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
Scale
- 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