This healthy Pasta with Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans) and Kale makes the perfect supper when you are in a hurry and have no clue what to make. Rich in protein and made with a few staples you’ve got hidden in your pantry, this Rigatoni with Chickpeas and Kale will turn the hungry into happy satisfied peeps!
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If you like baked pasta, you will find the perfect baked pasta in this collection of Baked Pasta Dishes for any Diet or try this Italian Wedding Egg Drop Soup for an upscale soup that's hearty.
tips and tricks to making rigatoni with garbanzo beans and kale
garbanzo beans vs. chickpeas
Really garbanzo beans and chickpeas are the same bean. They just have a different name. We have been eating these beans for several centuries and they are more widely known as Chickpeas. The term Garbanzo bean came from Spanish terminology. Regardless, beans whether chickpeas, kidney, soy are a stable in all cultures.
deciding what type of kale to use
I bet you never thought the day would come when you had to make a decision on what type of kale to use in a meal, let along in a pasta dish. Well, here we are. There are dozens of different types of kale variations. You can visit this site here, to learn more about the different types of kale.
In addition, if you don't have access to fresh kale or spinach, you also have the option to use greens from the freezer section. Frozen kale or spinach works very well in this dish for Rigatoni with Garbanzo Beans and Kale.
simple is sometimes better
What makes this Rigatoni with Garbanzo Beans and Kale so special? Simplicity. There is no sauce to make. This dish can literally be made and on the table in less than 30 minutes. You just need a few staples from the pantry like chickpeas and pasta and some frozen kale.
So what if you don't have chickpeas or kale or rigatoni? No problem. You don't need to worry your little head about it. You can interchange these ingredients for any kind of bean, any kind of green leafy vegetable like spinach and any kind of pasta.
This is another time when you can get creative!
When I'm making a sauce or any type of addition to a past dish, I like to make the sauce or saute the vegetables in a frypan. I'll cook it up in the frypan and then i'll add the pasta to the frypan and combine all the ingredients. If you do this, don't forget to save some pasta water.
Pasta water has starch that has been released by the pasta. That starch helps to allow the sauce or pasta topper to stick to the pasta as you mix it in the pan or in a bowl.
pasta and the finish
You’ve gone through all this trouble to plan your meal. Don’t ruin it by making soggy pasta. Always cook your past as directed by the product instructions and remove the pasta when it’s al dente. Al dente means cooked but firm to the bite.
This Garbanzo Beans and Kale combination is perfect for rigatoni or penne pasta. But, if you are not into rigatoni or penne, you can pretty much use any type of pasta like spaghetti, orecchiette, gnocchi, linguine, etc... Use your noodle to come up with the perfect pasta compliment to this perfect sauce!
And, of course, top your pasta off with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Oh and by the way don’t buy cheese that comes in a jar in the grocery isle. All good cheese can be found in the deli-cheese section not on a shelf in an isle.
Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for a maximum of 5 days.
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Make this recipe for Rigatoni with Chickpeas and Kale now or PIN it for later.
Recipe Details
Rigatoni with Garbanzo Beans
Ingredients
- 1 can or garbanzo beans drained
- 1 cups frozen kale
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ cups olive oil
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 4 cups rigatoni cooked and drained
- ¾ cups pasta water reserved ((prior to draining pasta))
- ½ cups parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water to boil, add salt and pasta.
- Meanwhile, in a large frypan, heat up olive oil and sauté garlic until fragrant. Add chickpeas and frozen kale. Add onion powder, salt, and pepper. Check on pasta, stirring occasionally.
- Sauté mixture until the kale has wilted and the ingredients meld together. Set aside and keep warm. You will want to remove pasta when it is slightly hard (al dente). Before you drain the pasta, remove about ¾ of the pasta water and place in the pasta serving bowl. (otherwise, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water for use when combining all ingredients)
- Place the drained pasta in the serving bowl and scoop the sauce over the pasta, add the cheese and mix well. If the pasta is too dry add in the reserved pasta water and combine. The pasta water will help to fully coat the pasta with the sauce because of the starch released from the pasta. Serve in a bowl, add more cheese if desired! Bon appetite!
Nutrition
Other Recipes to Try:
- Pasta e Fagioli from the Lazy Slow Cooker
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