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Italian

Chickpea Tomato Pasta

Chickpeas and garlic simmer in crushed tomato, then toss with pasta. It is a vegetarian pasta night that does not rely on a cream sauce.

Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
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Pasta with chickpeas in a garlic tomato sauce.

Why you’ll love it

  • Chickpeas stand in for meat.
  • The sauce is tomato, garlic, and oil.
  • One skillet after the pasta pot.
  • Lemon keeps it bright.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

Rough grocery estimate for the full recipe: about $6–9 at a typical US supermarket. Prices vary by store, region, and season.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Boil the spaghetti in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain.

  2. 2

    Warm the oil, garlic, and pepper flakes over medium until the garlic smells sweet, about 1 minute.

  3. 3

    Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, and salt. Simmer 8 minutes.

  4. 4

    Stir in the lemon juice and a splash of pasta water.

  5. 5

    Toss with the spaghetti, adding more pasta water until the sauce clings.

  6. 6

    Finish with parsley.

Pro tips

  • Sliced garlic should not go dark. Pull the heat down if it starts to brown.
  • Mash a few chickpeas if you want a thicker sauce.
  • Salt the pasta water, then taste the sauce before adding more.

Easy substitutions

Spaghetti
Any long pasta
Chickpeas
White beans
Parsley
Basil

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days.

Reheating

Warm with a splash of water until hot.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
480
Protein
16 g
Carbs
74 g
Fat
14 g
Fiber
8 g

Budget friendly · Stovetop · Vegetarian, Dairy-Free

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients