This ridiculously easy chickpea broccoli Alfredo skillet is delightfully cheesy, creamy, and ready in just 20 minutes- and it’s made entirely dairy free! My entire family RAVES about this dish every time I make it- and they don’t even know it’s vegan!!

skillet of chickpea broccoli alfredo bake

Britt’s notes: My family’s new favorite 20 minute dinner:

Honestly, every time my husband takes a bite of this dish, he throws his fork down in disbelief- it is SO good.

Like every time you take a bite, you know how you’re supposed to get diminishing returns? Yeah, not with this. This chickpea broccoli Alfredo skillet is heaven and my family’s absolute obsession right now (and quite frankly, my own, because who wouldn’t want dinner ready in under 20 minutes for a busy weeknight meal?!).

It’s sort of like the Alfredo version of my creamy tomato butter beans– all of the yummy, flavor-packed produce somehow turned into a dish that you could easily serve at a restaurant but it’s easy?? Like someone explain, PLEASE. Pair it with my quick vegan garlic bread or crispy sweet potatoes, it’s an absolute dream.

This is just further proof that plant based foods can really do it all- and it doesn’t have to be complicated!! In fact, these are the simplest ingredients, many of which you probably have on hand, even if you aren’t a vegan household!

Trust me, you’ll be making this dish on repeat- you’ve been warned, I cannot be held responsible for the incessant begging of this recipe being made again and again once you try!!

serving the chickpea broccoli alfredo skillet

Simple, easy to find ingredients:

Most of them are probably in your pantry already!

  • Chickpeas: Make sure you save that aquafaba for making vegan brownies or my flourless chocolate cake!
  • Onion
  • Vegan butter: Violife works really well here, but I do have my homemade vegan butter coming soon!
  • Garlic powder & mustard powder
  • Dried parsley
  • Vegan cream cheese: I have made this with my homemade vegan cream cheese, which is just delightful. However, in a pinch, I use Nuts for Cheese vegan cream cheese- it’s SO good! The artichoke & herb flavor is wonderful here!
  • Dairy free milk: You can use any dairy free milk here. I like my easy 2 ingredient cashew cream or my quick homemade oat milk.
  • Veggie broth: I do have a homemade veggie broth that my Mother-in-Law taught me! It’s super easy and great to freeze for moments like this or if you want to make a soup! You can also just use water, but make sure to add some extra sea salt for flavor.
  • Flour: You can use all-purpose flour OR to make it gluten free, use cornstarch or arrowroot starch. Either works! I’ve even tried it with Einkorn flour, and that works as well.
bowl of chickpea broccoli alfredo skillet

Let’s make it:

For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.

sautéing the onions, broccoli, chickpeas, and herbs together
We’ll start by sautéing the onions in the vegan butter, then adding in the broccoli to cook until tender. Finish with the chickpeas, garlic powder, mustard powder, and dried parsley.
stirring in the dairy free milk and veggie broth
Stir in the dairy free milk and veggie broth, then let it come to a boil. We’re going to make a roux with 1/4 cup of the dairy free milk and flour, which will then be stirred into the boiling broth to thicken the sauce.
finishing the chickpea broccoli alfredo skillet
Add in the vegan cream cheese, and stir until melted
serving the chickpea broccoli alfredo skillet
Then serve your chickpea broccoli Alfredo skillet warm and enjoy!

Make it your own:

Here’s what I do when I want to make a spin off of this dish:

  • Swap broccoli for kale, collard greens, broccolini, or even zucchini in the late spring time
  • Add pastina, orzo, couscous, fettuccine, or any pasta to this dish for a fun pasta twist
  • Stir in 2 tbsp of tomato paste for a creamy tomato-y Alfredo sauce that’s just delightful!
  • Use butter beans instead of chickpeas for a different bean type!
  • Bake this dish with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan on top at 400F for 10-15 minutes, or until the dairy free cheese is melted, for an easy baked chickpea broccoli Alfredo!
scooping the chickpea broccoli alfredo skillet

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20 Minute Creamy Chickpea Broccoli Alfredo Skillet - Dairy Free & Vegan pinterest pin

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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skillet of chickpea broccoli alfredo bake

20 Minute Creamy Chickpea Broccoli Alfredo Skillet – Dairy Free & Vegan

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This ridiculously easy chickpea broccoli Alfredo skillet is delightfully cheesy, creamy, and ready in just 20 minutes- and it’s made entirely dairy free! My entire family RAVES about this dish every time I make it- and they don’t even know it’s vegan!!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup (57 g) vegan butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cups broccoli florets (about 1 large head broccoli)
  • 16 ounces chickpeas, rinsed*
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup cashew cream or dairy free milk, divided
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour or cornstarch
  • 8 ounces vegan cream cheese*

Instructions

  1. Prep: Read through all instructions before beginning. Dice the onion and prepare the broccoli florets.
  2. Saute: Add the vegan butter to a large skillet on the stove top, and heat on medium heat to melt. Add in the onion once hot. Saute for 4-5 minutes, until the onions are translucent, then add in the broccoli, and sauté. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook the broccoli and onion together for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Cook: Once the broccoli has begun to soften, add in the chickpeas, garlic powder, dried parsley, mustard powder, and sea salt. Saute on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Boil: Then pour in the veggie broth and 3/4 cup (180 mL) of cashew cream or dairy free milk. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil. While the mixture is coming to a boil, mix together the remaining 1/4 cup (60 mL) dairy free milk and 1 tbsp flour to create a roux. Pour the roux into the boil chickpea broccoli mixture and stir. The chickpea broccoli skillet will begin to thicken.
  5. Finish with cheese: Crumble up the vegan cream cheese and add into the skillet. Reduce the heat to low, and stir the cream cheese into the skillet until melted. Keep stirring until the chickpea skillet begins to thicken, about 1-2 minutes.
  6. Serve and enjoy: Serve the chickpea broccoli Alfredo skillet over toast, pasta, or enjoy as is or as a side dish!

Notes

Chickpeas: When rinsing the chickpeas, save the liquid (aquafaba) for other recipes, like these fudgy vegan brownies or flourless chocolate cake!

Cream cheese: I really like Nuts for Cheese vegan cream cheese for store bought or my homemade cream cheese here.