Pasta with chickpeas spinach and lemon is a full-of-flavor pasta dish that is so easy to make. This pasta recipe makes a great weeknight meal and is ready in under 30 minutes.
You may not think of pasta with chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) as two ingredients that go together but they actually make a great combination and are so delicious together. In fact, we make this pasta dish at least once a month.
The lemon and spinach in this pasta are the ingredients that round it all out beautifully. In fact, if you have followed me for a while, you know I love lemon, greens and pasta.
From my pan fried gnocchi with kale, sausage and kale pasta and now this pasta with spinach and chickpeas. Mixing leafy greens with pasta is the best combination!
This pasta with chickpeas recipe is also so healthy and so good and it always pleases all types of eaters. This is one of my favorite recipes and I think you will love it too.
If you do try it, share a picture of what you made or a review! I love seeing what you all are cooking.
About the ingredients
- Pasta: I used spaghetti because that is what I had on hand but you can use any shaped pasta that you like.
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas that are rinsed and drained work great.
- Fresh spinach: Fresh is what you want for this recipe.
- Garlic: Try to use fresh garlic here. The fresh garlic adds so much flavor to the sauce that you cannot get from dried.
- Shallots: The shallots add a delicate onion flavor to the pasta with chickpeas. You can also use regular onion that is thinly sliced.
- Chicken stock: This is part of the sauce for the pasta. You only need a little.
- Lemon (fresh): Lemon really brightens up the flavor of this pasta.
- Olive oil: I like to use extra virgin olive oil for this recipe since it is fruity in flavor.
Making pasta with chickpeas and lemon
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta when your water is ready.
- In the meantime, cook your shallots and garlic in olive oil.
- Add your spinach and cook it down.
- Then add your chickpeas and your chicken stock.
- Cook for a few minutes to bring the flavors together.
- Add your lemon.
- Last, add the cooked pasta to the spinach and chickpeas and toss to coat.
- Serve immediately.
That is it! While you are waiting for your pasta water to boil, you are getting the other ingredients together and cooked down.
Recipe Tips
- Adding protein to this pasta: You can add cooked grilled chicken (or any type of chicken or protein for that matter) to this recipe to bulk it up and to add protein. It will taste great.
- Reheating this pasta: Whenever I reheat this pasta, I use the microwave. To do this I will dampen a paper towel and place that over the pasta before heating it. This will provide moisture to the pasta during the heating process and keep it from drying out. Just be careful removing the moist paper towel after heating because it will be hot.
- If you do not have chicken broth: You can substitute it with vegetable broth or reserved pasta water (scoop out some of the salted pasta water before you drain your pasta).
I hope you give this pasta recipe and try and see why it is one of our favorite chickpea recipes. It is a great meal that everyone loves and it is so easy to make.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
If you love this pasta with chickpeas, you will also like these:
For more easy recipes
We love easy meals and not just ones with pasta. Here are some favorites that we use to switch things up a bit and still have dinner on the table fast:
Chickpea Pasta With Lemon and Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti or any large shape pasta
- 15 ounce garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 10 ounces fresh baby spinach rinsed and dried
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large lemon juiced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small shallot diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
- While you are waiting for the water to boil, gather all of your ingredients.
- Now grab a large saute pan.
- Add your olive oil and heat over medium heat for 1 minute.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Once your pan is heated add your garlic and shallots and cook for a few minutes.3 cloves garlic, 1 small shallot
- Now add your red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Next add your spinach, stock, lemon juice and chickpeas and cook until the spinach just starts to soften, about 3-4 minutes.10 ounces fresh baby spinach, ½ cup chicken stock, 1 large lemon, 15 ounce garbanzo beans
- Add salt and pepper and mix in well.1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- Reduce the heat to low while you wait for your pasta to cook.
- Cook pasta and cook according to the manufacturers instructions for al dente.1 lb spaghetti
- Once the pasta is almost done, scoop out one mug full of pasta water and set aside.
- Drain your pasta water and add your pasta to to the pan with the spinach and chickpeas.
- Toss your pasta into the mixture well making sure to coat all of the pasta with the sauce.
- Let the pasta sit in the spinach and chickpea mixture for a couple minutes as you continue to toss and stir it around. This will let the pasta pick up the flavors.
- If you sauce starts to look dry, add a little of your reserved pasta water cooking liquid and mix that in.
- Serve immediately as is or with some fresh Parmesan.
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer hereTried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Mike says
This was so simple and delicious