Easy Vegan smoky spaghetti noodles with crispy chickpeas

Smoky vegan spaghetti noodles with crispy chickpeas are so good. Smoky garlicky sauce, lots of crispy chickpeas, and topped with roasted nuts and fresh herbs. It’s a simple-to-make mouthwatering easy vegan dinner recipe you will be making on repeat.

This smoky vegan spaghetti noodles with crispy chickpeas is a pasta combination of epic proportions. It’s a simple make in 30-minutes pasta that involves olive oil and garlic that gets tossed with a ridiculously creamy mouthwatering sweet potato and canned fire-roasted tomatoes pasta sauce and is finally topped with fresh basil and crispy crunchy chickpeas. Yes, it’s simple to make. And yes, it’s a vegan pasta recipe that’s ready to serve in under 30-minutes. And to make it even better it’s a no-hassle, flavor-bursting bowl of deliciousness. But really it’s a new take on vegan spaghetti and meatballs, where the meatballs are replaced by golden smoky, crispy roasted chickpeas. It’s a comforting, satisfying, straight-to-the-point pasta recipe.

You need this easy vegan spaghetti with roasted chickpeas in your life.

Some might say I can’t call roasted chickpeas meatless meatballs, but I would disagree. This golden crispy on the outside, tender and fluffy on the inside chickpeas are like tiny meatball nuggets. Think golden smoky spicy paprika crust enveloping a warm chewy center. These chickpeas really are like tiny meatballs…but they’re so much quicker to make. Ideal for a quick 30-minutes vegan dinner.

Reasons why you need to make this plant-based pasta with chickpeas recipe:

A 30-minutes vegan dinner recipe
Super easy to make
A budget-friendly dinner – you get lots of bold, delicious flavors on a small budget
Great to make with kids
Meal prep friendly
Freezer friendly vegan recipe
Vegan
Can be gluten-free
A healthy plant-based protein-rich weeknight dinner that’s also great on weekends

Let’s dive straight into the facts. Here’s what you need to make this amazing easy vegan spaghetti and meatless meatballs magic happen:

What ingredients do you need to make vegan smoky spaghetti noodles with fire-roasted tomatoes sauce and crispy chickpeas:

olive oil
chickpeas, rinsed and drained
fire-roasted tomatoes
canned sweet potatoes
vegetable broth
smoked paprika
dried basil
salt
pepper

What’s the deal with canned Sweet Potatoes

Canned sweet potatoes are a shortcut way to get a deliciously creamy and luxe sauce without using thickeners of any kind. It’s one of those super easy quick cooking hacks that shaves a good 20 minutes off of the cooking time. Because canned sweet potatoes are already cooked, they are ready to use immediately. And any time saved cooking a delicious and healthy meal is a huge win in my life.

Fire-roasted tomatoes vs. regular tomatoes

Using fire-roasted tomatoes is a great hack to infuse your meal with a ton of flavor without spending any extra time or effort. It’s one of those easy shortcuts that makes dinner time a breeze. And as a bonus using canned fire-roasted tomatoes means you can always have them ready and waiting in the pantry.

Of course, you can just as easily roast your own tomatoes to create the same depth of flavor. If you have the time and just prefer making everything from scratch, using your own homemade fire-roasted tomatoes is a great way to go.

Okay, let’s get to the real fun of this easy vegan dinner.

How to cook Easy Vegan Spaghetti noodles with crispy chickpeas

Step 1. Cook the spaghetti noodles as instructed on the packaging.
Step 2. Next, we move on to making the delicious crispy chickpeas.
Heat olive oil in a large pan and add the drained chickpeas. Season with a 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika, a pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon basil. Cook the chickpeas on medium-high heat until they start to turn golden and crispy. Stir occasionally. Once the chickpeas are crispy, pour them onto a plate.
Step 3. Time to make the luxe creamy fire-roasted tomato pasta sauce.
Place the pan back on the heat and add the minced garlic, dried basil, and 1/2 tablespoon of smoked paprika. Let the garlic cook for a minute before adding the fire-roasted tomatoes, canned sweet potatoes, salt, and pepper. Mix everything gently, pour the vegetable broth into the pan, and bring to a boil.
Let everything simmer for a minute to bring out all the flavors.
Next, carefully scrape the vegetables and sauce into a blender (or use a handheld blender). Blend until the sauce is smooth.
Step 5. Time to bring it all together
Once the pasta is cooked, drain away from the water and add the pasta to the pan. Ladle the pasta sauce on top and toss to combine so every spaghetti noodle is coated in a creamy sauce.
Top with the roasted chickpeas and garnish with fresh basil.
Serve and enjoy.

Frequently asked questions

Are canned sweet potatoes as good as fresh?

Yes. Canned sweet potatoes are high quality, just harvested sweet potatoes. They are already cooked and ready to use, so it cuts down on cooking time and makes it a very easy practical ingredient for a quick dinner hack.
Six-eight canned sweet potatoes are approximately the same as four medium sweet potatoes.

Can I use fresh sweet potatoes instead of canned?

Absolutely. Just cook the sweet potatoes so they are ready to use in the sauce. You can bake the
Sweet potatoes in the oven, boil them or bake them in no time using a microwave. The choice is yours.

Gluten-free options?

If you’re looking for an easy gluten-free pasta option I’ve got you covered. Just replace regular pasta with a gluten-free pasta such as:
Rice spaghetti noodles
Lentil pasta
Zucchini noodles or zoodles
Or any type of gluten-free pasta you prefer

What kind of pasta is gluten-free?

buckwheat vermicelli (naeng myun)
shirataki.
Lentil pasta.
Chickpea pasta.
kelp noodles.
sweet potato vermicelli (dang myun)
rice sticks.
soba.
rice vermicelli.

Does spaghetti sauce have gluten-free in it?

Not this one. This creamy pasta sauce is both vegan and completely gluten-free. It’s a thick and luxurious sauce thanks to the sweet potatoes and fire-roasted tomatoes.

Is this pasta recipe meal prep friendly?

Yes. This pasta is a great meal prep recipe that can be frozen and reheated when needed. Just add a little extra liquid to the dish before reheating, cover with tinfoil and reheat at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until the pasta dish is warm and ready to eat.