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But First, Food

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Creamy Pasta with Broccoli, Spinach & Chickpeas

Written by

Jasmine

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Some of my favourite recipes come from random substitutions and just seeing what I can make out of what’s in the fridge, and this is one such meal! It’s high in fibre, high in protein and comes together in under 30 minutes, so is perfect for busy weeknights. Plus it’s hits the creamy pasta spot…

INGREDIENTS

Pasta and sauce:

Orecchiette (or another similar shape, I recommend bronze die cut)

Chickpeas (pre-cooked – canned, jarred etc.)

Garlic

Lemon juice

Greek yoghurt

Parmigiano Reggiano (or any other Italian hard cheese)

Vegetables:

Tenderstem broccoli

Spinach

Optional toppings:

Chilli flakes

Fresh parsley

TIPS & NOTES

This dish is simple on purpose, mostly because I just made it up based on what was in my fridge and cupboard! The only place where it can go wrong is if you use too much heat towards the end. You want to kill it before adding in the pasta water, parmesan and yoghurt and stirring it together so things stay creamy and consistent.

In terms of nutrition; this hits my satiety sweet spot with 31g of protein, 10g of fibre and a fair few plant points. It’s a take on white pasta that feels satisfying and filling but still has that cheesy broccoli pasta flavour.

Creamy Pasta with Broccoli, Chickpeas & Spinach

  • Servings: 3
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

An easy, tasty weeknight pasta with a little more nutrition

No special equipment or advance prep needed

Ingredients

  • 1 clove of garlic (finely chopped, grated or crushed)
  • 400g can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 200g of tenderstem broccoli (roughly chopped)
  • 200g of pasta shells
  • 50g of Italian hard cheese (finely grated)
  • A small drizzle of olive oil
  • A small knob of butter
  • 100g of Greek yoghurt
  • 1/4 of a tsp of chilli flakes (optional)
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • A small handful of parsley (remove large stems and finely chop)
  • 50g of spinach (roughly chopped)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Bring a pan of water to the boil, salt generously and add the pasta (cook to al dente – for example, if the pack states a 10 min cook time, boil for 8), do not discard the pasta water
  2. Meanwhile, in a frying pan over a medium heat, melt together the butter and olive oil and sauté the garlic for a couple of mins until fragrant before adding salt and pepper
  3. Add the chickpeas and broccoli, toss together and continue to sauté for 5-7 mins
  4. Add the pasta into the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook together for a couple of mins before adding the spinach and allowing it to wilt (this takes a further couple of mins)
  5. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, most of the cheese (save a little for garnish) and the Greek yoghurt and stir together
  6. Serve topped with the chilli flakes, parsley and extra cheese

Let me know if you try this weeknight pasta!

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