by My vegan pesto pasta salad with chickpeas uses just a few simple ingredients to make a flavourful, healthy dish that’s perfect for lunch or dinner! Homemade vegan pesto with basil, nutritional yeast, and sunflower seeds makes this a delicious and easy recipe. Ready in only 20 minutes!
This easy Vegan Basil Pesto Pasta with Chickpeas started as a ‘clean out the fridge’ type of meal, but quickly became a weekly staple!
While I’ve shared tons of healthy pasta recipes before, there’s something about a cold pasta salad that’s packed with basil deliciousness that just hits.
A Pasta with Beans You’ll Actually Crave!
Plus, as a Registered Dietitian, I love that this pesto pasta with chickpeas is packed with fiber, thanks to this being a recipe with beans, since it makes the pasta more filling!
With that being said, just like in my 20-Minute Vegan Marry Me Pasta, I used chickpeas in this recipe, but I’ve also made it with both white beans and lentils and they both work perfectly, so use whichever you have on hand!
Not to mention that it’s a quick and easy lunch recipe that’s perfect for school or work, just like my 20-minute, healthy Bruschetta Pasta Salad!
Save this Recipe!
No Cheese? No Problem!
I know what you’re probably thinking, a vegan pesto recipe without parmesan?! But you have to trust me, I’ve used nutritional yeast as a replacement for cheese in tons of recipes before, like my 25-Minute Dairy-Free Potato Leek Soup with Tofu, and it turns out perfectly every time!
Obviously you can totally enjoy this pesto pasta salad on its own, but if you’re taking it to a potluck or barbecue, may I suggest pairing it with my Healthy Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Skewers with Veggies?! They’re so easy to make and packed with flavor everyone will love!
Swap Pine Nuts for Sunflower Seeds
I share lots of recipes using nuts and seeds because they’re so nutrient-dense, but let’s face it, pine nuts are NOT cost-effective, so I used raw, hulled sunflower seeds instead!
But rest assured, I also tested raw pumpkin seeds and slivered almonds in the pesto and they both worked perfectly! Sunflower seeds and almonds were the most neutral-tasting, while the pumpkin seeds gave a slightly earthy flavor.
Vegan Basil Pesto Pasta Salad with Chickpeas
Ingredients
For the pesto
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
- 20 g basil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup raw hulled sunflower seeds,
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice , or to taste
- 1/2 tsp salt
Pesto Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 250 g uncooked pasta of choice, I used fusili
- 1/4 red onion, diced
- 540 g chickpeas, I used canned, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cucumber , diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Instructions
- Cook the pasta as per package instructions.
- Meanwhile, add all pesto ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend on medium speed until just combined, or blending longer if you like a smoother pesto consistency.
- Once the pasta has cooked, mix in a large bowl with pesto, sliced cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, and red onion. Top with additional basil or nutritional yeast if you'd like and enjoy!
Quick, easy, and very delicious
I’m so happy you liked it, Ronke!