Pasta with Tahini Sauce

Name: Pasta with Tahini Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (drained and rinsed (or 1 ½ cups cooked) (optional)); Drizzle of sesame oil (or olive oil (optional)); Salt (to taste); 8 ounces dry noodles (or spaghetti); 3 cups broccoli florets; 1/3 cup tahini; 2 tablespoon rice vinegar ((unseasoned)); 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or to taste); 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari (preferably low sodium)); 2 tablespoons lime juice ((about 1 small lime)); 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper ((optional)); 2 cloves garlic; Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

5 from 5 votes

Easy Pasta with Tahini Sauce is a quick and easy weeknight dinner, balanced with protein, and heart-healthy fats. It's vegan and gluten-free.

Published: Jan 9, 2024 by Nisha Melvani, RDN · I earn commissions from purchases via links on this post.

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Easy Pasta with Tahini Sauce is a quick and easy weeknight dinner, balanced with protein, and heart-healthy fats. Slippery noodles are paired with crunchy chickpeas, tender-crisp broccoli, and a creamy delicious sauce. It's vegan and gluten-free.

Creamy pasta with tahini sauce, chickpeas, and broccoli on a white plate.

A healthy meal in just 25 minutes that the whole family will love. The tahini sauce is the perfect amount of tangy, sweet, and with a slight kick from the crushed red pepper. It's also delicious with roasted veggies. Make a big batch of the sauce for the week and add it to veggie bowls, and salads.

Make this tahini pasta recipe with my Roasted Salad with Chickpeas, and this Easy Chickpea Mash in just 30 minutes using this Simple Chickpea Recipes blog post.

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🥦 Substitutions
📖 How to Make Pasta with Tahini Sauce
✔️ Top Tip
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made This Recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Udon noodles, baby broccoli, crushed red pepper, maple syrup, rice vinegar, lime, tahini, and garlic on a gray backdrop.

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It has a creamy texture and a nutty flavor. It's rich in healthy fats, protein, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron. Tahini is commonly found in grocery stores and is also used in vegan and vegetarian cooking as a substitute for dairy-based ingredients.
Noodles or spaghetti
Broccoli
Maple syrup
Soy sauce or tamari
Rice vinegar
Lime juice
Garlic
Crushed red pepper

See the recipe card for quantities.

🥦 Substitutions

Chickpeas - omit as desired
Broccoli- use broccolini florets, baby broccoli florets, baby spinach, or bok choy instead
Noodles - use rice or buckwheat soba noodles for gluten-free, spaghetti, or fettuccini
Sesame or olive oil - omit the oil entirely or substitute with a drizzle of coconut aminos or balsamic vinegar
Crushed red pepper - omit as desired

For more healthy pasta dinner ideas, visit my Vegan Pasta Recipes page.

📖 How to Make Pasta with Tahini Sauce

For the full recipe with quantities, scroll down to the bottom of the post. This is an overview.

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Transfer the chickpeas to a large rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat the chickpeas with the oil. Bake for about 20 minutes or until crispy.

Crispy roasted chickpeas on a white baking nonstick sheet.

Noodles cooking in boiling water in a white saucepan.

Step 2. Cook the noodles and broccoli: Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package directions until al dente.

Noodles and broccoli cooking in boiling water in a white saucepan.

Step 3. When there are 2 minutes of cooking time remaining, add the broccoli. Stir well. When the noodles are done cooking, drain in a colander.

Cooked broccoli with noodles in a glass bowl next to a smaller bowl with tahini sauce ingredients.

Step 4. Meanwhile, combine the tahini, rice vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, lime juice, and crushed red pepper in a medium bowl. Grate or press the garlic into the bowl. Whisk well to incorporate. Add up to 3 tablespoons water as needed until the desired consistency. Season with salt and black pepper as desired.

Pasta, noodles, and broccoli with tahini sauce in a glass bowl.

Step 5. Combine: Return the noodles and broccoli to the saucepan. Toss with the sauce. Serve warm topped with roasted chickpeas.

✔️ Top Tip

Do not overcook the noodles or they will be mushy. Cook them until al dente.
Tahini brands differ in their consistency. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time to adjust the consistency of the sauce or dressing. The tahini may seize but just keep on mixing and adding cold water. It will return to a creamy consistency.
Storage: Refrigerate leftover Pasta with Tahini Sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Can you make Pasta with Tahini Sauce ahead of time?

Cook the chickpeas ahead of time. Dry them out in the oven until crispy and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Make the tahini sauce while the chickpeas are roasting and store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
For serving, cook the noodles, and add the broccoli to the cooking noodles for the last 2 minutes. Add some of the hot water from the cooking noodles to the tahini sauce to warm and thin it out. Drain the noodles and broccoli, and add them back to the warm saucepan immediately with the sauce. Mix well and serve.

Can roasted chickpeas be stored at room temperature?

As long as they are roasted until crispy and dry, it is typically safe to store them in a sealed container at room temperature for a maximum of 2 days. However, to be extra safe, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days without the texture changing too much. Reheat them in the toasted oven or conventional oven at 350ºF until warm.

Do you need to refrigerate tahini?

Tahini is typically stored in a cool and dry area, away from heat and moisture. A pantry or cabinet is ideal. Like peanut butter, it can also be stored in the refrigerator if you like it thicker. Always check the label of the brand you are using for storage instructions.