This incredibly easy and delicious vegan buffalo chickpea pasta bake is exactly what you need for your next dinner. It requires minimal ingredients, packs a good kick of heat and is gluten free and vegetarian! However, you could easily add meat to this dish or substitute non-dairy cheese for a vegan version. This is the perfect dish to make for a family dinner, meal prep or a game day dish!
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Buffalo chicken dip holds a special place in my heart. But truly, anything with buffalo and I’m hooked. Luckily for me, everyone I cook for also loves buffalo so I made this super easy dinner for us to all enjoy. It’s a simple dinner to make after a day of work or even to prep ahead of time! As most of you know, I am all about the simple, minimal and quick dinners. When it comes to making buffalo flavored recipes, I will always love a good pre-made sauce vs. mixing hot sauce together with other flavors. I am a huge fan of the New Primal Mild Buffalo Sauce specifically, but any will obviously work for this recipe.
Does the shape or kind of the pasta matter?
The simple answer is no, BUT there is a huge preference I would say. Specifically, I would use a shorter shaped pasta as opposed to a long noodle such as spaghetti. Even more, I would use a shape that allows the mixture to fill the inside of the shape such as rigatoni, penne or ziti. As for the kind of pasta, I used chickpea pasta from the brand Banza. You could definitely use a regular pasta or brown rice pasta for this recipe but I have not tested it with any others so feel free to try it out!
SO… what will you need to make this buffalo chickpea pasta bake?
- Buffalo Sauce
- Chickpea Pasta
- Plain Yogurt
- Almond Milk
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Shredded Cheese
- Celery
- Kale or Spinach (optional)
- Green Onions (optional)
Can I make any substitutions or add more ingredients?
- Buffalo Sauce: you can use any brand or look up a homemade buffalo sauce recipe using hot sauce as the base
- Chickpea Pasta: I have made this recipe with regular pasta and brown rice pasta but not any others
- Plain yogurt: I am a big fan of using Greek yogurt but if making this dairy free or vegan, stick to any yogurt brand that is on the thicker side and plain (not vanilla, etc.)
- Almond milk: Any milk will work as long as it is not flavored or sweetened
- Shredded cheese: I would stick to either mozzarella, cheddar or a three-cheese blend. You can also add more if that is your preference! If sticking to vegan or dairy free, make sure you use a brand that melts well.
- Celery: this is optional but adds in a veggie and pairs well with the buffalo (almost like buffalo chicken dip with celery). You can also add in shredded carrots too or in exchange.
- Kale or spinach: again this is optional, but I love to add in an extra veggie!
Need another dinner idea? Check these out!
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Ready to make this easy dinner or game day dish?!
Buffalo Chickpea Pasta Bake
Equipment
- Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 8 oz cooked chickpea pasta measured dry; see note for substitutions
- 1 cup buffalo sauce
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt greek or thick dairy free
- 2 small stalks celery diced
- 2 cups shredded spinach or kale optional
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- green onions to garnish
Instructions
- If your pasta is not cooked, cook your pasta according to package instructions and drizzle with olive oil after draining to prevent sticking
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- In a mixing bowl, add diced celery, spinach or kale if using, and pasta.
- In a large measuring cup or bowl, mix together buffalo sauce, almond milk, plain yogurt, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Pour liquid mixture over the dry ingredient mixture and toss until each piece is evenly coated
- Pour into an oiled 8 inch baking dish in an even layer
- Add remaining 1/2 cup (or more if you prefer) of shredded cheese on the top
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit at 30 minutes and optional broil at the end for a crispier cheese top
- Serve with chopped green onions on top!
Notes
- pasta: I used chickpea pasta for this recipe and have used regular and brown rice pasta as well. I have not tested any others. Stick to any short pasta shape such as rigatoni, penne or ziti.
- For vegan or dairy free, use a non-dairy shredded cheese that melts well or skip entirely
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