Chickpea pasta is, in my humble opinion, pure brilliance. There is something so satisfying about the flavor, not to mention the extra fiber and protein. Next time you’re in the grocery store, check out the nutrition facts on a box of regular pasta versus chickpea pasta, and prepare to be amazed.
Okay, so technically, this could also be Creamy Lentil Pasta. Or Creamy Bean Pasta. Or, I guess you could use a regular wheat pasta, but then it wouldn’t be nearly as cool. Not that I’m biased or anything.
How is it creamy, you ask? No, not alfredo sauce. For this pasta dish, we will be blending up tofu and herbs to make a silky, protein-packed sauce. Ah, the wonders of legumes!
Without further ado, let’s get right along to this extra legume-y pasta, with 3 legumes: chickpeas (in aforementioned brilliant pasta form), green peas, and tofu for the creamy sauce.
Creamy Chickpea Pasta
Difficulty: Easy4
servings45
minutes439
kcalCreamy Chickpea Pasta is a legume party – chickpea pasta noodles, paired with mushrooms and a creamy tofu sauce flavored with fresh herbs and garlic.
Ingredients
8.8-oz. package of chickpea pasta (your favorite shape)
1 small onion
1 – 2 garlic cloves, to taste
2 cups mushrooms (chopped)
4 green onions
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 – 1/2 tsp chili flakes, to taste
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
2 cups green peas (frozen or fresh)
4 Tbs freshly grated parmesan (or omit or use non-dairy cheese or nutritional yeast for a vegan option)
- Creamy Tofu Sauce
16 oz. (1-lb) block of firm tofu
1/4 – 1 cup fresh herbs like basil or parsley, or a mix
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbs lemon juice, or to taste
1 cup reserved pasta water
Directions
- Set a pot of water to boil. Cook the chickpea pasta according to package instructions, in salted water. When it is al dente, drain it over a container to save the pasta cooking water – you will be using some of this! Work on other steps as pasta is cooking.
- Chop the onion to desired bite size for pasta. Mince the garlic (for the pasta, not for the tofu sauce). Halve or quarter the mushrooms, depending on size. Finely chop the green onion, separating the green and white parts.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in the oil with the chili flakes and a pinch of salt over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- When the onion is translucent, add the mushrooms, white parts of the green onions, peas, and ½ tsp salt. Sauté until mushrooms are cooked and have reduced in size and are no longer releasing liquid.
- While doing this, make the creamy tofu sauce. In a food processor or high-powered blender, add the tofu, herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and 1 cup of reserved pasta water. Start with just ¼ cup of the herbs. Blend to make a creamy sauce, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste for flavor and add more herbs as needed. You can also save some herbs for garnishing if you would like.
- To the vegetables, add the chickpea pasta, tofu sauce, and green parts of the green onions, reserving some green onion for garnish if desired. Stir to evenly coat. Cook to warm through and leave the lid on for a couple minutes to allow the pasta to soak up some of the sauce.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Top with freshly grated parmesan (if using) and extra herbs and green onions, if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- If you cannot find an 8.8-oz package, just approximate that amount of pasta to the best of your ability – this is a relatively flexible recipe.
Creamy Chickpea Pasta Nutrition Facts
I created these nutrition facts in Nutritionist Pro. Please understand that they can slightly vary with different brands, ingredients, etc.
Bring on the Chickpeas
Can’t get enough of chickpeas? Then you should probably explore more chickpea recipes. 🙂 Here are a few ideas featuring chickpea in many forms:
- Buffalo Chickpea Dip is bursting with flavor and uses cooked chickpeas
- Savory Chickpea Bread and this Chickpea Dutch Baby use chickpea flour, which is very fun to use in baking!
- Deviled Egg Chickpea Pasta uses – yep, you guessed it – chickpea pasta
