan-approved, with pantry-friendly ingredients.
- I recommend using a non-stick wok for this recipe. It can handle larger volumes of food than a regular skillet. A wok also reduces spillage, due to its depth.
- If you don’t have linguine on hand, other kinds of pasta that work well in cream-based dishes include spaghetti or fettuccine.
What is Yuca: Recipes, Origins & Benefits
Olivia C
Yummy! I love this pasta, but I only ended up using half of the 16oz box of pasta. Make sure to use 5 large size cloves of garlic to really get the flavor through. Thank you!
Aly Michell
Hi Olivia! Glad you loved this pasta dish! Sounds like you're a garlic lover just like me! Definitely think more garlic is always a great solution to any dish!
Desiree Wenn
I'm planning to make this dish for my family of 5. Which ingredient quantity is best suited to fill our bellies with a little extra? I see 1,2, and 3.
Aly Michell
This recipe as-is serves 8. It should be enough to feed a family of 5. The 2x is to double up the recipe for 16 servings. Enjoy!
Aaliyah
Delicious! I omitted the nutritional yeast and coconut milk but used chickpea linguine and roasted the chickpeas. Definitely adding this dish to my diet!
Aly Michell
Awesome! Thank you for trying out something new. Glad you loved the creamy chickpea pasta!
Marissa Mittal
This recipe was exactly what I was looking for, a delicious creamy pasta with no dairy. Thank you for sharing!
Aly Michell
Glad you loved the recipe! If you're looking for more creamy, plant-based dishes, I definitely recommend checking out our vegan macaroni salad, Creamy Chickpea Salad Sandwich, and Creamy Rigatoni with Sofrito Avocado Sauce.