Brussels Sprouts and Toasted Chickpea Pasta

Lately, I’ve been very into pasta recipes that pack a lot of vegetables and protein. This makes a pasta dish feel like a complete, nourishing meal on it’s own, without sacrificing the comfort food value that classic pasta dishes provide.  

An added bonus (in my opinion) is that this one’s completely vegetarian and would even be quite easy to make completely vegan (all you need is a good vegan Parmesan substitute!), but doesn’t sacrifice protein content due to the chickpeas and optional egg topping.

This one was a huge hit and definitely be added to our regular rotation, maybe it will be in yours as well.

Recipe serves about 4 people.

Ingredients

Salt and black pepper
5 TB olive oil
1 15 oz ca chickpeas, drained and patted dry
2 TB unsalted butter 
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 
1 lb Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced (i used a mandolin)
8 oz spaghetti-like pasta (about 1/2 box)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (if lactose intolerant, Parmesan Reggiano)
2 TB drained capers 
2 TB lemon juice 
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 C chopped chives 

Directions

1. Bring salted water to a boil (for the pasta).

2. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or large/deep skillet, heat 2 TB of oil over medium heat. Add chickpeas, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. This takes 5-7 minutes - don’t rush it! They should be nice and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up the oil. Remove remaining oil from the pan if you’re concerned with the oil content.

3. Add the butter, garlic, and 2 TB of the oil to the Dutch oven. Stir for about 1 minute - just until it begins to smell really fragrant.

4. Add brussels sprouts, season with more salt and pepper, and cook until tender (about 10 minutes).

5. While the sprouts cook, cook the pasta. Reserve 2C of the pasta water before draining.

6. Add the pasta, 1C of pasta water, and 3/4 of the chickpeas. Add remaining olive oil (can omit this last bit of oil, or decrease, for lower fat). Stir in parmesan, lemon juice, pepper flakes, and half of the chives. Mix until well incorporated (may take a couple minutes).

7. Divide pasta into 4 bowls. Top with chickpeas and chives. Add more Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.

Serving tip: for extra protein, add a poached egg to each dish! Try a protein rich pasta like protein+, chickpea or lentil based pasta for even more protein.