Harissa Chickpea Pasta (Printer View)

Spicy harissa sauce blends with chickpeas and al dente pasta for a flavorful Mediterranean dish.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli)
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Chickpeas & Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 tbsp harissa paste (adjust to taste)
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 14 oz can diced tomatoes
10 - 2 (14 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
11 - 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ To Finish

13 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
15 - Optional: crumbled feta cheese, to serve

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent.
03 - Stir in minced garlic, harissa paste, cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add diced tomatoes, chickpeas, and vegetable broth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
05 - Cover and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and flavors meld.
06 - Add cooked pasta to skillet and toss to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen sauce.
07 - Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley or cilantro. Adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional herbs and optional crumbled feta cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than delivery and tastes like you've been simmering spices all day.
  • Chickpeas give you protein and substance without any meat or dairy needed.
  • The heat from harissa is exactly the kind of wake-up call your taste buds didn't know they wanted.
02 -
  • Don't drain your pasta water—that starchy liquid is what keeps the sauce clinging to every strand instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Harissa paste varies wildly by brand; taste your sauce before serving and adjust the heat because some pastes are gentle whispers and others are roars.
03 -
  • Cook the pasta a full minute under what the box says; the sauce will finish the cooking as you toss them together.
  • If you make this ahead, store the sauce and pasta separately and warm them together gently with a splash of water—reheating them together in the skillet brings everything back to life without drying it out.
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