Velvety Pasta with Chickpeas
This pasta with velvety chickpea sauce is pure comfort in a bowl, featuring a no-cream, creamy, rosemary-infused sauce that pairs perfectly with hearty chickpeas. It comes together in a snap with canned chickpeas, making it a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any night of the week—especially if you love rosemary!
Servings: 8
Calories: 361kcal
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
To Make the Sauce
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/2 large red onion chopped
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 15 ounce chickpeas (canned) with liquid; see NOTE
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for topping
- Pasta water reserved from next step, as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Pasta
- 1 pound small pasta ditalini or elbow pasta
For Garnishes
- grated cheese, black pepper, red pepper flakes, light sprinkle of chopped rosemary
Instructions
- Begin to bring a large pot with salted water to a simmer while you work on your sauce.
To Make the Sauce
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped red onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic and dried rosemary, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the can of chickpeas with their liquid, stirring to combine with the sautéed aromatics.
- Let it simmer for about 2 or 3 minutes. Add cheese and stir to combine.
- Transfer the chickpea mixture to a blender, blend until smooth, and transfer back to the large skillet.
Cook the Pasta:
- Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Do not drain.
Combine Pasta and Sauce:
- Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan using a small strainer or large slotted spoon. Toss to combine, adding enough additional pasta water to achieve your desired consistency.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Plate the pasta chickpeas and top with additional grated Parmesan cheese and garnishes.
Notes
After publishing this, I have also used two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas for an extra saucy pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 661mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 2mg