Pasta e ceci, or pasta with chickpeas, is a one-pot dish that combines carrots, onion, celery, and garlic with chickpeas and small pasta that’s cooked in a tomato broth. This simple Roman dish can be ready in less than an hour and is perfect for busy weeknights!
Editor’s Note: Originally published on 4/2/2019. Updated with full process shots and expanded info.
Pasta e ceci is a go-to in our home.
It’s easy to make, can be ready in under an hour, and for the most part, includes ingredients that are pantry or refrigerator staples.
Similar to pasta e fagioli, pasta e ceci is budget-friendly because the combination of pasta and beans is filling and satisfying.
It’s also meatless making it great to enjoy on Fridays during Lent.
We usually serve pasta e ceci with a green salad, some crusty bread, and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Dice 2 celery ribs, 2 medium carrots, and 1 medium onion. Mince 5 cloves of garlic and drain 3 16-ounce cans of chickpeas. Note: Don’t rinse the chickpeas, just drain them of the liquid. Heat a large heavy pot to medium-low and saute the onions, celery, and carrots in a 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil for ~12 minutes, or until very soft.
- Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add a 1/4 teaspoon (or more if you like it spicy) of crushed red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add 1 cup of crushed canned plum tomatoes and a Parmigiano Reggiano rind.
- Add the chickpeas along with 1 sprig of rosemary and 4 cups of low-sodium vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Turn the heat to medium and begin to crush some of the chickpeas either by mashing with a spoon against the side of the pot, or with an immersion blender.
- Add a 1/2 pound of small-shaped pasta and cook in the broth until al dente. Watch the pot and stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking.
- The pasta will absorb much of the liquid so add more water or stock as needed. Once it has reached your desired consistency, turn off the heat and taste test. Adjust salt, pepper, and hot red pepper to taste and serve in bowls with crusty bread, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and grated cheese. Enjoy!
Top tips for perfect pasta and chickpeas
- Pasta shape. Pasta e ceci is best with small-shaped pasta. We used small penne for this recipe but any small pasta will work. Tubetti, small shells, elbows, small bowties, would all be perfect!
- Consistency. The thickness of pasta e ceci is very much a personal choice. We prefer ours on the thicker side so we used an immersion blender to blend some of the chickpeas. If you prefer yours soupier, skip the blender or increase the amount of water or broth.
- Leftovers. If you’re planning to have leftovers, you may wish to cook the pasta separately so it maintains its texture and doesn’t become too mushy.
More simple but satisfying recipes
- Pasta con broccoli – pasta with broccoli, garlic, and oil.
- Pasta e patate – potatoes, tiny pasta, garlic, and pancetta.
- Pasta with peas in red sauce – tubetti, green peas, onions, and tomato paste.
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Pasta e Ceci
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 16 ounce cans chickpeas drained, but don't rinse
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable stock to start but add more as needed
- 1 cup canned plum tomatoes hand crushed
- 1 Parmigiano rind
- 1 sprig Rosemary
- 1/2 pound small shell pasta or ditalini, elbows, etc
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large heavy pot to medium-low with the extra virgin olive oil and saute the onions, celery, and carrots until very soft (about 12 minutes). Once soft, add in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more or until just golden. Finally, add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, Parmigiano rind, rosemary, and stock, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium and crush some of the chickpeas by smashing them against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. For a creamier consistency use an immersion blender.
- Add in the pasta and cook until al dente. Keep an eye on the pot and stir very frequently to avoid sticking. The pasta will absorb much of the liquid so add more water or stock as needed. The final consistency is 100% a personal preference. If you like it soupier, add more stock or water.
- Once the pasta has reached al dente turn off the heat and taste test. Adjust salt, pepper, and hot red pepper to taste.
- When satisfied with the taste, serve in bowls with crusty bread. Offer grated cheese and drizzle your best extra virgin olive onto each bowl. Enjoy!
Notes
- Small pasta like ditalini, small shells, and elbows are all great choices. Even broken spaghetti works well.
- If you plan to have leftovers, be sure to cook the pasta separately. Otherwise, it's preferred to cook the pasta in the sauce to better absorb the flavors.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published on April 2, 2019. It was completely updated on February 24, 2023.
Made it and it is delicious.
Jim , I love your recipes. I made this one but why is mine is very saucy not like yours ? I forward your recipe.
Hi Robert. I’m not quite sure. You might want to use a bit less liquid to start and then add more as needed during the cooking process. I would double check that you used the correct amounts of all ingredients. For example, just 1 cup of canned tomatoes were used which is less than 1/3 of a standard 28-ounce can. Good luck!
Love your recipes
Made your soup. Loved it except for the rosemary flavor. I’m not a fan of rosemary. Just personal preference.
I definitely will make it again, but could I replace the rosemary with basil or parsley?
Absolutely, you can replace with either of those.
Love your work, I have fed family and friends using ur recipes many many times
All the best to you and your family
Lewis
Had all the ingredients on hand so I made this today-so good. Thank you for another great recipe!
Amazing! We loved this! Such a delicious pasta dish. Like Tara we like it with a little more heat . Will definitely be part of my repertoire! Thanks so much for sharing!