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    One-Pot Pasta with Chickpeas (Pasta e Ceci)

    Mar 3, 2020 by Katia · 8 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.

    A close-up of a bowl full of past with chickpeas.
    A close-up of a bowl full of past with chickpeas.

    This delicious pasta with chickpeas or Italian pasta e Ceci, is the best one-pot family meal you can cook in less than 30 minutes. It’s budget-friendly, vegan, packed with protein, it comes together super fast and nicely warms you up!

    It’s one of those easy recipes that transform cheap cupboard essentials into delicious and healthy meals that everyone loves. And if you’re fan of healthy, convenient chickpeas, you’ll love this collection of chickpea recipes too.

    A wooden spoon stirs pasta with chickpeas in a white cast iron pot.
    Jump to recipe

    Once you sauté the diced vegetables (soffritto), and rosemary in olive oil, you just dump the chickpeas, the water and bring to a boil. Then puree part of the chickpeas, stir in pasta and cook gently while the stew simmers.

    The result is a pot of creamy pasta with chickpeas with a hint of rosemary, absolutely delicious. It has been one of my favorite weeknight meals since I was a child.

    If you’re looking for a fast and filling pasta recipe, this is it!

    A metal spoon full of pasta with chickpeas.

    What ingredients you need

    • Canned chickpeas
    • Pasta
    • Onion, carrot, celery (soffritto)
    • Garlic
    • Rosemary
    • Olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
    • Potato (optional)
    • Salt & pepper

    How to make it

    Chopping the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, and then…

    • Saute’ these vegetables and rosemary in olive oil
    • Stir in chickpeas, a cubed potato, and a pinch of salt
    Diced vegetables and rosemary in a white pot and the same pot with the addition of chickpeas.
    • Add water or broth, and cook for 10 minutes
    • Remove rosemary and blend half of the chickpeas
    • Return it to the pot
    • Add pasta and simmer until cooked
    A jar pouring blended soup into the pot and the addition of pasta to the pot.
    • Pasta will gradually absorb the water
    • Stir often, adding as much water as needed
    • Adjust the seasoning and serve with ground black pepper and extra virgin olive oil
    • Enjoy!
    A wooden spoon is stirring pasta with chickpeas in a white pot.

    If you need a filling family meal ready in less than 30 minutes, look no further.

    This one pot of warming pasta with chickpeas will cost you less than $ 1.20 per serving and makes a delicious and balanced meal.

    And it’s so good!

    ARE CHICKPEAS HEALTHY?

    YES. Chickpeas are nutrient-dense food rich in protein and fiber. According to a study published in the journal Nutrients, people who regularly consume chickpeas have higher intakes of several key nutrients. These include fiber, vitamins A, E and C, folate, magnesium, potassium, iron, and antioxidants.

    Pasta with chickpeas in a white bowl with a spoon over a white background.

    RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

    Pasta e ceci is a popular and simple Italian recipe. It looks more like a stew than a soup, where pasta cooks while the stew simmers.  In Italy, this is the way we cook pasta with pulses like this classic pasta e fagioli, pasta with lentils and this pasta with peas.

    Basically, the liquid is minimized and is added gradually to the pasta, which absorbs it completely and retains its starch. And you want to stir often until the water is absorbed, otherwise, it will stick to the bottom of the pot and start to scorch.

    Keep in mind that the quantity of liquid stated in the recipe card is just an estimate. You might want to add or to reduce the amount of water according to the type of pasta.

    Plus, cooking pasta, chickpeas, and the soffritto base (mix of vegetables) in a smaller amount of liquid delivers more flavor to the dish!

    WHAT IS A SOFFRITTO MIX?

    In Italy, this is a classic flavorsome base for almost anything cooked on the stove. Basically, “soffritto” is a mix of diced carrots, onion, celery that can be slowly sautéed in a bit of olive oil until golden and sweet.
    Please, if you have carrot, onion, and celery on hand, do not to skip this step : )

    HOW TO MAKE DELICIOUS PASTA WITH CHICKPEAS?

    There’re many recipes of this pasta with chickpeas, but I love cooking mine thick, creamy and flavorsome.
    Here there’re a few tips:

    • Start with a soffritto base
    • Cook pasta and chickpeas together, all in one pot, not separately!
    • Puree some of the chickpeas and cook pasta in this creamy soup
    • A small starchy potato improves the creamy texture
    • let it simmers and stir often
    • Add water gradually, you don’t want a watery broth
    • Serve with freshly ground pepper and extra virgin olive oil

    HOW LONG DOES IT KEEP?

    If you have any leftovers, you can store pasta with chickpeas in the fridge in a tight lid container for 2 days.
    However, the pasta will absorb liquid as it sits. To reheat, add up to 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 go for convenient canned chickpeas for your vegetarian or vegan last-minute meals, have a look at these amazing recipes!

    • Creamy chickpea soup
    • Mediterranean chickpea soup
    • Chickpea Bruschetta
    • Couscous salad with chickpeas
    • Spicy chickpea salad

    The delicious and protein-packed chickpeas are one of the best cupboard staples ever: they’re so versatile, healthy, and just perfect for a quick and healthy family meal.

    And if you make this pasta e ceci let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram. I would love to hear from you!

    A wooden spoon stirs pasta with chickpeas in a white cast iron pot.
    Print Recipe

    ONE-POT PASTA E CECI (PASTA WITH CHICKPEAS)

    Pasta with chickpeas, in Italian pasta e ceci, is a delicious one-pot family meal ready in less than 30 mins. It's easy, vegan, creamy, healthy, and so good!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Course: pasta, Soup
    Cuisine: Italian, vegan, vegetarian
    Keyword: Pasta e ceci
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 443kcal
    Author: Katia

    Ingredients

    • 2 cans (14oz/400gr. each) chickpeas, drained
    • 1/2 lb (8oz/220 grams) short pasta shapes (shells, orecchiette, ditali...)
    • 4 cups (960 ml) vegetable broth, plus more if needed
    • 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
    • 2 carrots, diced
    • 1 celery rib, diced
    • 1 medium-sized onion, diced
    • 1 medium-sized potato, cubed
    • 1 garlic, diced
    • 1 rosemary, sprig
    • fine salt, according to taste
    • black pepper

    Instructions

    • Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion, carrot, celery, and rosemary. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic, and stir for 30 seconds.
    • Add the chickpeas, the cubed potato, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook stirring frequently, about 1 minute. 
    • Then add vegetable broth, raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.
    • Then turn the heat off, remove the rosemary.
    • Scoop out about 1 and 1/2 cup of the chickpeas and some broth to a blender, puree until smooth and return it to the pot. Alternatively, you might use a stick blender, or you can simply smash part of the chickpeas with a potato masher.
      However, be careful, the liquid is still hot
    • Turn the heat on, bring to a light boil, and add the dried pasta.
    • Reduce the heat and cook gently, stirring often, until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite. If the soup seems too thick, gradually add water or broth and thin to desired consistency (note: the longer it sits on the stove, the thicker it will get).
    • Season with salt and pepper according to your taste (if you use broth, it's important to adjust the seasoning at the end and not at the beginning, as you never really know how salty the broth is).
    • Serve with an extra drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and grated parmesan cheese if you don't keep it vegan. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Liquid: 3 cups of water/broth is an estimate. You migh need to add or to reduce the amount of water according to the type of pasta and to your preference.
    Seasoning: I cook pasta e ceci with water, but If you prefer to use broth,  keep in mind it might tastes quite salty on its own.  It’s important to adjust the seasoning at the end and not at the beginning as you never really know how strong the salt from the broth is.
    Note: pasta e ceci is best served immediately; as it sits, the pasta soaks up the liquid. If the soup gets too thick, you can thin it with a bit of broth or water
    Freezable: the chickpea soup can be frozen, without the pasta, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is ready.
    NOTE: nutritional values are estimates only.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 588mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5126IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 4mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michelle

      December 6, 2020 at 4:12 pm

      Can you make this with gluten free pasta?

      Reply
      • Katia

        December 6, 2020 at 4:34 pm

        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

    2. Millie

      November 2, 2020 at 4:41 pm

      5 stars
      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

      Reply
      • Katia

        November 2, 2020 at 11:19 pm

        You’re so welcome, Millie! I’m so pleased you loved it and thanks for your lovely comment x

    3. Cara

      October 17, 2020 at 6:07 pm

      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 😊

      Reply
      • Katia

        October 18, 2020 at 3:41 pm

        You’re so welcome, Cara! Thanks for sharing your feedback, I’m so pleased everyone loved it! 💛

    4. Lorraine

      April 4, 2020 at 8:11 pm

      You mention cubed potato in directions but I don’t see it in ingredient list just wanted to double check..thanks

      Reply
      • Katia

        April 4, 2020 at 9:04 pm

        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 🙂

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    Hi, I’m Katia! Welcome to my blog where I share easy, delicious, and budget-friendly recipes. I love cooking mainly vegetarian meals in no time at all. Minimum effort, maximum result. Read more…

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