Description
Pasta e Ceci is a simple, hearty Italian chickpea soup packed with savory flavor. Comforting, nourishing, and satisfying enough to please everyone at the table. A One-pot meal, ready in 40 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 large carrots, diced into small pieces
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 14-ounce can of whole tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained -1 1/2 cups
- 3 ounces ditalini pasta (or orzo, or other small quick cooking pasta)
- 2 cups Swiss chard leaves, chopped small (optional-saute chopped stems in with the onions)
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley or basil (or both)
- Serve with 2 ounces of grated parmesan or pecorino cheese (see notes for the rind) or a drizzle of good olive oil (or both).
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics. In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil, onions, garlic, carrots and red pepper flakes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and fragrant.
- Simmer. Add broth and tomatoes; break up the tomatoes with a spoon or mash with a fork (your hands work well too), some chunks are nice. Stir in rosemary, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chickpeas. Bring soup to a simmer.
- Cook Pasta and Chard. Add pasta and simmer for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Add chard greens.
- Adjust flavor: Add salt, pepper flakes Aleppo flakes for mild spice), or a splash of vinegar as needed to bring balance to the soup. Stir in half of the herbs. Turn off heat.
- Serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano and fresh, chopped parsley or basil. A drizzle of olive oil is nice too.
Notes
Tomatoes. Whole canned tomatoes are often the better choice because they’re typically made from higher-quality, better-ripened tomatoes. You can crush them yourself as needed, giving you more control over texture and a richer, fresher tomato flavor.
Depth: For added depth and richness, stir in ¼ cup dry white wine before adding the broth. Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly and cook off the raw alcohol flavor.
More Depth! If you have a leftover Parmesan rind, add it to the soup while it simmers for extra savory depth. Remove it before serving.
Vegan. You can skip the cheese, but it adds a savory, salty richness that really rounds out the soup’s flavor. You may need to add 1 teaspoon of miso or make our vegan parmesan!
For a heartier meal, double the chickpeas. You can also mash some of them into the broth to create a naturally thicker, creamier texture.
Store leftover Pasta e Ceci in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pasta will continue to absorb the broth as it sits, becoming a bit thicker. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or water. Taste and adjust before serving.
Freeze: The soup (without the pasta) will freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating, and cook fresh pasta for serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ⅓ cups (without cheese)
- Calories: 208
- Sugar: 7.7 g
- Sodium: 635 mg
- Fat: 6.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.1 g
- Fiber: 5.9 g
- Protein: 6.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
