Vegan Asparagus Chickpea Pasta

This 30-minute Vegan Lemon Asparagus Chickpea Pasta is truly the best fresh and flavorful spring pasta dish. Vegan pasta is mixed with a creamy lemon garlic sauce, fresh asparagus, and protein-rich chickpeas for the ultimate asparagus pasta recipe!

Who else is SO ready for a bowl of this delicious & creamy chickpea asparagus pasta?!

This pasta dish is based on my Vegan Lemon Butter Pasta with Peas & Leeks, but I changed up the sauce to fill it with more garlic and added chickpeas for a more filling dinner. It's truly the best vegan asparagus pasta made in just 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

Ingredient notes & substitution ideas:

• Gluten-Free Penne: to keep this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free penne. I like the Ancient Harvest brand, but any noodle works!
• Vegan butter: While I prefer Earth Balance for baking, I pretty much exclusively use Miyokos vegan butter in my savory recipes.
• Shallots & Garlic: Shallots and garlic give this pasta a ton of flavor. The shallots can be substituted with ½ chopped white onion and the garlic can be substituted with garlic powder.
• Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans: Can be substituted for white beans or omitted.
• Oat milk: Almond milk, coconut milk, or rice milk all work in this recipe. However, oat milk makes it much creamier. 
• Lemon juice & lemon zest: Are required- no substitute will work here!
• Nutritional Yeast: If you've never had nutritional yeast, it adds a great cheesy flavor to this pasta while still keeping it vegan.

How to make vegan asparagus pasta

Other than cooking the pasta, this entire recipe can be made in one pan!

First, cook the garlic and shallots in the vegan butter.

Then, add in the asparagus and chickpeas to cook until they start to crisp up (about 5-8 minutes).

Next comes the sauce ingredients including the oat milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and spices. Finally, the cooked penne gets added in and mixed with the sauce for a truly delicious vegan asparagus pasta!

Here are a few tips & tricks to make this vegan asparagus pasta perfect every time:

• Reserve some pasta water after cooking the penne. Just 2 Tablespoons help to thin the sauce while still adding in some starch from the pasta for an extra creamy sauce!
• Make sure to cook the chickpeas and asparagus until they are beginning to get brown and crispy. This helps to add a lot of flavor to the dish and avoid any mushy ingredients.
• Let the pasta sit with the sauce to thicken after cooking. This recipe makes a thin sauce that will thicken the longer it sits. I find removing the pan from the heat and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving does the trick for a creamier lemon garlic sauce.
• Make sure to use a shallow and wide pan. This helps to cook the ingredients evenly.

Pasta FAQ:

Can I make this asparagus pasta with different vegetables?

While asparagus truly is the star ingredient of this vegan pasta recipe, you could totally make this dish with a different vegetable like summer squash or broccoli. Just keep in mind that cooking time varies based on the vegetables you use.

How do I store chickpea asparagus pasta?

This pasta can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Just reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed throughout to enjoy

I truly hope you love this easy Vegan Lemon Garlic Pasta with Chickpeas & Asparagus as much as I do! Eating vegan & gluten-free can certainly be delicious, and this fresh vegan pasta with asparagus is perfect for Spring!

More vegetarian pasta recipes you will love:

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Vegan Asparagus Chickpea Pasta

A truly fresh and easy vegan pasta recipe filled with a lemon garlic sauce, chickpeas, and asparagus!

4.80 from 10 votes

Print Pin

Course: Vegetarian Pasta

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Megan Horowitch

Ingredients 

US Customary - Metric

Pasta & Veggies

• ▢ 10 ounces dried gluten-free pasta
• ▢ ¼ cup vegan butter
• ▢ 5 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 shallot minced
• ▢ 1 can chickpeas rinsed and dried, will be about 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
• ▢ 2 cups chopped asparagus

Lemon Butter Sauce & Toppings

• ▢ ⅔ cup oat milk or any plant-based milk
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons pasta water set aside after cooking pasta
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
• ▢ ½-1 teaspoon salt add more or less depending on preference
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground pepper add more or less depending on preference
• ▢ ½ teaspoon chili flakes optional, depending on spice preference
• ▢ chopped basil optional, as garnish

Instructions

• First cook the pasta according to package instructions. Before straining, remove 2 Tbsp of pasta water and set aside for the sauce. Then, strain the pasta and set aside.
• While the pasta is cooking, add the vegan butter to a large skillet pan. Once the butter has melted, add in the minced garlic and shallot. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
• Next, add in the chickpeas and asparagus. Sauté for 5-8 minutes until chickpeas are beginning to crisp up and asparagus is cooked through. Make sure to stir frequently.
• Add in the oat milk, reserved pasta water, lemon juice, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and optional chili flakes. Stir and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce. Then, add the cooked penne and stir until the pasta is completely coated in the lemon butter sauce.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and let sit 2-3 minutes to thicken. Season with additional salt & pepper if needed. Then, top with chopped basil and serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

• Vegan butter: While I prefer Earth Balance for baking, I pretty much exclusively use Miyokos vegan butter in my savory recipes.
• Shallots & Garlic: Shallots and garlic give this pasta a ton of flavor. The shallots can be substituted with ½ chopped white onion and the garlic can be substituted with garlic powder.
• Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans: Can be substituted for white beans or omitted.
• Oat milk: Almond milk, coconut milk, or rice milk all work in this recipe. However, oat milk makes it much creamier. 
• Lemon juice & lemon zest: Is required- no substitute will work here!
• This pasta can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1large bowl | Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1431mg | Potassium: 670mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1229IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 6mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @shortgirltallorder or tag #sgtoeats!