Description
A lusciously creamy and comforting rigatoni pasta dish made without any dairy, featuring blended chickpeas, leeks, and garlic in a savory, lemony sauce topped with toasted breadcrumbs and fresh chives.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup vegetable broth, warm
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and warm a pot of water to boil for the pasta.
- Sauté the leeks in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft, about 5–6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a blender, combine chickpeas, sautéed leek mixture, warm broth, lemon juice, zest, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Adjust with pasta water if needed.
- Pour sauce into the empty pasta pot, add cooked rigatoni, and stir to coat. Simmer for 1–2 minutes.
- In a skillet, toast panko breadcrumbs in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until golden.
- Top the pasta with toasted breadcrumbs and chopped chives before serving.
Notes
- Use warm broth for a smoother sauce blend.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency.
- Add red pepper flakes for a spicy variation.
- Can be made ahead and sauce stored for 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 70g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: vegan pasta, chickpea rigatoni, dairy-free creamy pasta, easy weeknight dinner, plant-based comfort food