Pasta & Chickpea Soup (Pasta e ceci)

From EatingWell: January/February 1994 — Subscribe Now!

This thick soup is full of chickpeas, tomatoes, fresh rosemary and pasta. Convenient pantry items makes it the perfect solution for harried weeknights.

Pasta & Chickpea Soup (Pasta e ceci) Recipe

6 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 14-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained
1 large sprig fresh rosemary, or 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried
2 15-ounce cans reduced-sodium beef broth
2 cups water
2 19-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed, divided
6 ounces whole-wheat elbow macaroni, or cavatappi
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano, or Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Heat oil in a large pot over low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and rosemary; simmer for 5 minutes, crushing tomatoes with a fork or potato masher. Pour in broth and water; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Meanwhile, mash 1 cup chickpeas in a small bowl with a fork or potato masher. Stir the mashed chickpeas, pasta and pepper into the tomato-broth mixture. Simmer, uncovered, until the pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Stir in the remaining whole chickpeas and heat through. If using fresh rosemary, remove the sprig. Serve the soup with a sprinkling of grated cheese.

Nutrition

Per serving: 319 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 5 mg cholesterol; 53 g carbohydrates; 15 g protein; 10 g fiber; 394 mg sodium; 412 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Folate (26% daily value), Iron (18% dv), Magnesium (20% dv), Selenium (35% dv), Zinc (15% dv).

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 3 1/2 starch, 1 lean meat