Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew)
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Easy and Comforting Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta with Chickpea Soup). Cold winter days need all the quick comfort food! This delicious and satisfying Italian pasta and chickpeas, pasta e ceci, is just what the doctor ordered. This flavor-filled soup makes a cozy vegetarian lunch or dinner.
If you love this recipe, you must try: Italian Pastina Soup Recipe (with Chicken broth), Classic Italian Minestrone Soup, Italian Beans and Greens Recipe (Escarole), No Potato Leek Soup Recipe (Creamy and Easy), Pasta e Fagioli and Blender Tomato Soup Recipe (Vitamix).
What is Pasta e Ceci?
Pasta e Ceci (pasta and chickpeas) is one of Rome’s most iconic winter dishes. The hearty chickpeas and tender small pasta cook in a tomato-rich broth, delivering a comforting Italian meal in under 30 minutes. It’s almost a cross between a stew and a soup! It comes together in one pot! It’s a cozy winter meal that can’t be beaten!
Simple Ingredients
It goes without saying that with any dish as simple as this one, the quality of your ingredients goes a long way! I recommend quality chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, and olive oil for this recipe!
- Chickpeas
- Carrots
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Crushed tomatoes
- Rosemary
- Bay leaf
- Garlic
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Short pasta of choice
- Parmigiano cheese for serving
- Basil leaves and parsley for garnish
Chickpeas
Canned chickpeas perform surprisingly well in this application and save hours of cooking time. You can achieve a similar substantial, creamy base (even without the starchy cooking liquid) by blending a small portion of the beans with some broth in the beginning of the one-pot meal. Ultimately, you should feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
Pasta
A wide, flat pasta shape or a thick, small pasta variety is key to this dish. A thin pasta or anything like spaghetti will make this dish a gummy mess since the pasta cooks in the broth. This dish is rustic, hearty, inexpensive, and good for a cold fall evening. Names of pasta options for pasta e ceci recipe:
- Ditalini
- Small Shells
I like using small shells since the chickpeas are about the same size, and it looks nice together.
Variations to Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta with Chickpea Soup)
Try adding a little meat for extra flavor.
- Bacon: Even better, pancetta or finely chopped Parma ham can give a nice smoky and meaty flavor to your final result.
- Ground Sausage: Try frying up some Italian-style ground sausage and adding it on top of the stew for an extra hearty meal.
Top Tips
- Pureeing a portion of the chickpeas into the sauce base gives the dish body and creaminess.
- While this is not traditionally a tomato-heavy pasta, adding some tomato paste in with the aromatics gives the dish savory depth, as well as a touch of color.
- A little acidity in the form of the tomatoes goes a long way to brighten up and balance this hearty stew.
- If there’s not enough broth, the pasta will absorb it, resulting in a dry sauce. Keep a cup of hot stock aside if you need to loosen up the chickpea soup.
I hope you love this easy “ceci” chickpea and pasta meal. It is both comforting and nourishing. The best meals include simple and minimal ingredients. This is the beauty of Italian cooking!
It is a simple peasant recipe and a staple of households in the center of Italian any Italian home. From my cucina (kitchen) to your table, I hope this recipe brings warmth to you and your family all winter!
How to pronounce “ceci” (chickpeas) in Italian
A little Italian lesson here: “ce” is pronounced as in the first three letters of “checkers” and “ci” as in “ciao.” Share with friends and family as you eat this dish and bring a little taste and culture of Italy to your table!
Can you make Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta with Chickpea Soup) ahead of time?
This dish is best enjoyed immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of stock or water to loosen the sauce.
More delicious recipes for your table
- Simple Artichoke Soup Italian Recipe
- Hearty Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Oven Roasted Potatoes (Italian Style)
- Perfect Roast Chicken with Citrus and Fennel
- Pappardelle Pasta with Mushroom
- 15 Bean Soup with Ham
This Roman brothy stew and a saucy tomato pasta dish, Pasta e Ceci (pasta and chickpeas) is Italian comfort food at its finest. Enjoy!
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Pasta e Ceci
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced carrots
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth, plus more if needed
- 1 cup short pasta, about 6 ounces or 170 grams ditalini or small shells
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving
- Extra virgin olive oil, for serving
Instructions
- Place half of the chickpeas in a blender or food processor with a splash of broth and blend until smooth. Leave the remaining chickpeas whole and set aside.
- In a medium soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t brown.
- Stir in the rosemary, bay leaf, crushed tomatoes, and pureed chickpeas. Let everything cook together for about 5 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- Pour in the broth and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. The broth should be hot and lightly bubbling before adding the pasta.
- Add the reserved whole chickpeas and uncooked pasta directly into the pot. Simmer on medium-low heat for about 10-12 minutes, stirring often to keep the pasta from sticking. The starch from the pasta will naturally thicken the broth and make it creamy.
- If the soup becomes too thick before the pasta is cooked, add a splash of hot broth or water as needed. The final texture should be creamy and spoonable – somewhere between a soup and pasta dish.
- Ladle into shallow bowls and finish with freshly grated Pecorino cheese and a generous drizzle of your best olive oil. Add parsley or basil if desired. Serve warm with crusty bread and a spoon.
Notes
- Blending part of the chickpeas is the secret to a naturally creamy broth without adding cream.
- Stir the pasta often as it cooks – the starches create that classic silky texture.
- Keep extra warm broth nearby since the pasta continues to absorb liquid as it sits.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Al dente pasta gives the best texture in this rustic dish.
- Use good quality olive oil for serving – it makes a big difference in simple Italian recipes.
- Pecorino Romano adds a saltier, sharper flavor, while Parmigiano is nuttier and milder.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb more broth as it sits, so add a splash of water or broth when reheating.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat for the best texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Every one love it
Yay! Happy to hear that. It is a simple classic.
I loved the flavor,
I followed the recipe exactly though and it was so thick that it was sticking to the bottom in a major way. Should I have puréed less of the ceci? I used Cento crushed tomatoes, maybe they are thicker? In the end it was so thick that my husband added 2 extra cups of of broth because the wooden spoon stood straight up in the pot.
For the record I doubled everything because we are more people.
Hello, yes, sometimes depending on the chickpea variety it will be thicker. You can always lessen the amount of puree and add a little more liquid to your liking.
Easy and delicious!
Happy you loved it!