Weeknight Chickpea Bolognese

By Minimalist Baker

Easy, flavorful, 10-ingredient chickpea bolognese over carrot noodles! A healthy, fast, satisfying plant-based meal!

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas ((rinsed, drained, and dried))
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp dried or fresh oregano
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 Tbsp gluten-free panko bread crumbs
• 1 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced ((3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp or 9 g))
• 1/4 cup carrots ((very finely diced))
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 Tbsp dried or fresh oregano
• 1 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese
• 1-2 Tbsp sweetener of choice ((such as organic cane sugar or coconut sugar // optional))
• 10 large carrots ((ribboned with a vegetable peeler // or sub 8 ounces pasta of choice per 10 carrots))
• Red pepper flakes
• Vegan parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).

2. 2

   Add rinsed, dried chickpeas to a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil, oregano, salt, garlic powder, panko bread crumbs, and vegan parmesan cheese.

3. 3

   Place chickpeas on a baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crispy and light golden brown (see photo), then remove and set aside.

4. 4

   While chickpeas are baking, heat a large metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, garlic and carrots. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

5. 5

   Remove skillet from heat, add tomato sauce, oregano, and vegan parmesan cheese, and stir. Place back over heat and bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and continue cooking to thicken, stirring occasionally.

6. 6

   Sample sauce and adjust seasonings as needed. Add sweetener of choice at this time if preferred (I went with 1 Tbsp coconut sugar, 1 Tbsp organic cane sugar // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).

7. 7

   To make carrot noodles, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add carrots and boil for 2-3 minutes (2 for al dente, 3 for more tender noodles). Drain and set aside.

8. 8

   Add 3/4 of the baked chickpeas to the sauce (see photo) and stir.

9. 9

   To serve, top carrot noodles with sauce, remaining chickpeas, and any additional toppings (see options above).

10. 10

    Leftovers keep well (separate) in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat sauce in the microwave or saucepan. Add a little water to thin if too thick.