Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta & Chickpeas)

Bursting with juicy tomatoes, hearty chickpeas and tender pasta in a light broth, this easy pasta e ceci is the cozy weeknight meal you’ve been looking for. The best part: it all cooks up in one pot in about 45 minutes!

I’ve found my new favorite weeknight dinner. This one is not only delicious and incredibly comforting, but it’s also SO EASY. We’re talking about a one-pot meal! And I’m not always on board with one-pot meals. I often find this shortcut results in things like gummy pasta and undercooked beans.

But occasionally, I find a recipe where it just works.

Back when I made my vegan minestrone I went off a bit about not cooking pasta in soup broth, because soggy pasta is one of my least favorite things.

This time around I decided to throw caution to the wind (and be a little lazy) and make my pasta e ceci in one vessel. Well guess what? It turned out great! This dish has just the right broth to pasta to veggie ratio so that everything cooks up perfectly with one pot and very little fuss!

If you’re a fan of pasta e fagioli, you’ll enjoy this. It’s similar, but instead of beans (the “fagioli), this one is made with chickpeas (“ceci”).

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Olive oil. You could technically substitute another high-heat oil, but olive oil will give your pasta e ceci the best flavor.
• Onion.
• Carrot.
• Celery.
• Garlic.
• Vegetable broth. I usually make this recipe with Better Than Bouillon in seasoned vegetable flavor, but feel free to use your favorite brand.
• Canned diced tomatoes. Tomatoes packed in either juice or broth will work just fine with this recipe.
• Chickpeas. We’re using canned chickpeas, because this is meant to be a quick and easy meal. If you’d like to use dried chickpeas, go right ahead. You’ll need to soak and cook them first. Try this method.
• Fresh rosemary. I highly recommend using fresh rosemary rather than dried. It will give your pasta e ceci the best flavor. If you absolutely have to use dried, cut the amount back to a teaspoon.
• Ditalini pasta. You can substitute another type of pasta, but make sure you use something with a small shape, such as orzo or small shells. If you do this you might need to adjust the simmer time in step 5. You can even use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe totally gluten-free!
• Salt & black pepper.

How It’s Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

Did I say this was easy? It really is!

• Heat up some olive oil in a pot and add some onion, carrots and celery. Sweat the veggies for a few minutes to begin softening them up. Next, add some garlic and cook everything for about a minute more. Keep stirring the whole time to prevent anything from burning.

• Add some broth, diced tomatoes, fresh rosemary, and chickpeas. Stir everything well to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot!
• Let it all simmer for about 15 minutes.

• The pasta goes in last. Use a small variety, such as ditalini. Stir it in and let it simmer until it’s tender.

I like to serve my pasta e ceci with some red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, and homemade vegan Parmesan cheese. Some folks like to top theirs with a drizzle of olive oil, so that’s another option!

Leftovers & Storage

Store any leftover pasta e ceci in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta will suck up a lot of liquid as it sits. You can add some extra broth while reheating it if you’d like.

More Pasta Soups

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Pasta e Ceci

Bursting with juicy tomatoes, hearty chickpeas and tender pasta in a light broth, this easy pasta e ceci is the the cozy weeknight meal you’ve been looking for. The best part: it all cooks up in one pot in about 45 minutes!

Ingredients

• 1
  tablespoon
  olive oil
• 1
  medium onion,
  diced
• 1
  medium carrot,
  diced
• 1
  medium celery stalk,
  diced
• 4
  garlic cloves,
  minced
• 4
  cup
  vegetable broth
• 1
  (14 ounce or 400 gram) can
  diced tomatoes
• 1
  (14 ounce or 400 gram) can
  chickpeas,
  drained and rinsed
• 1
  tablespoon
  finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1
  cup
  dried ditalini pasta
  (or another type of small pasta)
• Salt and black pepper,
  to tastes

Instructions

1. Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and place it over medium heat.

2. Give the oil a minute to heat up, and then add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sweat the veggies for about 10 minutes, until they begin to soften up.

3. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more, until very fragrant.

4. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, chickpeas, and rosemary.

5. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes.

6. Stir in the pasta and bring the liquid back up to a boil.

7. Allow the pasta to cook in the soup at a low boil until al dente — this may take a minute or two longer than the time indicated on the pasta’s package directions. Stir the pot occasionally while it simmers.

8. Remove the pot from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Pasta e Ceci

Amount Per Serving (1.5 cups)

Calories 339
Calories from Fat 62

% Daily Value*

Fat 6.9g11%

Saturated Fat 1.2g6%

Sodium 1103mg46%

Potassium 772mg22%

Carbohydrates 54.8g18%

Fiber 8g32%

Sugar 5.6g6%

Protein 15.2g30%

Calcium 7mg1%

Iron 19mg106%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.