Pasta e ceci is a delicious one-pot Italian chickpea and pasta dish that is somewhere between a soup and a stew. Finished with generous drizzles of good olive and grated parmesan cheese, this is a filling and satisfying meal that takes little time to make but will satisfy and warm you from the inside out.
The busy holiday season is upon us and if you’re looking for a nourishing, inexpensive and satisfying meal that is quick to make, give this classic Roman dish a try. Featuring chickpeas (ceci, in Italian) and pasta and just a few simple ingredients more, it’s a one-pot wonder that is easy to make, and delivers comfort and deliciousness — fast.
As with most classic dishes, there are infinite versions of this pasta and chickpea dish but at its core, it should remain a dish without many embellishments. Falling somewhere between a soup and a stew, the version I share here begins by sautéing onion, celery, garlic and tomato paste in olive oil then the chickpeas are tossed in. Water is added then a tiny-shaped pasta simmers in the same pot until just al dente.
In this recipe we also add a sprig of rosemary and a rind of parmesan to the brothy stew but know that it is just as delicious without. Tweak it as you please, but be sure to stock up on canned chickpeas and shot-shaped pasta — you’re going to be making this absurdly delicious dish over and over again.
Reasons To Love This Recipe
- Did I mention it’s easy? On busy weeknights, or evenings leading up to dinner parties, you can throw together this pasta e ceci dish in less than 30 minutes.
- A vegetarian meal the whole family will love it. Adults and kids love this simple pasta dish. Especially on a warm winter evening, it will keep everyone cozy and happy. For a true vegetarian dish, make sure you use a vegan parmesan cheese.
- A bounty of flavour without a lot of effort. Italians, as you know, like to eat well and are not afraid of spending hours preparing a dish. This dish is popular in Italy not so much because there is little effort involved in making it, but because it is truly a delicious and nutritious meal.
- Made with pantry staples. Stocked with copious amounts of canned chickpeas and dry pasta, I can’t even tell you how many times I made this during the lockdown.
- Versatile. Though I love this pasta e ceci with the addition of onion and just a bit of celery, there are many versions that use garlic only and the dish is still outstanding. Leave out the parmesan to make it vegan, or use chicken broth instead of water for a bit more flavour. You can also add some greens such as spinach or chopped kale, if you wish.
Ingredients And Notes
This dish is not supposed to be tomato-sauce heavy. Most classic versions use only tomato paste and occasionally a bit of tomato sauce.
- Pasta: The classic pasta to use for pasta e ceci is a short pasta such as Ditali or Tubetti. You can also use small elbows or baby shells but do note that any shapes larger than ditali or tubetti may require more water as they cook.
- Chickpeas: We are keeping it easy and using 2 15-ounce cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas. In lieu of cans, you can use 3 cups of cooked chickpeas if you wish to make your own.
- Aromatics: Here we are using 1 small onion, 1 stick of celery, sliced garlic cloves and a sprig of rosemary. Though I like the herbaceous flavour the rosemary lends the dish, I find it can overwhelm the dish so I don’t leave it cooking in the dish too long. If you love rosemary, go ahead and leave it in.
- Tomato Paste: The only tomato flavour for this pasta dish is coming from the tomato paste so we use quite a bit. If you like it with a bit more tomato sauce, feel free to add a cup of tomato passata.
- Water or broth: If I have some chicken broth or vegetable broth on hand, I will use it, but know that this dish is surprisingly delicious using just water.
- Parmesan cheese: If you keep parmesan rinds in your freezer, this is a great place to use it. A parmesan rind is a wonderful way to add umami-rich flavours to any dish. If you don’t have any rinds available, simply finish the served dish with a more generous sprinkle of grated parmesan. You can also use pecorino Romano.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Here we use it not only to cook the aromatics but also to add more flavour and creamy silkiness to the dish. Use the best one you have to drizzle over the finished dish.
How To Make Pasta e Ceci
Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sliced garlic, salt and pepper and cook 1 minute more. Add the tomato paste and cook until the colour darkens, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in the chickpeas and rosemary and toss to coat. Add the water or broth and the parmesan rind, if using. Stir well to deglaze the pan and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, remove the rosemary sprig or leave it in if you really enjoy rosemary. Add the pasta and lower to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes or so. Stir often to make sure the pasta isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan.
At this point, the stew will be quite thick so add a bit more water or broth if you prefer it brothier.
Remove the parmesan rind and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish each with grated cheese and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
Tips
- Use dried pasta. Don’t be tempted to use fresh pasta here. It will not hold up well when cooked alongside the chickpeas. Dried pasta will give you the best results.
- Use a small pasta shape. Though you could technically use just about any pasta shape, a tiny pasta will cook up to about the same size as a chickpea which makes it more visually, and texturally, pleasing. Using larger or thicker shapes is possible but you will have to add more water which means you will need to add a bot more tomato paste and seasoning, accordingly.
- Undercook the pasta. The pasta will continue to cook off heat so it’s best to cook it just a bit shy of al dente.
- Add some chili flakes for a bit of heat. This shouldn’t be a spicy dish but a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes add a nice kick of heat and flavour.
Serving Suggestions
- Add more vegetables. To make the pasta dish a little heartier, you can add more vegetables like diced carrots, zucchini, kale, escarole, or fresh tomatoes. Just make sure when adding more vegetables that you add a bit more cooking liquid as well.
- Drizzle the served dish with olive oil. Drizzle each bowl of pasta e ceci with a generous amount of good olive oil.
- A fresh green salad. Pasta e ceci is a satisfying dish all on its own but we also enjoy it alongside a leafy green salad. Dress it simply with a drizzle of olive oil, a few splashes of red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper — so good.
- Add some cooked chicken. Not traditional in the least but if you have some cooked chicken, feel free to chop it up and add it to the stew.
Storing Tips
Pasta e ceci is best eaten immediately but leftovers will keep well for a few days. It can also be frozen for later use.
- To store: Transfer cooled stew to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: For best results, reheat the soup/stew on the stovetop; Add a few splashes of water or broth and reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat just until warmed through. Alternatively, heat each individual serving in the microwave.
- To freeze: Allow pasta e ceci to cool completely then transfer to an airtight container, or ziplock bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
More Simple Pasta Recipes To Try
Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew)
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 stick of celery, finely diced (optional)
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced or 2 cloves minced
- ½ tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper or more to taste
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 small sprig fresh rosemary (optional, but don't use dried)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 6 cups water, or low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- small rind of parmesan cheese (optional – see notes)
- 200 grams dry ditalini pasta (about 1 2/3 cups)
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste and cook 1 minute more.
- Add the tomato paste and cook until the colour darkens and caramelizes slightly, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas, rosemary and red pepper flakes, if using. Toss to coat.
- Pour in the water or broth and the parmesan rind, if using. Stir well to deglaze the pan and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, remove the rosemary sprig or leave it in if you really enjoy rosemary (**see notes).
- Add the pasta and lower to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes or so. Stir often to make sure the pasta isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan. At this point, the stew will be quite thick and will continue to thicken so add a bit more water or broth if you prefer it brothier.
- Remove the parmesan rind and taste for seasoning adding a pinch more salt and pepper, if necessary. Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish each with grated cheese and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- To store: Transfer cooled stew to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: For best results, reheat the soup/stew on the stovetop; Add a few splashes of water or broth and reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat just until warmed through. Alternatively, heat each individual serving in the microwave.
- To freeze: Allow pasta e ceci to cool completely then transfer to an airtight container, or ziplock bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
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