4.8 from 14 reviews

30-Minute Spicy Tomato Chickpea Pasta

By Alanna Taylor-Tobin on May 10, 2016 (updated Feb 14, 2025) / 25 Comments Jump to Recipe

A 10-ingredient quick weeknight meal that really satisfies! Tomato puree meets smoked paprika, chickpeas, olives, greens, and plenty of olive oil for a kicky, anytime pasta.

Find more gluten-free & vegetarian entrees here!

delicious Spicy Tomato Chickpea Pasta {gluten-free, vegan option}

I love recipes that happen by accident. And I love pasta.

ingredients on table — INGREDIENTS: penne or other pasta, spinach, olives, onions, tomato puree, cooked chickpeas, garlic, smoked paprika, pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, olive oil

If you're looking for an easy pasta recipe full of chickpeas, you've come to the right place!

This dish came about from an abundance of chickpeas that were leftover after a shoot that Sarah and I styled for the New York Times. To prepare, I raided the bulk section of our co-op and lugged home about 20 pounds of pintos, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, cannellini, cranberry beans, and split peas. After the shoot, I had a cupboard full of legumes and needed creative ways to use them up.

Enter this delicious chickpea pasta recipe!

stirring Spicy Tomato Chickpea Pasta {gluten-free, vegan option}

One evening, a friend was coming to dinner and we had little in the house save for a ton of cooked chickpeas and a partial bottle of tomato passata in the fridge. Feeling very Iron Cheffy, I sautéed up some onions and garlic, threw in a bit of smoked paprika and red pepper flakes, and added the tomato puree and chickpeas. I tend to obsessively follow recipes, so I was proud of my improvising skillz... until I tasted the sauce. It was inedibly spicy. In an attempt to save it, I stirred in a ton of olive oil and grated parmesan, and coated the pasta in the barest film of the sauce.

Luckily, my dinner guest has a penchant for spice. She devoured her pasta and regaled us with stories of a time when she burned a hole in her stomach from eating too many hot peppers. Luckily, that fate didn't happen from this dish, and I've subsequently toned things down by using these genius things called measuring spoons. I also added a mess of spinach and a handful of olives, which make this more of a one-bowl meal.

bowl of Spicy Tomato Chickpea Pasta {gluten-free, vegan option}

big bowl Spicy Tomato Chickpea Pasta {gluten-free, vegan option}

This pasta is super satisfying thanks to quinoa penne and beans. The brick-red sauce gets a flavor boost from smoked paprika and just the right amount of chile. Briny olives provide depth, and a finish of flavorful olive oil and parmesan punch up the umami factor. Enjoy a bowl with a glass of red wine that you love.

fork in Spicy Tomato Chickpea Pasta {gluten-free, vegan option}

Another nice thing about this recipe? It's fairly inexpensive to make. Even using all organic ingredients, it clocks in at about $4.50 per hefty serving.

Spicy Tomato Chickpea Pasta {gluten-free, vegan option} in bowl

Buon appetiti.

Spicy Tomato Chickpea Pasta {gluten-free, vegan option} on table

*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this spicy chickpea pasta recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*

4.79 from 14 reviews

30-Minute Spicy Tomato Chickpea Pasta

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A 10-ingredient quick weeknight meal that really satisfies! Chickpeas & pasta meet smoked paprika, tomatoes, olives, greens & olive oil.

Alanna Taylor-Tobin

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Total: 35

Servings: 5 -6 servings

Ingredients

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained (see note, below) (275 g)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1-2 tablespoons (30 ml) for finishing (30 ml)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (5 g)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
1 3/4 - 2 cups tomato puree or passata, or crushed tomatoes (475 ml)
a splash of water
1/2 cup pitted niçoise or kalamata olives, chopped (2 ounces)
12 ounces dry penne or other small pasta (I like Ancient Harvest GF Quinoa Penne)
4 ounces baby spinach, washed and spun dry (115 g) (4 cups packed)
1-2 ounces parmesan, shaved or grated
a small handful fresh oregano or basil, for garnish

Instructions

Fill a large saucepan with water, add 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil. Have the chickpeas cooked if you're making them from scratch (see note, below).
Meanwhile, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide, non-reactive skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and just starting to color, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the tomato puree and rinse the jar or can with a good splash of water, adding it to the sauce along with the chickpeas, olives, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a bare simmer, reduce the heat, and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened a bit, 10 minutes. Stir in a few good turns of black pepper and taste for balance.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve a splash of pasta water and drain the pasta well.
Stir the spinach into the hot sauce until just wilted. Add the pasta to the sauce if it fits in the pan, otherwise toss the two together in a large bowl, adding reserved pasta water if needed to thin the sauce. Spoon the pasta into bowls, and top each with a shower of herbs, a good drizzle of olive oil, and a whole lot of parmesan.

Notes

To cook chickpeas, place 1 cup dried chickpeas in a large bowl or jar and cover with several inches of cool water. Soak overnight. Drain the chickpeas and place them in a large saucepan with 1 bay leaf and cover with several inches of water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chickpeas are very tender, about 45 minutes. Toward the end of the cooking, add 1 teaspoon salt. Cool the beans in their broth, then refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Nutritional values are based on one of five servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 495kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 28gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 462mgPotassium: 1204mgFiber: 19gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 4125IUVitamin C: 30.4mgCalcium: 219mgIron: 12.6mg

Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!

3 bowls of Spicy Tomato Chickpea Pasta {gluten-free, vegan option}

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Comments

4.79 from 14 votes (12 ratings without comment)

30-Minute Spicy Tomato Chickpea Pasta