Simple Chickpea Bolognese

Guess what? Pasta got a makeover and it’s ridiculously delicious.

Bonus? It’s easy.

Oh, and there’s no meat, cheese, or noodles.

Who’s with me?!

I was inspired to make this recipe by my love for pasta (obviously).

I have a Boozy Red Wine Spaghetti recipe in our 31 Meals eCookbook, and I also have a tempeh meatball recipe that you all love! I was originally going to combine the two. However, I decided to switch things up and use my favorite plant-based protein of late – chickpeas! These little guys know no bounds.

This bolognese is simple, requiring just 10 ingredients and 40 minutes to prepare! Side note: you can learn about the origins of bolognese here.

While the chickpeas are roasting, prepare your sauce and (1-ingredient!) carrot noodles. This meal doesn’t get much easier.

I think you guys are going to LOVE this recipe! It’s:

Flavorful
Comforting
Satisfying
Healthy
Plant-based
& Simple

Keep this bolognese on hand for easy, weeknight meals when the family wants pasta but you want something light and healthy, yet hearty. It’s the perfect compromise.

If you try this dish, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We love seeing what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

Weeknight Chickpea Bolognese

Easy, flavorful, 10-ingredient chickpea bolognese over carrot noodles! A healthy, fast, satisfying plant-based meal!

Author Minimalist Baker

Print SAVE SAVED

4.89 from 54 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Course Entrée

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Italian-Inspired, Vegan

Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

CHICKPEAS

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed, drained, and dried)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp dried or fresh oregano
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 Tbsp gluten-free panko bread crumbs
• 1 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese

SAUCE

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp or 9 g)
• 1/4 cup carrots (very finely diced)
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 Tbsp dried or fresh oregano
• 1 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese (plus more to taste)
• 1-2 Tbsp sweetener of choice (such as organic cane sugar or coconut sugar // optional)

CARROT NOODLES

• 10 large carrots (ribboned with a vegetable peeler // or sub 8 ounces pasta of choice per 10 carrots)

FOR SERVING optional

• Red pepper flakes
• Vegan parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
• Add rinsed, dried chickpeas to a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil, oregano, salt, garlic powder, panko bread crumbs, and vegan parmesan cheese.
• Place chickpeas on a baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crispy and light golden brown (see photo), then remove and set aside.
• While chickpeas are baking, heat a large metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, garlic and carrots. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Remove skillet from heat, add tomato sauce, oregano, and vegan parmesan cheese, and stir. Place back over heat and bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and continue cooking to thicken, stirring occasionally.
• Sample sauce and adjust seasonings as needed. Add sweetener of choice at this time if preferred (I went with 1 Tbsp coconut sugar, 1 Tbsp organic cane sugar // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
• To make carrot noodles, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add carrots and boil for 2-3 minutes (2 for al dente, 3 for more tender noodles). Drain and set aside.
• Add 3/4 of the baked chickpeas to the sauce (see photo) and stir.
• To serve, top carrot noodles with sauce, remaining chickpeas, and any additional toppings (see options above).
• Leftovers keep well (separate) in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat sauce in the microwave or saucepan. Add a little water to thin if too thick.

Notes

*Recipe inspired by/loosely adapted from Emeril Lagasse.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with carrot noodles and no additional toppings (calculated without any additional sweetener).

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 292 Carbohydrates: 43.2 g Protein: 10.2 g Fat: 10.4 g Saturated Fat: 1.5 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 943 mg Fiber: 7.2 g Sugar: 16.7 g