This Chickpea, Cashew & Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Skillet is made in one skillet, completely dairy free (and vegan) and made in under 20 minutes. You’ll be drooling over the smell and the taste will have you make this Chinese takeout inspired food over and over again!

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When you are trying to figure out what to have for dinner where you have any type of food allergy or preference, it feels like every single time all you can think of are meals that contain said food allergy. When you are dairy free, that means many time you are thinking of things that have dairy in them. Thankfully, this Chickpea, Cashew & Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Skillet contains no animal products at all.
That means that this Chickpea, Cashew & Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Skillet is:
- Dairy Free
- Egg Free
- Vegan/Plant Based
It’s an absolutely delicious, Asian inspired meal. It resembles a dairy free Chinese takeout type of dish that is absolutely delicious any time you are craving food to go. Even better, you don’t have to wait 45 minutes for the delivery, this is ready in just about 20 minutes and all made in just one skillet.

What ingredients do you need to make this Chickpea, Cashew & Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Skillet?
One of the best parts about this Chickpea, Cashew & Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Skillet is that you only need 7 ingredients and the entire meal will blow you away. It’s so dang delicious. The ingredients that you need to make this dairy free Asian dish are:
- roasted cashews
- chickpeas
- broccoli
- garlic
- sesame oil
- low sodium soy sauce
- cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- Optional: Garlic Chili Sauce
- Serve over: Rice, Quinoa, or Noodles

How do you make this Chickpea, Cashew & Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Skillet?
In order to make this Chickpea, Cashew & Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Skillet, you’re going to start by whisking together the soy sauce, some of the sesame oil and cornstarch together. If using the optional garlic chili sauce, stir it together in this sauce. Then add the remaining oil to a skillet over medium high. We prefer using our cast iron skillet for this recipe. Add in the minced garlic and sauté for one minute.
Next, add in the broccoli and sauce and stir together. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the cashews and chickpeas and cook for another 3-7 minutes or until broccoli is the preferred texture you want. (Less for broccoli with a slight crunch, more for broccoli that is softer)
Serve Chickpea, Cashew & Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Skillet over rice, Chinese noodles, or quinoa.

Do I have to use soy sauce?
Whether you are allergic to soy or just avoiding it, there may be many reasons that you do not want to use soy sauce in this Chickpea, Cashew & Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Skillet. You can easily swap with coconut aminos.
You can also use tamari sauce if you don’t mind soybeans, but want something different or gluten free.
Can I make this Top 8 Allergy Friendly?
Besides the soy sauce described above, the only other top allergen in this dish is the cashews.
You could swap for another nut depending on your allergy or even sunflower seeds. Another option you have if to omit completely and top with sesame seeds at the end.

What are other dairy free/vegan dinner ideas?
If you love this easy dairy free Asian inspired dinner recipe, you may be wondering what other dairy free dinner ideas we have. Here are some ideas we have (all are vegan):
- Dairy Free Taco Casserole
- Dairy Free Pizza
- Vegan Italian Meatballs
- Dairy Free Alfredo
- Dairy Free Nachos
- Easy Dairy Free Spinach & Walnut Pesto
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Chickpea, Cashew & Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Skillet
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegetable stock (60g)
- 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce, (75g)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (can sub arrowroot powder)
- ½-1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce *optional
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 head garlic, minced
- 1 head broccoli (approximately 4 cups- stems and florets okay)
- 1 cup unsalted roasted cashews, chopped (115g)
- 15 oz chickpeas, drained (250g)
Serve Over
- cooked rice, quinoa, noodles
Instructions
- Start to prepare your rice, quinoa, or noodles if serving with this dish.
- In a small bowl, whisk together vegetable stock, sesame oil, soy sauce, cornstarch, and optional garlic chili sauce. *Add in ½ teaspoon for a little heat or 1 teaspoon for a bit more.
- In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add in 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add in minced garlic and saute for 1 minute. Careful not to burn.
- Add in the broccoli and sauce and combine. Turn heat down to medium low.
- Cover and Cook for 8 minutes. Stirring occasionally so broccoli doesn't stick to the bottom. *If needed turn down heat a bit or add a splash of vegetable broth.
- Add in the chopped cashews and chickpeas and stir together.
- Cover and cook for an additional 3-7 minutes. *If you prefer a bit of a crunch with your broccoli cook for shorter, or softer broccoli cook longer.
- Remove from heat and serve over rice or other optional dish.
Notes
Video
Nutrition

Post originally published on 2/15/19 and updated to add video on 9/2/19.
I’m not vegan, however I made this recipe last night just as listed. It was divine and will mark this as one of my faves!
So glad that you enjoyed it!
First time to find your website and I’ll be making this dish tonight. Did you really mean a whole head of garlic??! Not just one clove but the whole head! Wow! I hope I understood you correctly. Thank you for all the wonderful meals you’ve shared! I look forward to trying many more of your recipes 😉
Yes, that’s correct
I made this today. It was delicious!!
So easy too. I added a tbsp of maple syrup for an extra layer of flavor, loved it!
nice!
Hi, I am wondering if this recipe takes an entire head of garlic (as listed in the ingredients), or just one clove?
The entire head (bulb)
One of my favorite recipes. So easy and delicious.
yay!
Oh Lordy! What a deeply flavored, quick, and easy recipe. My mouth is so happy! This dish is in the 45 RPM rotation, not the 33. First time using sesame oil and I now understand what a difference it makes in a dish. I’m sold!
Just don’t do as I did and be too lazy to go to the market for the low sodium soy sauce. Definitely need to use that. I added sweet chili sauce to the sauce part of the recipe because that’s what I had. Used it at the table, too, as a topper. Helped to knock back the inadvertent saltiness. Thanks for a great recipe.
So happy you enjoyed this one!
Thanks for the recipe I liked it! I didn’t have cashews so I subbed some raw peanuts and that was fine, I also added about 1/2 teaspoon of diced ginger root and some chopped Thai chilis for extra heat. I liked the broccoli so much – it has that restaurant texture that I never seem to achieve at home until now.
So glad you enjoyed it!
LOVED this recipe! I was a little worried that the sesame oil would overpower so used just under the recipe amount, and I used the chickpea liquid instead of stock just out of efficiency/laziness. But it worked! Topped with scallions & toasted sesame seeds and it was a hit with my 8-yr old and the adults. Thank you!
So happy you loved it!