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Ready in just 15 minutes, this pesto chickpea recipe is extra creamy and high in protein thanks to cottage cheese! It’s a quick vegetarian comfort food that’s as delicious as it is fun to eat.
If you loved my Lemon Pepper Chickpeas or Marry Me Chickpeas, this recipe will be a sure-favorite! Pair with Air Fryer Veggies and good bread for an easy weeknight dinner.
save this recipe!You know the feeling: 5 p.m. hits and you’re hungry but feel like there’s nothing to eat. That’s where pesto chickpeas shine!
Made with just four ingredients and high in protein and fiber, they are a hearty meal perfect for a busy weeknight.
Weeknight dinner? check!
- High Protein Vegetarian Meal: With an entire tub of cottage cheese blended plus chickpeas, this recipe is packed with protein and fiber!
- Versatile: You can enjoy these chickpeas with crusty bread or over rice, pasta, or quinoa, just to name a few possibilities.
Reader rating
“So delicious, fast and easy!! Loved eating it with toasted fresh sourdough bread.” —Ivy
Key Ingredients
This is just an overview of the ingredients. Jump to the recipe card for the measurements.
- Chickpeas: We kind of love chickpea recipes around here (though any white bean would do–butter beans are great in this recipe!).
- Cottage Cheese: I prefer full-fat cottage cheese for this sauce since it’s the bulk of the cheesiness. But, low fat will work if you’re watching macros.
- Pesto: I love using homemade pesto, but store-bought is convenient and will work well too.
- Spinach: This is the best recipe for using up wilting spinach because it all blends into the green sauce!
just keep blending
Most people think they don’t like cottage cheese because of the texture and I get it! The trick is to fully blend out all the curds, and that can take longer than you think. As the blender heats up, the curds will blend easier so just keep blending. And if you don’t get it perfectly smooth, that’s ok too. It’ll still taste great!
P.S. Try my creamy pesto butter beans with cherry tomatoes next!
Creamy High Protein Pesto Chickpea Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 24-oz tub low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 6.5-oz jar pesto
- 2 to 3 handfuls fresh spinach
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained
- To serve: freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
- Blend: Add 1 24-oz tub low-fat cottage cheese, 1 6.5-oz jar pesto, and 2 to 3 handfuls fresh spinach to a blender. Blend on high-speed until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Heat: Pour mixture into a pot or high-sided saute pan. Stir in 2 15-oz cans chickpeas (drained) and gently warm over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Serve: Top with grated parmesan and serve warm with good crusty bread, over rice or pasta, or with veggies!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I absolutely love chickpeas and I am so happy when I find new recipes to try. I have to admit that I try a lot of your recipes and I am always very very happy with the results. Thank you so much.
I’m thrilled to hear you’ve loved all the recipes, Karyn! Happy eating! 😀
Easy & good.
Easy
Hello, I made this but when I warmed on the stove for 10 minutes my cottage cheese mixture separated. Is this normal? I did continuously stir it.
That can happen if it’s heated too quickly or too hot! Low and slow is best with cottage cheese 🙂
Hi! I would love to make this but can’t eat spinach — any idea what could work as a substitute? Thanks so much 🙂
You can just leave it out! It’s really just for the color! 🙂
No not yet but it looks so good I can’t wait to get everything I need to make it thank you for this recipe I looked at all your other recipes that they look good too.
This was a creamy, delicious meal with crusty dipping bread! I used Lima beans, because that’s what I had and I made a half batch, again, due to pantry limitations. I will make this again!
So glad it turned out so well! Happy eating 😀
So delicious, fast and easy!! Loved eating it with toasted fresh sourdough bread. Thank you!
So glad it hit the spot, thanks for sharing!
I haven’t made it yet, but I’m wondering how long the sauce would last in the fridge if I blended it ahead of time (like days early, not hours early).
It should stay good in the fridge for 3 to 5 days!
What can you substitute for cottage cheese? Hubby is dairy-free.
You could blend up silken tofu!
I can’t get vegan cottage cheese so I whizz up butter beans with oat milk + NOOCH.
I know it’s not the same at all but I change things to suit + it does give me special GF seedy toast.
It’s such a great idea. Thanks for sharing!!