Vegan Jalapeño Chickpea Mac and Cheese Pasta is gluten free, full of flavor, and ready in under 45 minutes. Made with a lentil and chickpea pasta, jalapeños, and Mexican spices. It’s a healthy hearty plant based meal that can feed a big family or multiple dinners for two!
Oh hey there spicy bowl of goodness round two! Yes, another dairy free flavorful bowl for you today. Mmm k? This one has a good story. It promise. Yes, it involves Jalapeño Chickpea Mac and Cheese (what we call it) and all the plant based vegan gluten free vibes. YO!
So.. 11 years ago I met this cute curly head Kiwi triathlete. Um, my husband. I spent the next year trying to impress him with charm and cooking. Haha. Well..sorta.
At the time, we were both living in Hawaii and we often tried to save money by spending a date night in at my place. My 300 square foot hole in the wall place. Fun times! Anyway, this was around the time I first started eating gluten free (for health reasons). OYE!! That was a trial and error yea, for suree. Anyway, I decided to make the kiwi a romantic gluten free pasta dinner for our date night in. My first attempt at gluten feee pasta. I scoured the store for the best looking gluten free pasta noodles only to find 1 brand. One! And it was made with corn and about 20 other ingredients I didn’t know. But I bought it. Plopped it in the pot. And away I went trying to make a gluten free date night dinner. Only to realize that 5 minutes later my pasta was mush. Yes mush. Wanna know the worst part?
I served it anyway. Haha. And we laughed. And we “kinda sorta”‘ ate it.
Well fast forward a decade and boy gluten free pasta has changed. Thank goodness! I’ve literally tried dozens! And I’m happy to report that the kiwi and I both looooove Chickapea pasta. No mush. Just real past taste because it’s made from chickpeas and lentils. That’s it. Really! No fillers. No corn (phew!), no grains. And oh so filling. More on that below.
For now, let’s now narrow in on this Vegan Jalapeño Chickpea Mac and Cheese pasta.
In relation to that mushy pasta memory mentioned above of course. You see, jalapeño and cheese has been one of my husband’s FAVORITE combos for years. And since we’ve finally found a gluten free pasta that um.. tastes like pasta and doesn’t fall apart, I figured we should revive that memory. You know.. SPICE it up a bit. Because I’m “Cheesy”! Bahaha, yes I just went there.
That being said, 10 years later I totally made it up to the kiwi with this new pasta dish. I like to call this Jalapeño Chickpea Mac and Cheese pasta the Cotter Comeback (Welcome back Kotter) pasta dish. If you’re older than 30 hopefully you get that joke.
Yes, I’m in an extra loving and nourishing (healing) mood this week. It’s time to rekindle that romance (and that original gluten free pasta recipe), in Spicy Vegan chickpea Mac and Cheese PASTA form ya’ll!
So about that Chickapea pasta. Oh how I love thee.. let me count the ways.
Chickapea pasta is a Gluten Free pasta made with just 2 ingredients…chickpeas and red lentils.
It’s pulses POWER pasta! Did I mention I’m kinda obsessed with pulses? Lentils, beans, aquafaba goodness, etc.
Anyway, I don’t know how they do it ya’ll but Chickapea’s 2 ingredient pasta is spot on with texture and taste. Meaning, no weird gummy taste. Ya, impressive is just one of the words that come to mind. It’s gluten free, vegan, organic, kosher and comes packed with 27 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber per serving. Totally gets my nerdy nutritionist stamp of approval!
This Mighty Mexican Jalapeño Chickpea Mac and Cheese pasta is a must make. I know, I keep expanding on the title. But stay with me here. All you need to do is spice up those chickpeas, bake with your jalapeños, then toss into the “cheesy” pasta. Simple!
The “cheesy” base comes from mixing nutritional yeast with coconut milk as the “cream/cheese” part. And because it’s made with organic lentils and chickpeas, it adds in an even greater source of B Vitamins and Plant based iron! This is a HUGE health perk for vegans and vegetarians!
I’v got the chickpea pasta recipe ready to share below!
How to make vegan mac and cheese with chickpeas!
Vegan Jalapeño Chickpea Mac and Cheese Pasta {Gluten Free}
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 7 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Jalapeño Chickpea Mac and Cheese Pasta is gluten free, full of flavor, and ready in under 45 minutes. A healthy hearty plant based meal to feed a family or multiple dinners for two!
Ingredients
- 16 oz (2 boxes) chickapea shells (see notes for link to product)
- 8–10 c water
- pinch of sea Salt
- 2 sliced jalapeños. Keep seeds if you want extra spicy.
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (drained)
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil (divided)
- Pinch of cumin
- 1– 2 tsp tsp garlic minced (divided)
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp each salt salt/pepper (divided)
For the cheese sauce:
- 2/3 c non dairy milk milk
- 1/4 cup broth or water (add more if you need to thin out sauce)
- 3/4 c nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch or tapioca starch
- Cilantro and crushed red pepper to garnish.
- Optional 2 tbsp taco sauce or Tabasco.
- For richer vegan cheese sauce, you can also just use my Vegan Con Queso Cheese Sauce.
Instructions
- Preheat oven 400F. Slice jalpenos 1/4 in to 1/2 inch thick. If you slice them too thick they will cook faster than the time I recommend.
- Mix, chickpeas, jalapenos, and paprika, cumin, salt/pepper, garlic salt in a bowl with oil. Spread on baking sheet and bake 400F for 15-20 minutes.
- While that is baking, cook your pasta.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and lightly rinse. Add back into the pot with 1 -2 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp garlic minced. Add in 1/4 tsp salt/pepper to taste. Keep heat on low.
- Updated – In another small saucepan, whisk together 3/4 cup coconut or almond milk with 1/4 cup broth or water, 3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon gluten free flour or starch (tapioca or potato work great). Cook on medium until mixed and thickened “cheesy” sauce is formed. Add a few tablespoons more milk if you need to thin out sauce before adding to pasta. Notes: Depending on the type of pasta you use, you made need to make more sauce. Some pastas absorb the sauce more than others.
- Add this sauce to your pasta, mix together. Keep pasta on low or covered until Jalapeño chickpea bake is ready.
- Once jalapenos/chickpeas are baked, add them to the pasta.
- Cook all together for 5 minutes on low adding more salt/pepper if desired..
- Mix in Optional taco sauce if you want extra Mexican flavor!
- Serve and garnish with cilantro and chili pepper flakes.
Notes
- chickapea pasta is available on their site or amazon
- For Nutritional Yeast I used Bob Red Mill
- Category: main, dinner
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 431
- Sugar: 2.5g
- Sodium: 439.6mg
- Fat: 8.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.1g
- Trans Fat: 3.3g
- Carbohydrates: 68.5g
- Fiber: 16.6g
- Protein: 26.8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: chickpea mac and cheese, vegan mac and cheese, gluten free pasta recipe, vegan cheese sauce
Ya’ll, this dish is perfect for hearty plant based meal or, dare I say it… a quick date night dinner in. SPICY! Ohhh lala!
Don’t worry, the red nails are not necessary for the spicy part. Mwah!
What’s your favorite gluten free pasta dish?
This Jalapeño Chickpea Mac and Cheese Pasta recipe is sponsored by my Chickapea Friends!
Cheers!
LC
The sauce was terrible! The sauce smelled like feet!
★
Sorry to hear that DeAnna! We use this sauce a lot. Did you use nutritional yeast or the other sauce I recommended? This one https://www.cottercrunch.com/vegan-salsa-con-queso/
Can’t wait to try this! Quick question though – does this mean one tablespoon of each or one tablespoon that is half arrowroot and half tapioca:
1 tbsp arrowroot and tapioca starch
Thank you!
Oops! Let’s correct that. It’s one or the other. Arrowroot starch or tapioca starch. But I prefer arrowroot.
Oh good to know, I have both on have but I’ll definitely go with the arrowroot. Thanks! 🙂
Any suggestions for something that you might serve with this? A green veggie?
I would serve with a side of steamed or roasted veggies. Maybe green beans or broccoli with garlic!
Hi Lindsay, this looks amazing and I definitely want to try it out. Quick question, if I’m making this non-vegan, is it just a matter of swapping the milks and the nutritional yeast for cheese (same quantities)? Let me know when you get a chance!
Hi Serena! Yes, that should work fine. Keep me posted.
Hi Lindsay,
I was looking for the recipe for the mushroom dip
When I touch the mushrooms dip It came up as chickpeas Mac and cheese
Do you have the recipe for the Mushroom dip?
It could be that we didn’t do the chickpea part but the sauce and spices dont seem to go very well together.
★
Absolutely phenomenal recipe, I’ve had it pinned to my vegan board and finally tried it, and will for sure be making this on a weekly basis. It’s so simple, tasty and nutritious! Thank you!
★★★★★
I try to have these ingredients readily available , this is now my go to comfort meal and I find myself making it quite often! I love the flavours! Thank you!
★★★★★
I am so glad you like this one! It’s one of my favorites 🙂 Thank you!
I wanna try these chickpea pasta!
THIS IS SO GOOD! I will be posting about how I used your recipe to make into a pizza too. You make such wonderful recipes <3
woohoo! Yea! Can’t wait to see!
I made this this weekend for myself and my boyfriend (non-vegan) and we both LOVED IT. I used a new cashew milk I saw at the grocery store that looked thicker than must non-dairy milks. I would double the jalapenos or add other veggies next time – maybe roasted red peppers. But it was great. And I was inspired to try making chickpeas from scratch for this recipe and those were delicious too in this. My boyfriend loved it – he wants it again!
oh wonderful!! So glad. How was the sauce? I have been trying to make it more creamy but it always depends on the pasta you use. Glad it was boyfriend approved!
This recipe did not turn out well at all. I had to put in 3.5 cups (yes) of almond milk to thin this sauce out, ad even then it wasn’t too creamy. I’ve tried nutritional yeast in some other recipes and wasn’t entirely convinced, so I figured i’d give it one last try. I will never put it in any recipe ever again. It just doesn’t cut it. I think for something like this you have to make a cheese sauce using cashews to make it really creamy. I’ve seen recipes for super gooey stretchy vegan cheese, and I think that’s needed here. This cheese sauce didn’t work out. Aside from missing the cheesy texture and flavor, the other flavors didn’t really liven things up either. I don’t know, I don’t think I would try this one again. Sorry 🙁
I’m so sorry to hear that Stevie. I’ve made this recipe several times and lots of people have given me great feedback. But i so appreciate your honesty and will look into the cashew cheese addition.
Oh I do have a cashew cream sauce that you could try. Just thought of that. https://www.cottercrunch.com/how-to-make-vegan-cashew-cream-sauce/ it’s still not very stretchy cheesy though
This was tasty but a bit in the dry side.
Oh I’m sorry! Did you make more more sauce? I put that in notes but I will test Again and update it. I think it also depends on the type of pasta you use. How much sauce did you end up using? Thanks!
We tried this last night. Apparently I sliced the jalapeños too thin as they burnt to a crisp. Undaunted we soldiered on and added more red chili flakes. It was tasty but boy did the pasta absorb the sauce (even with rinsing it first). Next time I’ll double the sauce which, I mean, how bad could that be 😉
Oh no! So sorry Barry. I’ll make sure to share these tips in my recipe notes.
I’m excited to try this recipe. I have another vegan mac n cheese recipe that I have used that calls for butternut squash, curry, and nutritional yeast, but my family gave it a thumbs down. thank you for posting this! I will report back and let you know how my vegan kids like it! 🙂
please do! It’s spicy, so keep me posted on the kids reactions.
Oh, yum! Thanks for the tip on the pasta, I’m looking to reduce my rice intake after recent reports of G free people having higher arsenic and mercury levels in their bodies than the general population. BTW, after going through some old boxes I just came across a welcome back Kotter poster that I had hanging in my room when I was a kid, it was signed by all the actors, back when John was super cute!
OH good! I think you will really like this pasta then Kim!
and OMG i love that Kotter poster!! too funny
What is this magic you’re serving?
Also I know why you really ate dinner at your place? Saving money my foot. 😉
how did you know? *blushes*
Stunning and creative recipe Lindsay! So excited to see this pasta. The lentil pasta that I loved started cutting in brown rice flour and just wasn’t as good in my opinion. Beans make darn good pasta!
Oh heck yeah! Delicious looking!
This sounds so good! And Chickapea pasta is my new fav. LOVE it!!
mine too! soooo good!
I promised myself after this last race that I’d finally take the plunge from vegetarian to Vegan. This mac and cheese recipe is making me think the change won’t be so bad!
awesome! let me know if you try it Heather!
OH YUM! I would even love to just eat those roasted chickpeas and jalapeño, that looks like a great snack too.
they definitely make a tasty snack too! I”m a chickpea aholic! haha
Mac and cheese with a kick, YUM! And I’m adding chickpea and lentil pasta to my shopping list. It sounds like something I have to try!
Wow, this looks really good! Pinning so I can find it again…
thanks friend
Wow your recipe (and photos) are on point!! This meal looks so flavorful and it’s great how it can be done in less than an hour! Thanks for sharing!
Let me know if you try it Sharon!
Oh you really combined all of my favs again. I feel like this could make my life better! 🙂
oh it so will Julie!
Spicy Mac N Cheese, heaven… same thing, really? This looks SO stinkin’ good!! I cannot wait to try it and see the looks of pure joy on my hubby’s face when he realizes it’s not velveeta 😉 Awesome post!
YEa! let me know whatcha think Karly! and your family
Oh my word that looks good. I would have never thought to put chickpeas in my mac. But you have me convinced and ready to make this.
David has slowly been increasing his spice tolerance so I might actually be able to sneak this by him, though I’m pretty sure he would ask where’s the cheese…cause he’s like that.
We can break him in with this. 😉 Tell him the cheese melted already. It’s hidden. haha
Awww I love those memories! And yes, this dish definitely rocks! I am a spice wimp though…but I need to get my hands on some of this pasta!
I think I need to help you get spicy acclimated! Haha
This sounds amazing. I can eat gluten and wheat but love to switch it up once and a while with chickpea pasta.
Protein Packed Recipe! Another one to be pinned 🙂
yea! let me know whatcha think.
We liked it Lindsay. Jalapeno’s flavor was too good with this recipe.
so glad!! Thanks for feedback
I’m a sucker for pasta with a homemade vegan cheese sauce or pesto…add a bunch of veggies and I’m one happy girl!
ohhh pesto! good call!
I tried chickpea pasta once, but yours looks really yummy. I have to give it another shot with this recipe.
I want to face plant into that bowl! Serious comfort food upgrade you have going on here!
haha you so should!
Double my chickpea love! This looks loaded with fiber and flavor … what a fun and creative way to get my beans. But you know what caught my eye first? Those jalapeños. Love, love, love the addition of full slices. I like it hot!! 🙂
you and me both! SPICY!
Pretty sure you’re cooking for Vegas this week. She thinks Mac and cheese is a food group. No joke. Love this. Love the jalapeños. Love you.
I think we all just need to move into the same neighborhood already. Cool?
What a gorgeous looking snd sounding meatless meal! Adding jalapenos is such a fun addition.
This looks sooo yummy! I love to have this for dinner tonight!
I just made mac and cheese with jalapenos last night! But I was missing chickpeas- that sounds delicious!
Ohh I need to sub in some healthier dishes into my repertoire, and this looks like a great addition! Maybe I’ll make it and not tell my fiance it’s vegan 😉
i absolutely love this dish Lindsay! it’s absolutely beautiful. my son and his girlfriend are vegan and i’m really excited to make this for them. btw, like you, i’m a long time gluten free girl and i happen to think this is the best pasta ever!
so glad!! let me know what they think! And yay for long time GF buds!
The roasted chickpeas and jalapenos are such a magic addition! This dish looks absolutely perfect… and love that mac n cheese can be so high in protein.
This looks absolutely wonderful Lindsay!! Love the heat with jalapenos with the chickpeas pasta !!!
Delicious of course! I love me some chickpea pasta!
Cotter Comeback 🙂 300 square feet! YIKES but Hawaii!!! Not a cheap place to live even back then!
Beautiful recipe!
haha i know you get this. Crazy $$. We were broke
Wow Lindsay this looks wonderful! I love these Chickapea products and they taste great! Bring on the spices – I could dig into a bowl of this Mac and Cheese 🙂
Not only is this gorgeous, but it sounds amazing! I love my chick pea pasta!
me too! the best!
This is sooooo up my alley, I love all those gorgeous jalapenos ~ I bet they have even better flavor after you roast them. I love Chickapea pasta, too, it was a great idea to pair it with chickpeas ~ double the protein 🙂
yes, i love roasting them with more spices!
This looks amazing!!!!! We will definitely be trying this. It combines many of my food loves. Jalapenos, chickpeas, carbs, gooey vegan cheese sauce……
I’ve been eyeing those little chickpea shells in the supermarket. Guess now is a good time to try them.
This recipe is GORGEOUS Lindsay!!! I definitely need to add it to my list of things to make – I still have a couple boxes of Chickapea kicking around and all I can say is that they definitely need to get covered in cheese and jalapenos!
yay! let me know whatcha think Taylor!
This looks so good and my husband and I love spicy food! I’d have to make two batches so they girls could get their mac n cheese fix. I’ve yet to try chickpea pasta but might have to breakdown and try it. Only 2 of us like chickpeas and the other two aren’t fans. Plus the hubby got a pasta roller so he is all about making his own pasta but I think I’ll have to sneak this in some weeknight.
Lol sounds like my exact first go at gluten-free pasta, too…it all just broke and turned out super mooshy. I love that there are more gf options available now that aren’t corn-based. I’ve tried Chickpea Pasta and love it! Definitely great texture, and I love that it’s made with quality ingredients. This jalapeno mac is right up my alley!
So I commented on this earlier via mobile and got a weird error. Looks completely different on desktop. P.S. I wanna try these chickpea pastas!
yes, i had major computer malfunctions. Ugh sorry!
I can’t wait to try this! Looks so delicious! Oh and loved your joke! lol
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