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This Vegan Chickpea Chorizo pasta has chickpeas which make up the chorizo crumble, quinoa shells and lots of pasta sauce. Jump to Recipe
This Chickpea Chorizo pasta, all loaded up with spicy chorizo crumbles of chickpeas and tomato sauce. Makes for a Super easy weeknight meal! No store bought sausage, no vital wheat gluten! Chickpeas are roasted up with spices and herbs, added to pasta and sauce and finished off with nutritional yeast and fresh basil. yum! You can also make this with other beans, crumbled steamed Tempeh or Pressed super firm tofu. Change up the sauce, add veggies. lots of variations. I used small quinoa shells for this pasta. use any regular shells or penne.
Its way too hot in the PNW today. So the plan for the day is to keep spraying water on myself and on chewie, who dislikes the spray but then goes to sleep as he cools down. Poor thing keeps panting non stop after a walk. Hubbs tells me that it is a pleasant (86 deg F). Well yeah, it is for people working all day in Air conditioned buildings 😛
While you are here, please do check out the awesome work done by Wildlife Waystation, LA based non-profit 501(c)3, sanctuary dedicated to holding, rehabilitation, medical and problem solving refuge for native, wild, and exotic animals. One of their Chimps started a campaign to help the sanctuary.
Sha sha the Chimp rescued from Bio medical research has an Indiegogo campaign to help support her living costs. Read more about her here.
More pastas from the blog.
Spicy Mac and Yease.
Fusilli with mushrooms and Spinach
Ziti Cheddar Brussels Sprouts Bake
Spinach Penne with chipotle habanero garlic cream sauce
White sauces in a Jar, Mac n cheese, chipotle, sriracha sesame, nacho and more.
Chickpea Chorizo Pasta
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 oz Quinoa or regular shells, use 6 oz for saucier pasta
- 16 oz jar of plain or Italian herb pasta sauce or homemade sauce
For the Chickpea Chorizo
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cup onion slices
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp each of oregano, thyme, parsley
- a generous pinch of cinnamon and black pepper
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chipotle pepper powder
- 2 Tbsp chopped olives, or 1 Tbsp chopped sundried tomato
- 1 tsp tamari, or use coconut aminos to make soy-free
- 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed well or 1.5 cups cooked
- 1 to 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 tsp salt, divided
Toppings
- black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, nutritional yeast, pepita Parmesan, or non-dairy cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to instructions and keep aside (Bring 2 to 3 quarts of water to a rapid boil. Add quinoa shells and cook for 6 to 8 mins).
- In a large pan, add 1 tsp oil and heat at medium-high. Add onion, garlic and 1/8 tsp salt and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden.
- Add the spices and mix well. Add the olives, tamari, and mix. Mash the chickpeas lightly so they are crumbly, but not a mash, and add to the pan. Mix well to combine and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add 2 Tbsp of the pasta sauce, vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt, and continue cooking the chickpeas for 7 to 9 minutes, or until dry. Break the whole chickpeas, if any. Add 1/2 tsp oil and mix in. Taste and adjust salt and spices. (Use this chickpea chorizo crumbles anywhere, in tacos, burritos, pizza!)
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the cooked pasta and remaining pasta sauce, mix well. Add 1/3 to 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce comes to a boil.
- Serve hot garnished with a dash of black pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, nutritional yeast, or Pepita parmesan. Add some shredded non-dairy cheese on the hot pasta (optional).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve been vegan and gluten free for over three years now. Believe me, I’ve tried a LOT of GF pasta recipes. I think they usually turn out fine, but it’s pretty obvious my husband is thinking otherwise as he looks pained as he swallows and will leave half behind on his plate (he is not GF, but eats what I cook–or at least tries to). Well, not with this recipe!! I just made it tonight and after he cleaned his plate, he said it was the best gluten free vegan pasta I’ve ever made. Now that’s a compliment to you! My 9-year-old son had three servings!! Love your website and your recipes. The ones I’ve tried have all been no-fail. I’m not great about leaving comments but for this one, how could I not?! 🙂 Thank you, Richa!
thank you this wonderful comment Jennifer. I would love to know more about the recipes you try 🙂 both me and my husband are not gluten-free. Most of the recipes are by default gf. I do also try gf baking and gf food once in a while and if it doesnt work, it does not end up on the blog. 🙂 the gf pastas and other things i have realized differ from brand to brand, so there is a trial and error with each.
I am so happy that everyone loved this pasta!!
This is great! I added some homemade vegan chorizo and will definitely make this again soon. Thanks
I can’t wait to try this dish. love the spices and the fact that it is gluten free too. My teenage boys love spicy dishes so I know they will love the dish too. Take Care, BAM
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What an awesome recipe! Looks like serious comfort food. Thanks for joining the potluck 🙂
Made this today–it was a hit.
Ooh. I’m so glad I have so many chickpeas waiting to be used up right now!!!
I really want to try making this, but believe it or not I have children who are allergic to BOTH soy and coconut so I am out of soy sauce alternatives 🙁 Could I just leave that out since it’s only 1 tsp. (I know it won’t really taste the same) or is there something else you would recommend substituting to add some flavour?
you can skip it. add a bit more olives or vinegar etc if needed 🙂
Genius! I stopped buying Soyrizo, not so much because of soy, but because it is a processed convenience food. This was fabulous. Very much like a chorizo. I never would have thought to have chickpeas in a pasta dish.
My only changes were using both the sundried tomatoes and olives (couldn’t decide on which one I wanted to use) and using whole-wheat rotini instead of shells.
With a salad, we got four portions from it (am freezing half of it—sure it would freeze well).
And I made the pepita Parmesan—fabulous ( i happened to have both fresh thyme and rosemary, so used them).
so glad you made it and loved it ! i know right, its so versatile.