Meatless Chickpea Ragu Recipe

Jennifer W. | The Scrumptious Pumpkin

Meatless Chickpea Ragu chickpeas, vegetables, and other ingredients create a vegetarian and vegan bolognese. A hearty dish in less than...

Meatless Chickpea Ragu Photo

So I had a huge craving for a rich, hearty ragu pasta not so long ago. And although I didn't have any meat on hand, I did happen to have a can of chickpeas. And that is how one of my new favorite comfort food dishes was born: meatless chickpea ragu!

Meatless Chickpea Ragu Picture

This full-of-flavor sauce is a meatless "meat" sauce, a vegan bolognese. But the delicious combo of onions, carrots, hearty mushrooms, and rich garbanzo beans in this sauce make it so crave-able, and so comforting as well.

Ground Chickpeas Photo

To give this sauce the same substantial, stick-to-your-ribs quality that a traditional meat-based ragu sauce would have, I toss a can of chickpeas into a food processor or blender and just quickly pulse a few times. The idea is not to blend away until the garbanzo beans turn into a creamy puree, but to just pulse a few times, chopping them up a bit. This mimics the shape and texture of ground beef in the typical bolognese sauce.

Meatless Chickpea Ragu Ingredients Photo

I also add chopped mushrooms for extra heartiness. Plus onions, carrots, a couple of key seasonings, and a splash of red wine for tons of flavor. Optional: if you like your sauce a little spicy, add 1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes!

Meatless Chickpea Ragu Image

As a big veggie lover through and through, I absolutely, no question would prefer this chickpea ragu sauce over a traditional meat sauce any day of the week. (The fact that it takes under 30 minutes to prepare makes me enjoy it even more.) So the true test was to serve it up for dinner and discover my husband's (aka "Meat-and-Potatoes-Guy's") opinion of my meatless "meat" sauce. He said it looked just like a hearty meat sauce. He said it tasted delicious. And he went back for a heaping second portion.

Meatless Chickpea Ragu Pic

That's when I felt certain: this is a whole, clean, plant-based comfort food dish that the whole family can appreciate. (The fact that this is also a heart-healthy vegan dish that's packed with nutrients is just an added bonus!)

We’re huge fans of Italian vegetarian meals around here! Try Urvashee’s baked eggplant parmesan or Katie’s cacio e pepe pasta too. 

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Meatless Chickpea Ragu Recipe

    6 Servings

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Whole Wheat Fusilli Pasta, Or other whole wheat penne or rotini pasta
  • 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 medium Onion, Diced
  • 2 large Carrots, Diced
  • 10 ounces Cremini Mushrooms, Stems removed and diced
  • 15 ounces Chickpeas, Drained and thoroughly rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
  • 1/8 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Optional
  • 1/3 cup Red Wine, Dry
  • 20 ounces Tomato Puree, Or crushed tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Chopped, optional
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Boil a large pot of water. Salt the water and add the pasta. Cook until just al dente, about 7 minutes, and drain.
  2. Meanwhile, place the chickpeas in a blender or food processor and pulse a few times, just until beans are roughly chopped (stop before beans are pureed into a smooth and creamy texture).
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the crimini mushrooms and chopped chickpeas and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic powder, herbes de provence, and (optional) crushed red pepper flakes. Stir until well combined.
  5. Add the red wine and cook until wine is reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree, stir until well combined, and season with additional salt and pepper.
  6. Allow sauce to simmer and cook about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and immediately stir in cooked pasta.
  7. Top with fresh chopped parsley (optional), and serve.

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Published:
Modified:
Author:
Cooking Method:
Simmered
Cuisine:
Vegan
Category:
Whole Grain
Tags:
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Related Recipes:
Vegetarian Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Italian Recipes, Pasta Recipes, Whole Grain Recipes, Easy Recipes, Sauce Recipes, Chickpea Recipes, Simmered Recipes
Recipe Yields:
6 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Related Post:
Published:
Author: Jennifer W.
Recipe Yields: 6 servings
Prep Time: 13 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 69
Calories 399

% Daily Value*
13%
Total Fat 9g
3%
  Saturated Fat 1g
12%
Sodium 282mg
20%
Total Carbohydrate 59g
6%
  Dietary Fiber 5g
  Sugars 7g
26%
Protein 13g

* Percent Daily Value are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrition Facts are estimated based on ingredients and data provided by Fat Secret. Please consult a doctor if you have special dietary needs.
Jennifer W.

About Jennifer

Jen is a lifelong lover of fresh, healthy eating. She shares this love on The Scrumptious Pumpkin. Here on Food Fanatic, she's sharing her best Healthy Comfort Food.

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