Chickpea Pasta Recipe (Pasta e Ceci)
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This delicious pasta with chickpeas, aka Italian “pasta e ceci”, is one of the best one-pot family meals ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s budget-friendly, uses a handful of pantry staples, and it tastes like heaven.
Published in March 2020/Updated in March 2026
This is one of the first one-pot pasta recipes I published a few years back, and I just had to share it again to encourage you to make it if you haven’t already!
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This chickpea pasta recipe is definitely a staple in traditional Italian cuisine, where it’s very popular to cook pasta with pulses like pasta fazool, pasta with lentils, and pasta with peas; all of which have gotten rave reviews!
Today’s pasta with chickpeas is another keeper, a no-frills, budget recipe I grew up on and still a hit with my household.
Here is the deal: minimal ingredients, everything cooks in one pot, maximising flavor and texture (no need to drain the pasta!), and a flavorful meal ready in less than 30 minutes.
What’s not to love? It’s also full of plant-based protein, totally budget-friendly, and easy to whip up from scratch with just a handful of pantry staples.
Here is my Italian chickpea pasta recipe for you to try!
List of the ingredients
- Chickpeas
- Pasta
- Onion & garlic
- Rosemary or bay leaf
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Tomato paste
- Potato
- Parsley (optional)
- Salt & pepper
How to make a chickpea pasta recipe
(Note: This is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page.)
- Sauté minced garlic and diced onion in olive oil in a large pot.
- Add chickpeas, diced potato, rosemary, and tomato paste.
- Stir in broth, salt, and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove the rosemary, blend half of the chickpeas, or smash the potatoes with the back of a spoon to thicken the broth.
- Bring to a boil, add the pasta, and reduce the heat to a bare simmer.
- Stir frequently until the pasta is done. Before serving, stir in chopped parsley and extra-virgin olive oil, and adjust the seasoning if needed. It will be delicious with some crusty Italian bread, black pepper focaccia, or garlic bread on the side. Buon appetito!
The liquid quantity on the recipe card is an estimate. Depending on the type of pasta, you might need to add or reduce the amount of water.
RECIPE NOTES
Chickpea pasta recipe ingredients
Onion + garlic + olive oil: We usually skip the classic soffritto in this recipe, but we simply start with garlic and onion sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil to build flavor.
Chickpeas: The recipe calls for 2 cans (15oz each) of chickpeas for convenience, or 9oz (500 g) of homemade cooked chickpeas if you have time to soak them overnight. Cooking them on the stove takes 1 ½ to 2 hours, while cooking them in the Instant Pot takes about 17 minutes.
Fresh herbs: A small sprig of rosemary or a bay leaf adds a wonderful aromatic flavor. You can use 1/4 teaspoon of dried rosemary, thyme, or Italian herb seasoning instead.
Broth: You can use low-sodium vegetable broth or water. Start with the amount of liquid stated in the recipe, then add it gradually as much as needed.
Pasta: Small pasta shapes like ditalini are a must for this popular chickpea pasta recipe, but feel free to use whatever short pasta shape you have on hand. Another popular option is breaking long pasta shapes like noodles, pappardelle, or spaghetti into smaller pieces.
Extra flavor: In addition to checking the seasoning before serving, I recommend drizzling each bowl with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkling black or red pepper flakes, and garnishing with fresh parsley.
Pro Tips
There are many pasta-with-chickpeas recipes, but I love cooking mine all in one pot. Here are a few tips:
- Use a large, thick pot to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom. I used a cast-iron Dutch oven.
- Blend or smash part of the chickpeas and potatoes. This step is optional, but it thickens the broth and gives a more satisfying texture.
- Cook pasta and chickpeas together in one pot to maximise flavor.
- The liquid-to-pasta ratio should be just right. The excess liquid should be absorbed by the time the pasta is cooked. Depending on the shape of the pasta, you might need more or less liquid.
- Simmer your pasta. The liquid is added gradually to the pasta, which absorbs it entirely and releases its starch.
- Stir often, until the water is absorbed. Don’t walk away!
- Adjust the seasoning. Before serving, make sure the flavors pop. Serve with freshly ground pepper, extra-virgin olive oil, and Parmesan cheese if you like.
How long does it keep?
If you have leftovers, keep the pasta with chickpeas in a tight-lid container in the fridge for 2-3 days. However, the pasta will absorb liquid significantly as it sits. To reheat, add 1 cup of water until it’s thinned to the desired consistency, then gently warm over medium-low heat.
More recipes with chickpeas?
If you love them as much as we do, don’t miss this helpful collection of delicious chickpea recipes. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Creamy chickpea soup
- Mediterranean chickpea soup
- Chickpea Bruschetta
- Couscous salad with chickpeas
- Spicy chickpea salad
- Tomato chickpea soup
- Chickpea bean soup
- Lemon chickpea soup
Let me know if you make this chickpea pasta recipe or if you have any questions! Leave a comment, send me a message, or rate it.
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Chickpea Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium-sized onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 2 cans (14oz/400gr each) chickpeas, drained
- 1 medium-sized potato, cubed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 rosemary sprig or 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth (or water), use more if needed
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 8oz (220 grams) short pasta shapes (shells, orecchiette, ditali...)
- 2-3 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional, but recommended)
To serve (optional)
- drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
- grated parmesan or pecorino cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-based pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic in the last two minutes.
- Place chickpeas, the cubed potato, and the tomato paste, and the rosemary spin the pot (you can also use dried herbs – see notes in the post).
- Next, add vegetable broth or hot water, salt, and pepper (1 tsp of salt is fine if you use water or low-sodium broth, but if you use regular broth, adjust the seasoning at the end; see notes below). Raise the heat to a boil, then cover the pot, reduce the heat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Turn off the heat, remove the rosemary, and puree only part of the chickpeas with an immersion blender. Alternatively, smash the chickpeas and potatoes with the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Be careful; the liquid is still hot.
- Bring to a light boil again, stir in the dried pasta, and cook, stirring often (otherwise the pasta will stick to the bottom of the pot). Cook until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite. You don't need to cover the pot with a lid, but make sure you keep an eye on it. If the broth looks too thick, add a touch of water and thin to the desired consistency.
- When it's ready to serve, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper according to your taste.
- Stir in freshly chopped parsley, divide into bowls, and serve with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese if you don't keep it vegan. Garnish with more parsley, and enjoy!
I made this as written except I omitted the oil. I water sautéed the garlic and onion, then proceeded as written. This was amazing, thank you so much. I can’t believe how few ingredients and how incredibly tasty it was. It reminded me of a meal I had in Florence, but better than I remember!
What a wonderful feedback, Joanne!
I’m so glad you loved it, thanks so much for sharing. xx
Hi can I cook the pasta before I put it with the sauce,I had to keep adding water , because it took a long time to cook thank you .
Hi Violet, yes, you can cook pasta separately if you wish. However, when you cook the chickpeas make sure to reduce the amount of liquid accordingly (since you’re not cooking the pasta in the same pot, you might need less water). Start with 2 cups of liquid and then add a bit more if needed until you get your favorite consistency. Hope you enjoy the recipe : )
Hi! Did you use dried chickpeas or canned? How much of the dries ones should I use?
Hi! : ) The recipe calls for 2 cans of chickpeas (approx 2 cups of dried chickpeas).
However, if you use dried ones, make sure to soak them overnight first, then drain and cook them separately until tender before you start making this recipe. Unfortunately, you can’t use dried chickpeas straight away for this recipe. Hope this helps. x
Can you make this with gluten free pasta?
I’ve never used gluten-free pasta in this recipe but I think it works. However, gluten-free pasta is less resilient than regular pasta, just reduce the cooking time accordingly x
This tasted so authentic (my grandmother would be proud of you) I would not make this without the potato it gives a nice creamy texture. I am making this again this weekend. Thank you for sharing
You’ve made my day, Marie! I’m so happy you loved this recipe and thanks for sharing your lovely feedback.
Happy 2022! x
I’ve made this a few times as I like to experiment making different pasta as I’m vegan, so it’s so good to find one that’s actually vegan! My sister tried this dish in Italy this summer so I wanted to recreate it and it’s gorgeous! Thank you very much
You’re so welcome, Millie! I’m so pleased you loved it and thanks for your lovely comment x
This was absolutely delicious and everyone in the family loved it. We pretty much always have these ingredients in so it will definitely become a regular. Many thanks 😊
You’re so welcome, Cara! Thanks for sharing your feedback, I’m so pleased everyone loved it! 💛
You mention cubed potato in directions but I don’t see it in ingredient list just wanted to double check..thanks
Ops, I omitted the potato, I’ll add it now! A medium-sized potato is optional, but it makes the soup thicker and more substantial.
Thanks for your comment 🙂