Description
A comforting Mediterranean-inspired pasta dish featuring broccoli and chickpeas coated in a fragrant garlic olive oil sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz pasta
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook the pasta – Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. During the final two minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets directly to the pot. This little trick softens the broccoli while saving time and dishes.
- Before draining the pasta, scoop out about ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water. This starchy water will help bring the sauce together later.
- Prepare the garlic olive oil – While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Let the garlic cook gently for about a minute until fragrant. The aroma at this stage is one of the most comforting smells in the kitchen.
- Add the chickpeas – Stir the chickpeas into the skillet and let them warm through. They absorb the garlicky olive oil and develop a slightly creamy texture as they heat.
- Combine everything – Add the drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet with the chickpeas. Pour in the reserved pasta water and toss everything together until the sauce lightly coats the pasta.
- Finish the dish – Add lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese. Toss again until everything is well combined and glossy with the garlic olive oil.
- Garnish and serve – Sprinkle fresh parsley on top and add extra Parmesan if desired. Serve warm and enjoy the comforting simplicity of this Mediterranean-inspired pasta.
Notes
- This dish is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Adjust the heat by adding more or less red pepper flakes according to your taste.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like spinach or bell peppers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 5mg