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Vegetarian, Italy

Pasta e ceci

Pasta e ceci is a thick Italian soup of small pasta and chickpeas flavored with rosemary, garlic, and tomato. It's ready in 40 minutes for 4 people, rated very easy, at €1.30 per serving. The trick is blending a quarter of the chickpeas with the broth for a velvety texture without any cream.

A pasta e ceci, this thick soup of small pasta and chickpeas with rosemary, that warms you up like a big sweater.

Pasta e ceci
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.30
Calories per person
730 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Pasta e ceci doesn't quite act like a soup, and it doesn't quite act like a pasta dish either. The small pasta cooks right in the chickpea broth, releasing its starch and giving the soup a thick, almost creamy texture without a drop of cream. Rosemary and garlic perfume everything gently, while the tomato adds just enough brightness to balance it out.

This is the kind of dish you make on a weeknight when you don't want to think too hard, or on a cold Sunday when everyone comes home with a cold nose. Kids tend to like it because it's small, familiar pasta swimming in something soft and comforting. Mon Chou offers you this simple version, one that warms you up like a big sweater.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Small pastaoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Canned chickpeas 480 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Vegetable brothoften in the pantry 1 l
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Rosemary 2 sprigs

Dairy

  • Grated Parmesan 40 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Heat the oil with the garlic and rosemary over low heat for two minutes. 2 min

    The oil picks up flavor, remove the rosemary at the end.

  2. Add the tomatoes and the drained chickpeas and let simmer. 10 min

    Mash a few of the chickpeas right in the pot.

  3. Pour in the broth and blend a quarter of the soup to thicken it.

    An immersion blender does the job in ten seconds.

  4. Add the small pasta and cook it directly in the soup. 10 min

    Stir often, the pasta sticks to the bottom.

  5. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and grated Parmesan.

    It thickens as it cools, add a splash of broth if needed.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick short small pasta like ditalini or small shells, they blend into the chickpeas better than long pasta.
  • Let the chickpeas and tomatoes simmer at least ten minutes before adding the broth, it concentrates the flavor.
  • Taste and adjust the salt at the end, the broth and Parmesan already add a lot of salt.

The variations

  • Swap the small pasta for hand broken pasta sheets, that's the traditional version in some regions of Italy.
  • Add a piece of pancetta or bacon rind with the garlic for a richer, non vegetarian version.
  • For rushed kids, use alphabet pasta and keep the soup a bit thinner, easier to eat.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for dipping
  • A simple green salad
  • A glass of light red wine

Storage

Keeps for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It thickens as it cools, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating over low heat. It freezes well before the pasta goes in, otherwise the pasta turns too soft once thawed.

Questions about this dish

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?

Yes, soak 150g of dried chickpeas overnight and cook them for about an hour before following the recipe. Canned chickpeas stay faster for a weeknight dinner.

Can I make pasta e ceci ahead of time?

Prepare the chickpea base ahead and add the pasta only right before serving. If the pasta cooks too early, it soaks up all the liquid and the soup turns mushy.

Why blend part of the soup?

Blending a quarter of the chickpeas with the broth naturally thickens the soup without any cream or flour. That's what gives this dish its signature velvety texture.

How do you adapt this recipe for young kids?

Use small pasta shapes like alphabet or stars, easier to eat with a spoon. You can also blend the soup a bit more for a smoother texture.

How long does it take to make a pasta e ceci?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a pasta e ceci?

About 730 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pasta e ceci cost?

About €1.30 per serving, or €5.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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