Pasta with Chickpeas, known as pasta e ceci in Italy, is a hearty chickpea stew that can be made with pantry staples. It’s hearty and flavorful and perfect when you need some comfort food.
Love a comforting soup? You’ll also love this Vegetable Soup with Orzo!
I love a good soup year round, but there is nothing like a big bowl of comfort when it’s cold outside.
And there’s nothing more comforting than this Pasta with Chickpeas. This is a traditional Italian dish, known as pasta e ceci. It’s simple, and it’s delicious. And these are all ingredients that may already be in your pantry, so it’s a great low-effort meal.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: You want a good olive oil. You will use it to cook the onions and garlic, but I also love to add a bit of oil to the top when serving.
- Onion & Garlic: These are both for flavor.
- Tomato Paste: I like to use the tomato paste in a tube, because it’s easier than the tomato paste in a can. You only need 2 tablespoons, so if you do use tomato paste from a can, you can freeze the leftover.
- Rosemary: Fresh rosemary is so good in this. If you don’t have fresh rosemary, you can swap in a bit of dried rosemary, but I don’t like it nearly as much.
- Red Pepper Flakes: If you don’t like any heat, feel free to leave this out. If you like it extra spicy, add even more red pepper flakes.
- Chickpeas: I keep things easy by using canned chickpeas. If you have the time, you can soak and cook dried chickpeas.
- Broth: I like to use chicken broth because it adds great flavor. But if you want to keep this vegetarian, feel free to use vegetable broth.
- Pasta: Ditalini pasta is the traditional pasta used in this dish. But you can use any short pasta shapes.
- Salt and Pepper: Since the ingredient list is short, you will want to make sure that you season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Parmesan: This is optional. But I highly recommend it!!
How to Make Pasta with Chickpeas
STEP 1: Heat the olive oil in a soup pot – I use my Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook until it is translucent, then add in the garlic. Then add the tomato paste, giving it a few seconds to warm up, then stir it into the onion mixture.
STEP 2: Add the rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the top. Stir ing the chickpeas.
STEP 3: Add the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
STEP 4: Take about 1 1/2 cups of the chickpeas plus some of the liquid and remove it to a bowl. (I used a large liquid measuring cup.) Use an immersion blender and blend until mostly smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor.
STEP 5: Add the mixture back into the soup pot. Stir to combine.
STEP 6: Add the pasta to the pot. Continue to cook until the pasta is tender. If needed, add more broth to the soup.
Tips and Tricks
This is best served right after it is made. The pasta will continue to cook, so it will get thicker as it sits. I like to keep some warm broth to add to servings if it does get too thick.
Top with fresh parsley or rosemary for even more flavor.
We also love to eat this with crusty bread. It’s perfect for dipping in the broth!
More Comforting Pasta Recipes
Brie Pasta with Bacon
Baked Mac and Cheese
Minestrone Soup
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Pasta with Chickpeas (Pasta e Ceci)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Pasta with Chickpeas, known as pasta e ceci in Italy, is a hearty chickpea stew that can be made with pantry staples. It’s hearty and flavorful and perfect when you need some comfort food.
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Instructions
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Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup diced onion, 3 cloves garlic
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Add the tomato paste to the middle of the pot. Let it heat up for a second, then stir it into the onion mixture. Stir this constantly for a minute or two.
2 tablespoons tomato paste
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Add the rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, Pinch of red pepper flakes, Salt and pepper
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Mix in the chickpeas, then stir in the chicken broth.
2 (14 oz each) cans chickpeas, 4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth**
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Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes.
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Using a ladle, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the chickpeas plus a little bit of the broth to another bowl. Use an immersion blender and blend until smooth. (You can also transfer it to a blender and blend until smooth.) Return the blended chickpeas to the soup pot and stir to combine.
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Stir the ditalini into the soup. (You may need to add more broth here if it is too thick.) Continue to cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.
8 oz ditalini pasta, Salt and pepper
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Serve the soup immediately, as the pasta will continue to absorb the liquid. Serve topped with a little bit of olive oil and chopped parsley.
Extra virgin olive oil and chopped parsley
Recipe Notes:
*I start with doubt a teaspoon of salt, but I like things salty. If you are sensitive to salt, I’d start small and add more later after tasting.
**The amount of broth you will need will depend on how thick your soup gets, how much it cooks down, and how much liquid the pasta has absorbed. I usually start with 4-5 cups of broth, and add more, as needed.
Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 445kcal (22%), Carbohydrates: 64g (21%), Protein: 20g (40%), Fat: 14g (22%), Saturated Fat: 2g (13%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 640mg (28%), Potassium: 495mg (14%), Fiber: 12g (50%), Sugar: 10g (11%)
Keywords: pasta e ceci, pasta with chickpeas