Description
Buffalo Chickpea Pasta Salad is a vibrant and satisfying vegan dish bursting with flavor. This dish showcases crispy buffalo chickpeas, fresh veggies, and a creamy dairy-free ranch dressing, making it perfect for summer barbecues or as a nutritious meal prep option. Packed with protein-rich chickpeas and healthy fats from avocados, it’s not only delicious but also wholesome. Easy to prepare and versatile enough to serve as a main course or side dish, this salad is sure to impress at any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound short pasta (cavatappi recommended)
- 1 bell pepper (diced)
- 10 ounces grape tomatoes (halved)
- 1 bunch cilantro (chopped)
- 2 small avocados (chopped)
- 1 can chickpeas (15 ounces, drained & rinsed)
- Buffalo sauce (1/4 cup)
- Vegan mayo (2/3 cup)
- Green onions (for topping)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions in boiling water. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- In a skillet, heat avocado oil over medium heat. Add chickpeas, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes until crispy. Stir in buffalo sauce and cook for an additional 2 minutes before removing from heat.
- For the ranch dressing, blend vegan mayo, green chiles, garlic cloves, onion powder, parsley, chives, dill, pepper, and apple cider vinegar in a food processor until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, diced bell pepper, halved tomatoes, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, crispy chickpeas, and ranch dressing. Toss well and top with green onions before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240g)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 0mg