One Pot Chickpea Pasta

A vegan one pot chickpea pasta dish made with a rich, smoky tomato sauce, chewy oyster mushrooms and chickpeas! Serve this simple 20-minute meal for a weeknight dinner that requires simple preparation and minimizes clean up time!

I don’t know about you, but one pot meals are totally my jam. I mean, they require zero effort. You throw ingredients into a saucepan and wait for them to cook, stirring a couple of times.

And the result never fails to impress. It's the best way to get comfort food on the table when you're feeling lazy.

When I was a very busy & stressed student, I practically relied on one pot dinners like this chickpea pasta. I made a lot of 30 minute dinners, and more specifically meals that saved on washing up.

And now, even though my university days are behind me, I go back to them over and over again whenever laziness gets the best of me after a long day!

In fact, I have published an entire cookbook full of one pot vegan recipes!

Anyway, I won’t go on for too long about the evident advantages of one pot meals. Soon I may start sounding like an essay, and no one wants that around here.

Instead, I’ll swiftly move on to sharing this one pot tomato pasta with chickpeas. Please do me a flavor and make this ASAP! You won't be able to get enough of it.

Vegan one pot chickpea pasta

I think that a lot of us can agree that classic tomato sauce flavors never get old. Personally, I can never decide whether I prefer creamy pasta sauces or tomato based ones. This recipe is a bit of a mixture of both.

The tomato sauce in this vegan one pot pasta is incredibly thick and rich, carrying a lot of full-bodied tomato flavors. Thanks to paprika, there is also a hint of smokiness to expand the palette even further.

You’ll be amazed at how simple this recipe is, and the sort of deliciousness you can achieve with basic ingredients.

I also added chickpeas for some extra texture and plant based protein. I love the subtle and nutty flavour of chickpeas, how they complement the other ingredients in the dish without overwhelming it.

However, you can leave them out or replace them with either any other bean of your choice. Black beans and butter beans are some of my other favorites. Tofu and tempeh would also work really well in this one pot pasta!

Plus, if you have any leftover veggies in the fridge, feel free to add them as well. What I love about one pot pasta is just how versatile it is.

Ingredients and substitutions

Olive oil for cooking the vegetables.

Onion and red pepper. These vegetables are cooked down with the olive oil to add depth and complexity to the flavors.

Spices: I used paprika and ground coriander. However, feel free to add any other seasonings depending on your personal preference.

Oyster mushrooms. You can also use Cremini, shiitake or button mushrooms, but the oyster variety works really well due to its chewy and 'meaty' texture.

Diced tomatoes. You can use either canned or fresh tomatoes.

Pasta of your choice. I love using spaghetti or tagliatelle, but any variety will work. Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.

Nutritional yeast. This ingredient is great for adding a hint of cheesiness and umami. You can also use grated dairy-free cheese.

Plant based milk of your choice.

Vegetable stock.

Chickpeas. You can use either canned chickpeas or cook your own from scratch. They can also be replaced with tofu or any other beans/pulses of your choice.

Coconut yogurt. This is added at the end of the cooking process for extra creaminess. You can also use canned coconut milk or any other dairy-free yogurt of your choice.

Peanut butter. This is a fantastic finishing touch for adding depth and nuttiness. You can leave it out, or use any other nut/seed butter of your choice.

Lemon juice. I love adding a hint of citrus to pasta dishes!

How to make vegan chickpea pasta

Firstly, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, red pepper, paprika and ground coriander and cook for 3-4 minutes over a medium-high heat.

Then, add the oyster mushrooms and cook for a few minutes more, until the mushrooms soften.

Now add the diced tomatoes, pasta, nutritional yeast, plant based milk and vegetable stock. Simmer over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for 10-12 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Add the chickpeas, coconut yogurt and peanut butter. Stir and simmer for 4-5 minutes more.

At the end, squeeze in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Tips for Success

This recipe is great for making ahead or for meal prep. It's also delicious served cold. Store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days and reheat if needed either on the stove or in the microwave. You may need to add extra liquid when reheating.

Add sriracha or hot sauce for a spicier pasta.

Do not add too much liquid at the start to make sure most of it is absorbed - you don't want a soup-like consistency. Add more if it starts to look too dry.

You can also add any other vegetables of your choice: for instance, zucchini, cabbage and broccoli florets all work super well. Use up whatever you have in the fridge!

Reasons to love this vegan one pot pasta

If you’re looking for a new weeknight dinner idea, I suggest you give this recipe a go! It’s...

• Comforting and cozy.
• Full of amazing flavors.
• Made with simple ingredients.
• Ready in under 20 minutes.
• Easy and beginner-friendly.
• Easily made gluten-free.
• Great for meal prep.
• Versatile.

In other words, weeknight dinners, even really simple ones, certainly don’t have to be boring! Give this one a go and it's guaranteed to become a new favorite.

Other vegan pasta recipes

• My sweet potato pasta is comfort food at its best!
• You can't go wrong with caramelized onion pasta.
• My one pot lemon pasta is simple and packed full of flavor.
• For a creative way to use beans, try butter bean pasta!
• My vegan garlic butter pasta requires just a few ingredients.