Creamy Tuscan Chickpea Pasta (Print View)

Chickpeas simmered in creamy tomato sauce with garlic and spinach, tossed with al dente pasta for a hearty Mediterranean meal.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as penne, rigatoni, or fusilli

→ Chickpea Mixture

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
06 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
07 - 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable broth
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Creamy Sauce

12 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or plant-based cream
13 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or vegan alternative

→ Vegetables

14 - 4 cups fresh baby spinach

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh basil leaves, torn, optional
16 - Extra grated Parmesan

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in chickpeas, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and Parmesan cheese, mixing until the sauce is creamy and well combined.
05 - Add spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until desired sauce consistency is reached.
07 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately and garnish with basil and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen but uses mostly things you already have sitting around.
  • The chickpeas soak up all that garlicky tomato cream and turn into little flavor bombs.
  • You can make it vegan or keep it indulgent, and either way it feels like comfort in a bowl.
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when the pasta has absorbed more sauce.
02 -
  • Always reserve pasta water before draining because that starchy liquid is the secret to making sauce cling instead of slide off.
  • Add the cream on low heat or it might split and turn grainy, which happened to me once and I had to start over.
  • Don't skip salting your pasta water generously because bland pasta will ruin even the best sauce.
  • Fresh spinach wilts fast, so add it at the end or it'll turn into mush and lose all its color.
03 -
  • Use a potato masher to gently crush some of the chickpeas while they simmer so the sauce gets thicker and creamier without adding more cream.
  • Toast the garlic for just a few seconds longer than you think you should, right before it starts to turn golden, for a deeper flavor.
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet off the heat for a minute before serving so the sauce really clings to every piece.
  • Save any leftover Parmesan rinds and toss them into the sauce while it simmers for extra umami depth.
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