Chickpea Broccoli Pasta
In this article you will find the chickpea and broccoli pasta recipe. It’s vegan, hearty, delicious, and even my husband will eat it! If no one’s ever told you that husbands can be pickier eaters than kids, well then there you go!
This recipe is VEGAN, therefore it is dairy-free, even though it’s nice and creamy.
*Disclosure: some links may contain affiliate links. For more information on what this means, visit my disclosure page.
It is also mostly plant-based. It does call for cashews to help make it creamy, and nutritional yeast to help make it cheesy. Keep reading or use the jump to recipe button to see the full recipe!
Who doesn’t love a good pasta dish!
This is just like pasta alfredo or a white mac & cheese dish, except it has chickpeas and broccoli, so loads more nutritional value. It’s the best of both worlds; healthy & delicious!
No butter, no dairy, no cheese, yet still creamy with a hint of cheesiness. Your kids, yourself, and even any guys (like your husband) will love this dish.
It’s hearty, because of the chickpeas, creamy from the cashew cream, and the broccoli just brings it’s flavor content (and nutritional content) up a notch,
I even have my 5 year old asking for this when she sees there’s some leftovers in the fridge!
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How to Make this Broccoli Chickpea Recipe
Alright, so I may be a little biased when I say this is one of the best pasta dishes, but it’s pretty incredible!
*I like to give the hint that not ALL vegan recipes are healthy, but this one definitely makes the cut of being delicious and healthy. It’s more plant-based, contains veggies, beans, and nuts! (Along with nutritional yeast, which helps cover our need of vitamin B12!)
You’ll want to start this recipe by getting out…
- a small and large pot
- food processor (or highspeed blender)
- and all of your ingredients
Start boiling Cashews…
Yep, we boil the cashews for at least 10-15 minutes to help them soften up a bit to make them creamier when blended into a sauce.
You could also soak them overnight, but I tend to completely forget that step and don’t usually plan specific meals (that I always have ingredients on hand for) that far in advance. Which makes this a great recipe for the times when you’re thinking ‘well, we should probably eat dinner in the next half hour or so, what should we eat?’.
You can also start boiling the pasta at this time, and get a frozen bag of broccoli in the microwave (or grab another pot and boil them).
When the cashews are done boiling…
Drain them and place them in the food processor to cool.
While they cool, rinse out the small pot and then boil the chickpeas in it while you make the cashew cream.
To make the cashew cream, add in with the cashews;
- the nutritional yeast
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- black pepper
- and water
Blend til nice and creamy, about a minute or so.
By this time you should be able to drain the pasta, put it back in the large pot.
Drain the chickpeas and add them to the pasta.
Get the broccoli out of the microwave and chop it smaller if desired.
Then rinse the pot the chickpeas were in, pour the cashew cream in the pot and heat over medium heat, stirring continually until it thickens.
Once thick, pour over the pasta and chickpeas, add in the broccoli, and stir til everything is combined!
Now you’re ready to serve and eat!
Recipe Notes
You can use fresh broccoli in place of the microwave broccoli.
Feel free to start with dried chickpeas, just know to soak them overnight, and the cooking process is kind of long. But 2/3 cup dried will equal about 1 can once they are cooked.
Almost any pasta will do well in this recipe. I used elbow pasta, you could also use spiral, rotini, fettucine, etc.
Also, feel free to add some salt to it once done. Depending on where you’re at on your journey to a healthier diet, you may need it!
(Processed food uses a lot of salt and if you’re used to eating processed food all the time, healthier food may taste a bit bland at first, until your taste buds adjust to all the natural flavors.)
Why You Will LOVE This Easy Chickpea and Broccoli Pasta!!
You and your kids will love this easy chickpea dinner recipe because…
- it’s easy
- creamy, warm, and will become one of your favorite ‘comfort’ dishes
- nutritious (so many nutrients!)
- and it’s delicious!!
Chickpea Broccoli Pasta
Shawna ClapperEquipment
- food processor (or highspeed blender)
- stove & pots
Ingredients
- 4 cups pasta
- 1 (15.5oz) can chickpeas
- 1 lb broccoli florets
Cashew Cream
- 1 cup cashews boiled or soaked
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ cups water
Instructions
- Boil the cashews for 15 minutes
- While the cashews are boiling; cook pasta per directions on box & put bag of microwavable broccoli in microwave (or start boiling on stove)
- When cashews are done boiling, drain and add to food processor, allow to cool
- Rinse small pot cashews were in and boil chickpeas
- Add the nutritional yeast, garlic & onion powder, black pepper, and water to food processor and process til smooth; about a minute
- Drain pasta and put back in large pot & drain chickpeas and add to the pasta
- Rinse the pot the chickpeas were in and add the cashew cream to it and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly til it thickens
- Add the thickened cashew cream and the broccoli to the pasta and chickpeas, stir well and serve to enjoy!
Notes
If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like:
- Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese | Picky Eater Approved
- Homemade Vegan Spaghettios
- Vegan Stuffed Shells with Tofu Ricotta
- Quick Vegan Garlic Knots (that Kids Love)
- The Best Vegan Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- Easy Vegan Pasta Salad
- Hummus
- More Vegan Kid Recipes!!
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