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    Home » All Recipes » Vegetarian Pasta

    Vegan Asparagus Chickpea Pasta

    Published: May 20, 2020 · Modified: May 10, 2022 by Megan · This post may contain affiliate links.

    1.3K shares
    Jump to Recipe
    pasta with text "lemon 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!

    a bowl of penne with lemon sauce, asparagus, and basil

    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:

    ingredients for penne pasta of chickpeas, garlic, lemon, asparagus, oat milk, nutritional yeast, spices, and butter

    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.

    sauteing shallots and minced garlic in pan with butter

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

    adding asparagus and chickpea to pan to cook

    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!

    adding penne noodles to pan of sautéed veggies

    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.
    two bowls of penne pasta with asparagus, lemon, and basil

    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:

    • bowl of gnocchi with mushrooms, kale, basil, and cream sauce
      Creamy Vegan Mushroom Kale Gnocchi
    • large pan of orecchiette pasta with truffle mushrooms and fresh thyme.
      Creamy Vegan Truffle Mushroom Pasta
    • cauliflower alfredo pasta with lemon and parsley on top in three bowls
      Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo
    • plate of linguine pasta with mushrooms, spinach, and a garlic miso sauce
      Vegan Miso Mushroom & Spinach Pasta

    If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star review on the recipe card. I always appreciate your feedback and support! You can also follow along on my Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest, or sign up for our newsletter!

    a bowl of penne with lemon sauce, asparagus, and basil

    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!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Evelyn says

      September 13, 2022 at 8:39 pm

      For a "cheesier" flavor/ sauce, can more Nut. Yeast be added? Or is the recipe amount really all that should be added? I'm new to Nut. yeast!

      Reply
      • Megan says

        September 14, 2022 at 6:39 pm

        You can! I wouldn't add too much more but a little extra is definitely okay 🙂

        Reply
    2. Barb says

      May 17, 2022 at 3:18 pm

      Hi. When do I add the nut. yeast?

      Reply
      • Megan says

        May 17, 2022 at 4:15 pm

        With the other lemon butter sauce ingredients- I added it into the instructions now sorry about that!

        Reply
    3. Camila says

      May 24, 2020 at 11:03 pm

      5 stars
      I made the sauce from this recipe, but didn't have asparagus, so I made it with broccoli instead.
      I gotta say this sauce was SOOO good!!! It was fabulous!!!
      Love all of your recipes!!!

      Reply
    4. Camila says

      May 24, 2020 at 11:03 pm

      5 stars
      I made the sauce from this recipe, but didn't have asparagus, so I made it with broccoli instead.
      I gotta say this sauce was SOOO good!!! It was fabulous!!!
      Love all of your recipes!!!

      Reply
      • Megan Horowitch says

        May 25, 2020 at 3:24 am

        Broccoli sounds SO good with this, thanks for the feedback! <3

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Megan! I believe eating plant-based food can be enjoyable for everyone. Eating plants doesn't have to be hard and it certainly shouldn't be boring. I am here to help you on your journey to eating food you actually feel good about and to make cooking at home fun again! 

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