Roasted Broccoli and Chickpea Lemon Pasta
Roasted Broccoli and Chickpea Lemon Pasta- all you need is 7 ingredients and 30 minutes to make this healthy plant-based meal that’s bursting with flavor!
Mmmm mmmm, have I got a tasty one for you today! I just finished eating a bowl for lunch and could hardly wait to share it. It’s a simple recipe but sometimes those are the best, aren’t they?
So y’all know how much I love roasted chickpeas. Whether it’s veggie fajitas or a summer salad, they’re such an easy way to add a dose of healthy protein to any meal. I decided to roast them alongside broccoli before adding them to pasta with garlicky olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Then I topped all of that off goodness off with dairy-free parmesan and schazaam!
A light, flavorful, and satisfying pasta dish was born.
Roasted Broccoli and Chickpea Lemon Pasta Ingredients
- Chickpeas- Using canned or precooked chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) helps save a lot of time. My favorite brands are Jovial or Eden Organic since their preparation and storage methods help aid proper digestion.
- Broccoli- The recipe calls for about 4 cups of chopped broccoli florets. The weight will vary depending on how large the stalk of your broccoli is or whether you purchase it precut. I usually buy two medium-size bunches (as you can see in the picture below) to yield 4 cups.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil– We’ll need three tablespoons of olive oil total. One to coat the chickpeas and broccoli before roasting and two to infuse with garlic in the skillet.
- Lemon Juice and Zest- Once we have our garlicky olive oil, we’ll add fresh lemon juice and zest for a kick of bright citrus flavor. I really love lemon so I’ll use two for this recipe. If you’re unsure, start with one lemon then serve with a few wedges on the side and add more if you desire.
- Pasta- Almost any kind of pasta works well with this recipe but I personally prefer the shorter varieties such as penne, elbows, or fusilli. I recommend using whole grain for maximum protein and fiber benefits. This is my favorite gluten-free brand.
- Vegan Parmesan- You can use store-bought parmesan (I like Follow Your Heart or Violife) or you can make your own using a food processor or small blender like the NutriBullet. Simply combine 1/2 cup raw cashews with 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt then pulse to a fine crumb.
How to Make Roasted Broccoli and Chickpea Lemon Pasta
- First you roast the broccoli and chickpeas in the oven for abut 15 minutes.
- While that’s cooking you prepare the pasta as directed on the stovetop. Drain and set aside.
- Then you warm the oil in a large skillet and sauté the garlic.
- Add the roasted chickpeas and broccoli to the skillet and toss it with the garlic oil. Then squeeze in fresh lemon juice and zest, sprinkle with salt + pepper and parmesan, and serve!
Brandon and I both enjoy a strong lemon flavor so I used two lemons but if you prefer it lighter, you can try it with one and then add more if needed.
It’s incredibly easy and comes together in less than 30 minutes so it would be perfect for a weeknight meal. I even doubled the recipe so that we would have plenty of leftovers to enjoy for lunch during the week. Can you tell I’m a little obsessed?
Roasted Broccoli and Chickpea Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lemon, or two if you prefer extra lemon flavor
- 8 ounces pasta, I used whole grain elbows
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan, see notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F then line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Pat dry the rinsed chickpeas with a towel or papertowel then transfer them and the broccoli to the baking sheet. Toss (or spray) with 1 tablespoon oil and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until broccoli is golden brown on the edges. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.
- In a large skillet, warm the remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant then reduce heat to low setting.
- Drain the pasta then add to the skillet with the oil and garlic. Add the roasted broccoli and chickpeas then squeeze in the juice and zest of 1 lemon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve warm with parmesan and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Don’t you just love a good bowl! I am a total sucker for broccoli and chickpeas. Sarah this is a great recipe, especially to bring for lunch. Yum
Pasta e Ceci (pasta with chickpeas) is a staple of the homemade cuisine in southern Italy. I grew up wit it :) I love the idea to add greens in it!
Mmmm gorgeous! I love a simple pasta for a weeknight meal, especially one loaded with legumes :)
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Yummy! I love adding chickpeas to pasta….and everything lately haha! :)
His speech was amazing!
Broccoli, Chickpeas, and lemon OH MY!!! Everything I love in one giant bowl.
The pasta I used is really good and is gluten-free. There’s a link to the brand in this post. Otherwise, maybe brown rice or quinoa?
I love chickpeas, roasted broccoli and lemon … so I have a feeling this would be sooo up my alley! It looks delicious – I was actually just trying to think of a pasta dish to put on my meal plan for the week … you have good timing girl!
Love this combination, just pinned!
Oh wow, this looks amazing!!! Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe. :)
What a refreshing dish! This gets me in the mood for spring. :) It looks delicious!
Wow!! This looks amazing!! So healthy and nourishing!! YUM!
This is such a beautiful and simple pasta dish! I think a lot of people underestimate how easy it is to make healthy and delicious pasta without the typical tomato or cream sauce. I am a lemon lover like yourself so this is right up my alley :)
Blue Jasmine was depressing. I felt like the whole point was to prove how selfish and horrible she was. But you’re right, it was acted well.
I didn’t realize that Leo hasn’t one an Oscar until I read your comment! He’s been in so many great movies that I just assumed he had but apparently that’s not the case. I would feel bad for him but I think his life is preeeetay sweet so I’m sure he’s not sweatin’ it.
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I’ve got to admit, I wasn’t expecting this to be as good as it was. I was just looking for an easy and healthy meal that could use up some ingredients I had on hand, but this will definitely be a go to from now on! I almost skipped the step of making the vegan parmesan, but I am so glad I went ahead and took the time to toast the brazil nuts and make it. It was the best vegan parmesan I’ve ever made! I will never make it with cashews again! I used brown rice pasta and added some red pepper flake to the garlic and oil. I also used three whole lemons because they were pretty small. Before going vegan a favorite recipe of mine was lemon spaghetti with a creamy sauce. This has all of the flavor of that, plus the roasted broccoli and chickpeas. I like this version so much better and don’t even miss the cream and cheese in the version I loved before! Like I said, I will definitely be making this again and again!
Wow, thank you so much for trying and reviewing my recipe, Lauren! I’m so happy it satisfied you more than the old version you loved. Such a great review. Thank you!
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This was so so so good! A new staple for sure! I used hemp seeds instead of cashews for the parm and i liked it a lot. Did everything else the same though!
Love the idea for hemp seed parm! I’m so happy you enjoyed the pasta :)
Just made this recipe. I’m enjoying it! Great flavor. I used Barilla Veggie spaghetti. It was the first time using this product and I will use it again. Question for you: before roasting the chickpeas, did you remove the outer shell??? I was hoping there would be a note about this since I’ve never roasted them before.
Thanks!
So glad you enjoy it, Kori! I don’t remove the outer shell. If there are a few pieces that fall off then I’ll pick them out but otherwise you can just eat them as is! :)
Sooooo yummy! The lemon zing makes it so good. I had some fresh basil and added it as a garnish – the basil took this recipe over the top for us. My kids gobbled it up and asked for more!
Thank you for a great recipe, Sarah!
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks Janis! :)
I made this for dinner tonight and loved it! I also added red pepper flakes, sun dried tomatoes, and fresh basil, and used regular parmesan because I’m allergic to nuts. The lemony flavour is so perfect! And I love how easy this was to make :)
this was YUMMY! I did double the recipe for a lb of pasta and also added more oil and garlic to pan.
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Delicious I roasted onions and cherry tomatoes alongside the broccoli and chickpea. The lemon was lovely!
A new go-to for me and my husband! I was worried about the pasta being dry with no sauce, but the lemon juice really brings it together. So far, I haven’t found a recipe I didn’t love from this site!
Thank you so much for the kind comment! <3