Description
This Easy Roasted Chickpeas Pasta with Spinach is a flavorful and nutritious dish combining crispy roasted chickpeas, tender pasta, fresh herbs, and vibrant spinach. Enhanced with garlic, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese, it’s a satisfying vegetarian meal perfect for a quick dinner or lunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 x 400 g (14 oz) can chickpeas, drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Pasta & Sauce
- 300 g (10.5 oz) pasta
- 30 g (1 ounce) unsalted butter
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 100 g (3.5 oz) baby spinach
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 50 g (¾ cup) grated parmesan (or vegetarian hard cheese)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the drained chickpeas on a kitchen towel to pat them dry and remove any loose skins. Toss chickpeas with olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Transfer to the baking sheet.
- Roast chickpeas: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast the chickpeas for 20 minutes until golden and crisp, stirring once halfway through to ensure even roasting.
- Cook pasta: While chickpeas roast, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Reserve a small cup of pasta water and then drain the pasta.
- Sauté garlic and herbs: Melt the unsalted butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add fresh rosemary, thyme, and red chilli flakes, cooking for another minute to release the aromas.
- Cook spinach and add lemon juice: Add the baby spinach to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until just wilted. Stir in the lemon juice to brighten the flavors.
- Toss pasta with herb butter: Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss well to coat the noodles with the herb butter mixture. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Combine chickpeas and cheese: Fold in the roasted chickpeas and grated parmesan cheese. Mix gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Serve: Serve the pasta immediately, optionally garnished with extra grated parmesan for enhanced flavor.
Notes
- For extra crunch, make sure to pat the chickpeas dry thoroughly before roasting.
- You can substitute fresh herbs with 1 teaspoon each of dried rosemary and thyme if fresh is unavailable.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this dish gluten-free.
- Adjust red chilli flakes to your preferred spice level.
- This recipe can be made vegetarian by using vegetarian-friendly hard cheese or vegan by substituting parmesan with a plant-based cheese alternative.
