Vegan avocado pesto pasta topped with crispy chickpeas. This easy plant-based dinner recipe is made in under 30 minutes with just a few ingredients.
A healthy and delicious vegan dinner, ready in less than 30 minutes. This pasta recipe is packed with flavor thanks to fresh basil, lemon juice and a generous amount of garlic. You can easily customize this recipe with your favorite pasta and toppings!
This recipe is also packed with healthy fats from the avocados and olive oil. Serve it with a high-fiber pasta, vegetables and crispy chickpeas for protein. The result? A nutritious and filling vegan meal.
This recipe is lightly based on my 5-ingredient avocado tofu pasta recipe. Check out that one if you’re looking for an oil-free and higher-protein option!
How to Make Avocado Pesto Pasta
Here are the steps that you need to make a delicious avocado pesto pasta.
Roast the Chickpeas
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the chickpeas on a baking sheet and toss with oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Roast the chickpeas for 25-30 minutes or until golden and crispy.
Cook the Pasta
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cook the pasta according to the package’s instructions.
Prepare the Avocado Pesto
In a food processor, add the avocados, basil, garlic, oil, lemon juice, water and salt. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
Combine
Once the pasta is ready, drain and return it to the saucepan. Add the pesto and toss to combine. Serve the pasta with the crispy chickpeas, vegan parmesan and arugula if desired.
Notes on the Recipe:
You can reduce the amount of oil in this recipe if preferred. Simply add more lemon juice and/or water as needed until you get your desired consistency. The sauce should be thick and creamy. I wouldn’t recommend skipping the oil entirely. Taste the pasta before adding more lemon juice.
You can use your pasta of choice, including white, whole wheat or gluten-free. Linguine, fettucine or fusilli are great options.
This pasta dish is served with roasted chickpeas for a crunch and extra protein. You can skip the chickpeas if preferred for a quicker dish. You could also add hemp hearts for a little more protein.
I like to serve this pasta with fresh arugula. It would also be delicious with roasted broccoli or Brussels sprouts if you’re looking for more vegetables.
Vegan avocado pesto pasta topped with crispy chickpeas. This easy plant-based dinner recipe is made in under 15 minutes of preparation with just a few ingredients.
Course Main Course
Cuisine vegan
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
3cups (260g)pasta of choice
1cupcanned chickpeas,drained and rinsed
1tablespoonolive oil
Salt,to taste
1handfularugula,for serving
Vegan parmesan,for serving
Avocado Pesto
2mediumavocados,pitted and peeled
1cupfresh basil
1/4cupolive oil
3tablespoonslemon juice,about 1 large lemon
2mediumgarlic cloves
1tablespoonwater,or more as needed
1/4teaspoonfine grain sea salt,or more to taste
Pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the chickpeas on a baking sheet and toss with oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Roast the chickpeas for 25-30 minutes or until golden and crispy.
Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cook the pasta according to the package's instructions.
Prepare the avocado pesto: In a food processor, add the avocados, basil, garlic, oil, lemon juice, water and salt. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
Once the pasta is ready, drain and return it to the saucepan. Add the pesto and toss to combine.
Serve the pasta with the crispy chickpeas, vegan parmesan and arugula if desired.
Video
Notes
Looking for a homemade vegan parmesan recipe? Try this 3-ingredient vegan parmesan!You can use your pasta of choice, including white, whole wheat or gluten-free. I like to use linguine, fettucine or fusilli. If you’re looking for a lower fat recipe, you can replace some of the oil with additional water. I don’t recommend skipping the oil completely.
If you make this avocado pesto pasta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!