To be completely honest, I thought I was going to low-key hate chickpea pasta.
I was so certain it was going to be straight up mush, but it actually held up pretty well!
And tasted quite good once I tossed in some flavorful ingredients, plus a diverse range of textures.
So really, it was a success!
Pleasant surprises are my favorite.
Might as well have low expectations consistently…
I’m trying to apply that to dating, we shall see how that goes ha.
About this pasta now.
I roasted up crispy cauliflower then folded that glorious golden deliciousness in with my cooked pasta, simmering tomato basil marinara, salty Kalamata olives, and crushed red pepper flakes.
After scooping my steaming pasta into a big ole bowl, I went in with freshly grated (vegan) Parmesan, toasty panko breadcrumbs, a handful of fresh baby spinach and arugula, plus a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of zesty lemon juice. Never forget cracked black pepper and pink sea salt!
Your taste buds will not be bored with this one, promise.
P.S. Chickpea pasta is protein popping. It doesn’t take as long as regular pasta to cook, so keep that in mind or it will turn into mush. (You can also just use regular or whole wheat pasta, if you want.)
P.P.S. 2 1/2 cups of raw cauliflower seems like a lot but it will shrink down considerably when you roast it. In other words, yes I did eat it all in one go.
Chickpea Pasta with Marinara, Roasted Cauliflower & Lemony Arugula
Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower
- 2 1/2 cups medium-small cauliflower florets
- Extra virgin olive oil, enough to lightly coat
Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons panko
Pasta
- 1 cup short cut chickpea pasta (I used Banza rotini)
- 3/4 cup tomato basil marinara (I use Muir Glen)
- 2 tablespoons sliced Kalamata olives
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Pink sea salt, to taste
Toppings
- Freshly grated vegan Parmesan (I use Violife), to taste
- 1 handful fresh arugula baby spinach blend
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- 1 squeeze fresh lemon juice
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Pink sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- For the cauliflower, heat the oven to 425. Line a rimmed large metal baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the cauliflower in enough olive oil to lightly coat, then roast for 20 minutes. Flip, then roast for 15 minutes, or until tender and lightly golden brown.
- For the panko, heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Toast the panko over medium heat until lightly golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- For the pasta, bring a medium-large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 6 minutes or until almost done, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse under cool water.
- Meanwhile, heat the marinara in a medium-small pot over medium-low heat. When the pasta is done cooking, transfer the pasta to the sauce. Fold in the cooked cauliflower, olives, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt to taste. Simmer for 1 minutes, or until hot.
- Transfer the pasta to a bowl then top with freshly grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of the toasted panko. Top the bowl off with the greens, then drizzle the olive oil on top, followed by the lemon. Sprinkle more panko on top--you might have some left over, then season with black pepper and salt, to taste.