This easy vegan chickpea sauce recipe makes a delicious pasta dinner in 30 minutes.
It uses simple ingredients you probably have in stock, no added oil or nuts, and my favorite chickpea sauce thickener—aquafaba. No heavy cream is needed—just a healthy, low-fat, oil-free blended sauce.
Chickpeas are possibly one of the most essential ingredients in a plant-based diet. As much as I love chickpea hummus, I wanted to create a chickpea pasta sauce without added oil or tahini.
And as much as I love vegan white sauce with cauliflower and cashews or pink tomato pasta sauce, I also wanted it nut-free.
Guess what? It's not just possible—it's sensational! And it takes just a few minutes. Cook pasta, make sauce—this easy recipe speaks to me.
Table of Contents
📋 Ingredients and Notes
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Just 1 can plus the chickpea liquid from the can (aquafaba). I've not tried making this sauce with white beans, but they would be the best substitute.
Carrots. I'm calling out carrots because they add sweetness and a little color. Grab a large carrot—it's all you'll need.
Nutritional Yeast. Add a subtle chickpea cheese sauce flavor. You can skip it or refer to my list of nutritional yeast substitutes for options.
Red chili flakes. Add a pinch of heat or load it up if you like spicy spaghetti. Red pepper flakes (made with a variety of red peppers) are a great substitute. Or use a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika.
Vegetable broth. Use vegan veggie broth, vegetable stock cubes, or vegan chicken broth (or chicken stock cubes).
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
📖 Recipe Variations
Turn chickpea sauce and pasta into a cozy pasta bake by transferring them into a casserole dish. Stir in another can of chickpeas and top with panko, breadcrumbs, or sliced fresh tomatoes (a play from my vegan tuna casserole recipe).
Want greens or extra veggies? Add baby spinach or kale after blending the sauce. Steamed broccoli is another good option.
⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook diced onions and carrots in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 2: Stir in the garlic, spices, and ½ cup broth. Let simmer until the carrots are tender.
Step 3: Add all the sauce ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
Step 4: Transfer the sauce to the same skillet or large pan and mix with cooked pasta.
🔪 Pro Tips
- A creamy sauce starts with tender carrots, so it's important to simmer them briefly in vegetable broth. The first time I made this recipe, I skipped this step. A tasty recipe, but too chunky for a creamy sauce. Lesson learned.
- Avoid overcooking the pasta. It should be al dente, meaning you can bite through it rather than mush it in your mouth.
- If you want to use an immersion blender. Make the sauce in a large saucepan to avoid splatter.
Denise's Tip: Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. After mixing the sauce and pasta, use a little pasta water to thin it out if needed.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or other fresh herbs like basil. Top with vegan parmesan cheese. Or get creative and add vegan hemp bacon bits. Yum!
Finally, this easy sauce makes a delicious roasted veggies and rice dinner or side dish.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Chickpea sauce goes well with a variety of pasta like whole wheat penne, fusilli, farfalle, or spaghetti. Use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
Leftover sauce, with or without cooked pasta, should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. To thin the sauce, stir in a little vegetable broth.
Chickpea sauce is a great recipe for meal prep or freezing for 3 months. After blending, transfer it to an airtight, freezer-friendly container. Thaw before reheating and adding pasta.
Once you blend chickpea sauce, return it to the pan, and heat it. If it's too thin, let it simmer for a few minutes before adding cooked pasta.
🥣 More Sauce Recipes
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Easy Vegan Chickpea Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 medium onion - diced small, 1 cup
- 1 cup carrots - diced small
- 4 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano - or Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 15 ounce can of chickpeas - include liquid, aquafaba
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 8 ounces dry pasta
- Ground black pepper and salt to taste
- ¼ cup parsley - or basil, chopped, optional
Instructions
- Start the water for the pasta. Plan to add the pasta before blending the sauce.
- Heat a skillet or large pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add ½ cup of vegetable broth and garlic, oregano, and red chili flakes. Keep the heat low and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Remember, the softer the carrots, the smoother the sauce.
- When the carrots are cooked, cut the heat and add the veggies to a food processor or blender with undrained chickpeas, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and ½ cup of vegetable broth. Start slowly for a minute, then increase the speed. Add up to 1 cup more vegetable broth until you reach the desired consistency.
- Before draining the pasta, scoop out a cup of cooking liquid. If the sauce is too thick after adding the pasta, use a little pasta water to thin it out.
- Return the sauce to the pan to reheat. Mix it with cooked pasta. If the sauce is too thin, let it reheat a little longer. It will thicken as it cools.
- Taste and add salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with chopped parsley or basil.
Notes
- The softer the carrots, the smoother the sauce. Dice the carrots small, simmer them in the vegetable broth, and check for tenderness. If the sauce is gritty, it's likely the carrots. Add more vegetable broth and keep blending.
- Leftover chickpea sauce, with or without pasta, can be stored for four days. It can be reheated in the microwave or on the stove. A little vegetable broth can thin out the sauce.
- Freeze chickpea sauce for 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
- To add greens, stir in chopped or baby spinach or kale after blending the sauce and returning it to the stove.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Ken Engelhard
Tried this. Not very good for me.
Denise Perrault
Sorry this recipe didn't work out for you. Can you give me specifics so I can help out?