This Southwestern Pesto Pasta is packed with protein and vegetables making it a really healthy dinner that’s quick and easy to make! It’s so fresh tasting and perfect for a light dinner or potluck salad!
This post is sponsored by Chickapea Pasta. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that support She Likes Food!
Happy Monday! Today I’m excited to share the recipe for this Southwestern Pesto Pasta with Crispy Chickpeas with you! It’s become a regular around here lately and I think you all will love it too 🙂
During the summertime I tend to get into a dinner funk. It’s so hot here and sometimes I just don’t have the energy to cook. Because of that we eat a lot of pasta this time of year.
Pasta is such a great option when you’re looking for something quick and easy and it also gives you so much room to put your creative spin on it. We always have a jar of tomato sauce just in case, but homemade pesto is my favorite way to jazz up pasta! It’s so easy to make and doesn’t have to cost a fortune if you don’t grow your own basil.
My favorite cheap pesto hack is to use 2 parts baby spinach leaves and then one part your favorite herbs. You still get the same great fresh herb taste but you don’t have to buy as much. And, spinach adds a lot of nutritional value, so it’s a win-win 🙂
I wanted to put a southwestern spin on this pesto pasta so I decided to use cilantro as my fresh herb and add a splash of lime juice. This cilantro lime pesto is so good and one of my favorites!
Another great thing about this dish is that it’s packed with protein! You have your crispy chickpeas (which have become an obsession for me lately) and then you have your Chickapea Pasta! Have you guys tried Chickapea Pasta yet?! I used it in my Greek Pasta Salad in January and it’s a staple in our house.
Chickapea pasta is only made of 2 ingredients: chickpeas and lentils! It’s naturally gluten free, contains 27 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber. It also has a great taste and texture! Since it’s made using chickpeas and lentils it has more of an earthy flavor to it, which I love, and it also has a nice bite that makes it feel more filling than other pastas.
It goes perfectly in this Southwestern Pasta Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and I think you’ll be really happy if you give it a try!
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Southwestern Pesto Pasta with Crispy Chickpeas
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This Southwestern Pesto Pasta with Crispy Chickpeas is packed with so much flavor and protein! It’s perfect for an easy summer dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more if you like
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1 (8 oz) box chickapea pasta, spirals work great for this recipe!
- 1 dry pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 1 large avocado, diced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Cilantro Lime Pesto:
- 2 cup packed baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, or your favorite nut
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Pat your rinsed chickpeas with a dish towel until dry. Place on a medium sized baking sheet and toss with olive oil, paprika, salt and nutritional yeast. Bake chickpeas until crispy, 10-15 mins.
- Add all Cilantro Lime Pesto ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Heat a large pot of water over high heat until boiling. Add pasta to the water, stir and cook pasta for 5-9 minutes, or until desired texture is reached, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta and add back to the pot or to a large bowl.
- Add the tomatoes, corn and onion to the pasta and then pour the pesto over the top. Mix until everything is combined.
- You can either stir in the chickpeas and diced avocado or add them on top of each individual bowl of pasta. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Dinner, Pasta, Gluten Free, Vegan
- Cuisine: Southwestern
Can this be made ahead of time, like meal prep? How many days would it last in the refrigerator?
Yes, it definitely could! I would do no longer than 4 days probably
I’m trying to make more vegan dishes and this was amazing! I can’t have tomatoes as I have a sensitivity so I added red peppers instead. I also used pine nuts instead of walnuts for the pesto. I will try walnuts next time! This has to be my favorite vegan dish. Thank you so much!
That’s so nice to hear! Thank you!!
OMG soooo delicious! Thank you for sharing. This will be part of my rotation of dinners now.
Thank you!!
What can you substitute for nutritional yeast?
This is MY kind of pasta recipe–LOVE pesto!
Thank you, Erin!!
Pesto pasta is my go-to easy dinner! Love your Southwest version
This is such a great pasta salad! The best combination of flavors. And Chickapea Pasta is our family’s favorite, too!!
Thanks so much, Kristen! It’s such a great pasta with nice flavor!
Wow!!! So much goodness on one plate! ????
Thank you, Michelle!!
Oooh this sounds absolutely delicious! It looks perfect for summertime. I could see myself whipping it up for a backyard gathering, and will be trying your recipe soon!
Thank you, Nicole!! It’s perfect for a potluck or BBQ! I hope you enjoy! 🙂
What a gorgeous pasta salad! Love the crunchy chickpeas. 🙂
Thank you!! They might be my favorite part! 🙂
That pesto looks absolutely amazing and crispy chickpeas over chickpea pasta sounds just out of this world!!!
Thanks, Lorena! It’s such a great way to mix up pesto!
YUM! I could eat this ALL THE TIME in the summer.
Me too!! Thanks! 🙂
Yum! this Dish looks so tasty and it’s absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you so much, Teri!
What a perfect combination of summer flavors! This cilantro lime pesto sounds SO good. The perfect way to serve up Chickapea this summer!
Thanks so much, Michelle! It’s one of my favorite pesto recipes!
So many things to love in here! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you!! 🙂
Girl I am SO in LOVE with this! Pesto + pasta are a match made in food heaven. The best part about this, aside from the explosion of flavors, is the fact that you can enjoy it hot or chilled. I’m seeing a dinner-turned-next-day-cold-lunch in my future.
Thank you so much, Dana!! I totally agree! It’s great warm or cold and one of my favorite summer potluck dishes! 🙂
This sounds so good! I am always in the mood for a good pasta and pesto recipe!
Thank you, Sarah! Me too!
This is just a perfect lunch to me! Flavorful, healthy and so delicious! I am loving the green sauce!
Thank you, Tania! It’s so great for lunch! 🙂
Izzy this pasta salad is gorgeous! It looks so fresh and delicious and I’m loving those crispy chickpeas!
Thanks so much, Marcie!! I’ve been making so many crispy chickpeas lately!
I just made this recipe tonight, amazing! So good! Even my non-vegan boyfriend loved it! So filling and loads of protein. This would be perfect for summer cookouts and would disappear fast. Thank you so much for posting these fabulous recipes. I have made quite a few, always so good!
That’s awesome to hear, Margaret! So glad you both liked it!