You need just a few ingredients to make this delicious Rotini Chickpea Pasta with arugula, cherry tomatoes and feta. It is healthy, flavorful and takes less than 30 minutes to make!
This post is sponsored by Barilla but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
When I first tried legume pasta, I was not sure that I would completely enjoy it. A lot of legume pasta options were not really healthy, nor were they tasty.
When I tried another brand of legume pasta in the past, I was let down with taste and texture, and my family did not really enjoy it. However I recently tried the Barilla Chickpea Pasta, and that changed my mind. So here is my honest review of this chickpea pasta. It has almost similar taste and texture as classic pasta, but it is made with ONE simple ingredient – Chickpea!
You might have the question that I had- is chickpea pasta healthy for you? With just one ingredient, chickpea, this legume pasta is plant-based and it is a good source of protein (11g per serving) and an excellent source of fiber (8g).
So I feel that if I can have the same flavor with healthy wholesome ingredients, I would definitely choose this pasta for my family. And I don’t feel guilty giving pasta to my kids more often!
Oh..and by the way, I love to order by pantry staples, including this Barilla Chickpea Pasta, from Target. I can shop from the comfort of my home and just pick up with their drive-up option. It saves so much time and I love the convenience that Target offers. You can get Barilla Chickpea Pasta here!
Rotini Chickpea Pasta with Arugula
This pasta has just a few simple fresh ingredients, and lots of flavor. You need just 7 ingredients to make this rotini pasta:
- Chickpea Pasta
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Garlic - sliced or minced
- Arugula - I used arugula, but baby spinach is a great option too.
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Feta - I topped with some feta cheese at the end. Goat cheese would be delicious over this pasta too.
- Lemon - juice and zest
You will be surprised how easy it is to put together this lemony pasta which has all the nutrition and is full of flavor.
How to make Chickpea Pasta?
Start with cooking the chickpea pasta according to package directions. I cooked for 7 minutes in boiling water. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking liquid before draining.
While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds until the garlic turns golden.
Add the cooked pasta and the reserved cooking liquid. Toss the pasta in the pan with the oil. Turn off heat.
Add in the cherry tomatoes and arugula. Toss them gently.
Add the lemon juice and zest. Add salt and freshly crushed black pepper to taste. Toss it all together!
Serve in bowls. Top with feta or goat cheese. Adjust any seasonings and enjoy!
I love to top red chili flakes on this chickpea pasta. So good!
You can also add freshly made basil pesto to this pasta. It pairs well with this light rotini pasta.
The pasta has the perfect taste and I love that it is the right texture, and not mushed as some of the other legume pasta I have tried. You can definitely taste the difference with this Barilla Chickpea Pasta.
Common Questions
Yes, it is very healthy. With just one ingredient, chickpea, this plant-based legume pasta is a good source of protein (11g per serving) and an excellent source of fiber (8g).
Even though chickpea pasta is 30-40% lower in carb than traditional pasta, it is not keto friendly. The net carbs in chickpea pasta is 42 grams.
Next on my list is to try their Red Lentil Penne., which was another plant-based pasta available at Target. I hope you give this Barilla Legume Pasta a try and taste the difference yourself. Add to your Target cart here!
I would love to hear your thoughts on this delicious chickpea pasta!
Rotini Chickpea Pasta with Arugula
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Barilla Chickpea Pasta about 3.5 cups
- ⅓ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves Garlic minced or sliced
- 8 ounces Cherry Tomatoes halved or quartered
- 3 cup Arugula or spinach
- 4 ounces Feta or goat cheese
- 1 Lemon + zest
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the chickpea pasta according to the packages directions (I cooked for 7 minutes in boiling water). Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking liquid before draining.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds until the garlic turns golden.
- Add the cooked pasta and the reserved cooking liquid. Toss the pasta in the pan with the oil. Turn off heat.
- Add in the cherry tomatoes and arugula. Toss them gently.
- Add the lemon juice and zest. Add salt and freshly crushed black pepper to taste.
- Serve in bowls. Top with feta and enjoy!
Notes
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Traci says
I had recently made the Barilla chickpea and to my dismay the pasta came out very firm. I even cooked it longer than the package mentioned. I gave it 10 minutes. What is the key to having the pasta come out softer than cardboard texture?
Meeta Arora says
Hi Traci - Sorry to hear you did not enjoy the barilla pasta. We did not have that issue. The taste is certainly a little different than regular pasta, but was still good.
Shiva sharma says
I’m very interested in making this but in IP, are you planning to come up with that recipe too?
Meeta Arora says
Hi Shiva - In my experience, chickpea pasta does not work as well in a one-pot recipe. Hence I prefer to use the traditional method to boil on stovetop to cook chickpea pasta.