The Best Vegetarian Chickpea Spaghetti
If you love spaghetti, then you’ll love this recipe. And, if you like chickpeas, then you will especially love this dish! This dish is vegetarian friendly. However, it can be vegan if you use vegan parmesan cheese or omit the parmesan cheese all together. Just a few ingredients are needed to cook this Chickpea Spaghetti.
Now, if you’re a meat lover, no need to fret. Chickpeas are packed with so much protein that you will get the nutrients that you need. Chickpeas are also an excellent source of fiber.
So, with a dish like this, you will get full fast. Trust me when I tell you that when it comes to portion size, a little goes a long way.
In addition to chickpeas, other ingredients such as sweet onions, carrots, and raw baby spinach bring nutrients to this dish. The carrot adds a wonderful element of sweetness. So, no granulated sugar is needed in this dish. The onions and raw baby spinach give off an earthy flavor.
Here’s a tip, when dicing both the onion and carrot, be sure to dice them in a similar size to the chickpeas. That way, it will be easier to get a little bit of everything on your fork. No need to worry about chopping the spinach. It will wilt in the sauce.
This recipe also calls for a jar of marinara sauce. If you prefer to make your pasta sauce from scratch then certainly feel free to do that. Jar sauce was just easier for me to use. I have a lot of jars of pasta sauce stored in my cupboard. It’s great whenever I want pizza, pasta, or anything saucy!
The Best Vegetarian Chickpea Spaghetti
4
servings10
minutes20
Ingredients
1 package spaghetti pasta (reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
28 oz jar of your favorite marinara sauce (I love Rao’s)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup raw baby spinach
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Be sure to salt the water. Reserve 1 cup starchy water and set it aside.
- Next, in a large pot, over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté onion and carrot for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until tender.
- Add chickpeas, marinara sauce, pasta water and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and pasta.
- Remove from the heat and plate with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
This recipe takes about 30 minutes with preparation and cooking combined. But, boy is it worth it! Upon tasting a bite of the finished product, you may in fact just crave Chickpea Spaghetti over Spaghetti with Meat Sauce! Your body will surely thank you! Since chickpeas are packed with protein, they can easily be digested.
As I’m sure you can tell, making this Chickpea Spaghetti is a great way of sneaking vegetables and other healthy ingredients into a meal. So, if you’re making this for children or picky eaters, rest assured they are getting a healthy meal, while keeping it delicious!
If you like leftovers, then you might be happy to know that the leftovers of this dish are even better. Allowing this dish to sit in the fridge overnight allows for even more time for the flavors to marry each other. So, your breakfast, lunch, or dinner will be extra flavorful in the coming days.
Hopefully, you enjoy making this delicious Chickpea Spaghetti dish and keep it in your recipe rotation. Happy Cooking! Enjoy your hearty, saucy, and protein-packed meal!
