Healthy Creamy Pasta with Veggies and Chickpeas

In this recipe, pantry basics are transformed into a scrumptious pasta dish that features a creamy cashew sauce, succulent vegetables, and hunger-busting chickpeas. We recommend keeping a bag of frozen veggies on hand to keep things simple, but you’re welcome to use fresh produce. Italian seasoning infuses everything with the tantalizing aromas of basil, oregano, and thyme, while white wine vinegar adds a touch of brightness to the rich sauce. Top each serving with fresh cherry tomatoes or chopped green herbs to elevate a quick weeknight meal into a five-star experience.

Tip: To soak cashews, place them in a small bowl. Cover with ½ cup hot water and let stand for 30 minutes.

For more creamy pasta recipe, check out these tasty ideas:

By Darshana Thacker Wendel,

Ingredients

  • 3 cups dry whole wheat pasta, such as fusilli
  • 3 cups frozen vegetable medley of your choice
  • ½ cup raw cashews, soaked (see tip in intro)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (1½ cups)
  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

Instructions

  • In a large pot cook pasta according to package directions, adding frozen vegetables the last 4 minutes of cooking; drain. Return pasta mixture to pot.
  • In a blender combine cashews with their soaking water, the garlic powder, onion powder, and 1 cup water. Cover and blend until smooth. Add to pot with pasta. Add chickpeas, Italian seasoning, and vinegar. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Heat pasta mixture over medium until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top servings with tomatoes.
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Comments (2)

(5 from 1 vote)

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nancy

Can you eat this cold?

LuAnn Wohlfeil

Is this good cold?

About the Author

Headshot of Darshana Thacker

About the Author

Darshana Thacker Wendel

Darshana Thacker Wendel is a whole-food, plant-based chef and former culinary projects manager for Forks Over Knives. A graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute, she is the author of Forks Over Knives: Flavor! She created the recipes for Forks Over Knives Family and was a lead recipe contributor to the New York Times bestseller The Forks Over Knives Plan. Her recipes have been published in The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook, Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook, Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health, and LA Yoga magazine online. Visit DarshanasKitchen.com and follow her on Instagram for more.
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