Go Back
+ servings
creamy chickpea pasta in a plate with a fork.
Print

Creamy Chickpea Pasta

Spaghetti noodles and baby spinach leaves wrapped in a creamy parmesan sauce and topped with roasted chickpeas… pure bliss!
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword creamy chickpea pasta, easy pasta dinner
Prep Time 5 minutes
20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 737kcal

Equipment

  • 1 big pan
  • 1 big saucepan or pot
  • 1 pair large tongs or spaghetti spoon

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 small red onion chopped fine
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped fine
  • 6 oz baby spinach bag
  • 1 tbsp rosemary chopped
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup parmesan pre-shredded
  • 12 oz spaghettini noodles

Instructions

Preparation

  • Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas and chop the onion, garlic, and rosemary.

Make the cream sauce

  • Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas. Keep a large pan on medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chickpeas, sea salt and black pepper. Sauté until the chickpeas are slightly browned and crisped. When they start popping, take out half of them in a small bowl and set aside for garnishing the pasta later.
  • Add the onions and garlic and cook for a minute.
  • Add the spinach and rosemary and cook until the spinach wilts (about 2 minutes). 
  • Add the cream and parmesan and cook for 2 minutes or until the parmesan melts in the cream.

Cook the pasta

  • Pour 7-8 cups tap water into a large pot, add one heaped tablespoon salt and a few drops cooking oil. Bring to a boil on full heat.
  • Add the spaghettini and stir to separate the noodles. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the noodles are al dente.
  • With a pair of tongs or spaghetti spoon, take out the spaghettini and put it directly in the cream sauce you prepared earlier. Cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until the noodles have absorbed most of the sauce.
  • Top with the reserved chickpeas. Wait for 5 minutes to give the pasta a chance to cool down a bit, then serve warm.

Notes

  • After the noodles are cooked, there’s no need to drain them or rinse them in cold water. Draining the noodles is an extra step and not necessary here since you’re adding the cooked pasta immediately to the sauce.
  • Leftover pasta can easily be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days. Just heat it up in a microwave when you want to have it. I wouldn’t recommend freezing it as the base is a cream sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 737kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 648mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5026IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 340mg | Iron: 3mg