Vegan Black Bean Rotini & Kale with Chickpea Alfredo Sauce

This pasta is quite different from your wheat or whole grain pasta, it’s gluten free because it’s made from black beans. Definitely very nutritious and filling. Packed with protein and fiber. So when someone asks, “ Where do you get your protein from?” Say, Trader Joe’s Black Bean Rotini. Ha!

Its so simple to make and the pasta is ready in 7 minutes. Toss it in whichever sauce you’re into at the moment and just go crazy! Enjoy the uniqueness from this pasta. Perfect for lunch or a quick meals at dinner time.

Soaking your Cashews:

Start by soaking your cashews. Add cashews to boiling spring water. Cover with a paper towel and let them soak until ready to use.

Its best if you let them soak overnight but tonight’s dish was last minute and I’m too impatient for that! 

Cooking your Rotini Pasta:

This is the brand I use. I’m a Trader Joe’s advocate! No, I’m not really. I wish I was. Maybe they’d give me stock in their company or free food? Ha! 

Add one one pound of black bean rotini to a pot of boiling water. It says to cook 8-10 minutes I think. I can’t remember. I shut the heat off at 7 minutes, drained and immediately rinsed about 5 times with cold water. You want to stop the cooking process as soon as possible, or else the pasta gets mushy. We don’t want that.

Preparing the Chickpea Alfredo:

While your pasta is cooking, you want to start making the roux for your sauce.

In a small pot add the water and chickpea flour. Whisk it thoroughly to combine. Turn the heat on to medium and let it cook about 6 minutes until it thickens into a roux.

Remove from heat and set aside.

While your pasta and roux are cooking drain your  soaked cashews then add to a high speed blender. Add in the nutritional yeast, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, chopped garlic, lemon juice, then once the chickpea roux is done add that as well to the blender.

Pulse 30 seconds. Now, add about ⅓ cup – ½ cup of unsweetened almond milk. To help it blend a little easier. Pulse again for another 30 seconds – 1 minute. You want the sauce super creamy!

Steaming the Kale:

Next, add either some vegetable stock or 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a hot skillet.

Add your chopped kale and juice half of a lemon over the kale. Let the kale steam about 6 minutes, while covered over medium heat. Remove from the skillet.

Assembling the Pasta Dishes:

Transfer the creamy Alfredo sauce over your black bean rotini pasta.

Mix the pasta and the sauce together. It’s super creamy!

Finally, transfer the lemon kale and top the Alfredo pasta. Add some chopped jalapeños for a garnish if desired. Serve immediately and Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Vegan Black Bean Rotini & Kale with a Chickpea Alfredo Sauce

Gluten Free and Vegan recipe that gives you all the creaminess you desire out of an Alfredo dish! You’ll friends will never know it’s not dairy.

Course

Main Dish

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Raw Cashews soaked in hot water
• 16 ounces Black Bean Rotini
• 1 cup Spring Water
• ¼ cup Chickpea Flour
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
• 2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1½ teaspoons Lemon freshly juiced
• ⅓-½ cup Almond Milk unsweetened
• 3 Cloves Garlic chopped
• Sea Salt to taste
• Ground Black Pepper to taste
• 1-2 handfuls Kale roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons Jalapeños chopped {optional}

Course Main Dish Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Servings Ingredients ¼ cup Raw Cashews soaked in hot water 16 ounces Black Bean Rotini 1 cup Spring Water ¼ cup Chickpea Flour 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil ½ tablespoon Nutritional Yeast 2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar 1½ teaspoons Lemon freshly juiced ⅓-½ cup Almond Milk unsweetened 3 Cloves Garlic chopped Sea Salt to taste Ground Black Pepper to taste 1-2 handfuls Kale roughly chopped 2 tablespoons Jalapeños chopped {optional}

Instructions

Soaking your Cashews:

1. Start by soaking your cashews. Add cashews to boiling spring water. Cover with a paper towel and let them soak until ready to use. Its best if you let them soak overnight but tonight’s dish was last minute and I’m too impatient for that!

Cooking you Rotini Pasta:

1. Add one one pound of black bean rotini to a pot of boiling water. It says to cook 8-10 minutes I think. I can’t remember. I shut the heat off at 7 minutes, drained and immediately rinsed about 5 times with cold water. You want to stop the cooking process as soon as possible, or else the pasta gets mushy. We don’t want that.

Preparing your Chickpea Alfredo:

1. While your pasta is cooking, you want to start making the roux for your sauce.
2. In a small pot add the water and chickpea flour. Whisk it thoroughly to combine. Turn the heat on to medium and let it cook about 6 minutes until it thickens into a roux.
3. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. While your pasta and roux are cooking drain your soaked cashews then add to a high speed blender. Add in the nutritional yeast, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, chopped garlic, lemon juice, then once the chickpea roux is done add that as well to the blender.
5. Pulse 30 seconds. Now, add about ⅓ cup - ½ cup of unsweetened almond milk. To help it blend a little easier. Pulse again for another 30 seconds - 1 minute. You want the sauce super creamy!

Steaming the Kale:

1. Next, add either some vegetable stock or 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a hot skillet.
2. Add your chopped kale and juice half of a lemon over the kale. Let the kale steam about 6 minutes, while covered over medium heat. Remove from the skillet.

Assembling the Pasta Dishes:

1. Transfer the creamy Alfredo sauce over your black bean rotini pasta. Mix the pasta and the sauce together. It’s super creamy!
2. Finally, transfer the lemon kale and top the Alfredo pasta. Add some chopped jalapeños for a garnish if desired. Serve immediately and Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

[recipe]Did you attempt this recipe? Please let me know how you liked it {or not} by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #mamawentveganrecipes or @mamawentvegan. I love to hear your feedback and see your creations!