Vegan Pesto Pasta (with Broccoli, Chickpeas and Caramelized Onions)

Square cropped image of a close up of a plate of pesto pasta (spaghetti) loaded with broccoli, chickpeas and caramelized onions with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top. A second plate of pasta is blurred in the back and a small jar of pesto sauce sits between the plates to the right.

Vegan Pesto Pasta (with Broccoli, Chickpeas and Caramelized Onions)

This vegan pesto recipe uses a delicious homemade pesto sauce that’s coated over the perfect combination of pasta, broccoli, chickpeas and caramelized onions!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian-inspired, Vegan

Keyword Vegan Pesto Pasta

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings Servings

Calories 553kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup vegan pesto sauce (1 batch)
¾ cup caramelized onions (1 batch)
3 cups pasta , uncooked (about 300 g)
2 cups broccoli , cut into florets
2 cups chickpeas (19 oz can, drained and rinsed)
vegan Parmesan cheese (to serve)

Instructions

Step 1: Prep Caramelized Onions

Caramelized onions take the longest to prepare. It’s best to start here first. I have a full recipe with detailed directions on how to make vegan caramelized onions so follow that.
¾ cup caramelized onions

Step 2: Prep Pesto Sauce

If you’d like to multi-task, prep some pesto sauce while the onions caramelize; just keep an eye on the onions while you work on other aspects of the recipe.
I have a full post detailing how to make vegan pesto sauce so read that if you’re making pesto. You can also use a store-bought option if that’s available to you.
1 cup vegan pesto sauce

Step 3: Prep Broccoli + Chickpeas

After prepping the pesto, your onions may or may not be cooked. If they’re still caramelizing, keep an eye on them while you prep the broccoli and chickpeas.
Cut the broccoli into small florets and cook until tender with a slight crunch (or however you like your broccoli).
2 cups broccoli
I steam broccoli using a steam basket that fits into a pot, with some water at the bottom. I place the lid on the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat for about 5 minutes.
You can also cook the broccoli directly in 1-2 inches of water, with the lid on the pot, for about 5 minutes (or until cooked to your liking).
For the chickpeas, simply open your can, drain the liquid and rinse.
2 cups chickpeas

Step 4: Cook Pasta

Cook your pasta according to package directions.
3 cups pasta

Step 5: Assemble Meal + Serve

I like to add my cooked, strained pasta back to the pot then add pesto sauce, caramelized onions, steamed broccoli and chickpeas.
Toss until everything is well coated with pesto.
Serve hot topped with vegan Parmesan cheese.
vegan Parmesan cheese

Notes

Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition