Easy & Healthy Banza Chickpea Pasta Recipe with Broccoli makes protein rich vegetarian meal. It is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. This chickpea flour pasta is vegan and gluten-free, full of nutrient rich ingredients and deliciously flavored with warm earthy spices.
Broccoli Chickpea pasta salad studded with roasted pine nuts is the best vegetarian pasta recipe. It's quick, easy, delicious and brimming with soul satisfying comfort food vibes. Spaghetti Lentil Bolognese , Penne Rosa and Creamy Lemon Basil Pasta are few other family favorite pasta dinner ideas.
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How Does Banza Pasta Taste Compared to Regular Pasta?
Banza has a slightly nutty flavor and a firmer texture. It's different from traditional pasta but pairs well with a variety of sauces and ingredients
Another good thing about this recipe is that it’s infinitely customizable based on what’s in the refrigerator or what is seasonally available. Besides broccoli florets, you can use other vegetables like red bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, green beans, tomatoes, baby spinach and even kale.
Ingredients
Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's a brief overview of what I used to make this recipe.
- Pasta - I used chickpea pasta. You can use regular pasta as well.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh Ingredients: Peeled and roughly chopped fresh garlic, broccoli florets, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. Fresh herbs like basil or parsley for garnish.
- Toasted pine nuts - add great earthy flavor and crisp crunch. You can also use almonds, walnuts, cashews or pecans.
- Seasoning : Salt and ground black pepper to taste, Store brought Italian Seasoning Mix, and red pepper flakes
- Garnishes : Black or white truffle oil - optional but highly recommended. It adds a great depth of rich umami flavors. You can also sprinkle the pasta with parmesan cheese ( use plant based for vegan) or nutritional yeast.
- Optional Sauces : You can use pesto sauce or tomato sauce to make saucier pasta.
How to Make
Heat the Sauté pan on medium heat and add oil. Let it warm up for 30 seconds. Add garlic. Let it sizzle for a couple minutes. It should start to brown.
Add broccoli florets and lemon zest to the pan. Sprinkle some salt and sauté on high heat for 3-5 minutes stirring frequently. Add pine nuts and the seasoning. Mix well and turn off the heat.
Meanwhile cook the chickpea pasta per package directions. ( Instant Pot instructions are included in the notes below) Drain the hot water and pasta in a colander.
Mix cooked pasta with garlic , broccoli florets and pine nuts mix sautéed earlier. Add ground black pepper, and lemon juice. Toss well. Season with nutritional yeast or cheese and truffle oil if using. Add fresh chopped herbs on top.
Your super delicious chickpea pasta with lemon broccoli is ready ! Enjoy. Bon Appetit!
Serving Suggestions
Since this pasta also has good servings of veggies, it's a meal on it's own. If you want to make it heartier, pair it with Creamy Mushroom Soup or Creamy Tomato Soup.
You can also serve it with a side salad. Italian style zucchini noodles or Tomato Peach Caprese will be so good to serve alongside.
A side of Crispy fingerling potatoes will be awesome as well. You can also make Italian bruschetta or olive tapenade or restaurant style dipping oil with crusty bread. Zucchini fritters or stuffed mushrooms or stuffed sweet peppers are also great sides to serve along.
How to Cook Banza Chickpea Pasta Perfectly
Use these cooking Tips for Optimal Texture
- Use plenty of water to prevent gumminess.
- Avoid overcooking; start checking for doneness after 6 minutes.
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Stick to shorter pasta shapes like shells, penne or rotini, as they hold up better than long strands like spaghetti.
- Optional: Rinse briefly after cooking to halt the cooking process and remove excess starch.
💡Pro Tips to Make Best Banza Pasta
- This pasta comes together quickly for weeknight dinners. It’s ready in just over 30 minutes. Makes great family loved by all including kids.
- I want the veggies to be crisp, tender, and not at all mushy. So I pan fry broccoli instead of cooking it with pasta. It adds 5 extra minutes to the cooking process but so well worth it.
- Chickpea flour pasta is made dairy free/vegan. You can use Parmesan Cheese on top if you like.
- Make sure to use large pot of salted water when you boil pasta. I prefer to use kosher salt.
- I love to serve this pasta with freshly ground black pepper , a sprinkle of smoked paprika or red pepper flakes and a light drizzle of truffle oil.
Nutritional Benefits of Banza Chickpea Pasta
Banza Chickpea Pasta is my new favorite pasta. They have a variety of different shapes including spaghetti, rotini and shells. Per 2 oz (56g) serving: 190 calories, 11g protein, 5g fiber, 34g carbs. In comparison, traditional wheat pasta, it is higher in protein and fiber, lower in net carbs.
It boasts solid 22 grams of Protein and 8grams of fiber per 8 oz. pasta box. And it doesn't compromise on taste, texture, or satisfaction that you get from regular pasta.
I often buy a variety of Banza pasta at Costco. Adding my Amazon Affiliate Link in case you want to buy this Banza Pasta online.
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❓Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can cook Banza pasta just like traditional pasta. Simply boil it in salted water according to the package instructions until it reaches your desired level of tenderness. Then, drain and serve with your favorite sauce or toppings for a satisfying meal.
Banza pasta offers significantly higher protein and fiber content compared to traditional pasta made from wheat flour. It boasts solid 22 grams of Protein and 8grams of fiber per 8 oz. pasta box. And it doesn't compromise on taste, texture, or satisfaction that you get from regular pasta.
Yes, Banza pasta is entirely gluten-free. Made from chickpeas instead of wheat flour.
While Banza pasta is lower in net carbs compared to traditional pasta, it still contains 34g of carbohydrates per serving. It may not fit strict keto guidelines but can be suitable for a moderate low-carb diet.
Yes, Banza pasta holds up well for meal prep. Store cooked pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently to maintain texture.
Easy Pasta Recipes
- Chickpea Orzo Soup
- Penne Rosa - Pasta in Creamy Pink Tomato Sauce
- Penne Pesto Primavera - With delicious pesto sauce.
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Pasta Fresca - Pasta with tangy balsamic sauce
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
★ If you make this Banza Chickpea Pasta Recipe , do let us know how you like it by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Easy & Healthy Banza Chickpea Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz.) chickpea pasta I prefer Banza brand
- 2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 - 6 cloves garlic peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- Salt - per taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper adjust per taste
Optional Garnishes
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
- 1 Tablespoon black or white truffle oil
- Fresh herbs - parsley or basil - trimmed
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat the Sauté pan on medium heat and add oil. Let it warm up for 30 seconds. Add garlic. Let it sizzle for a couple minutes. It should start to brown.
- Add broccoli florets and lemon zest to the pan. Sprinkle some salt and sauté on high heat for 3-5 minutes stirring frequently. Add pine nuts and the seasoning. Mix well and turn off the heat.
- Meanwhile cook the chickpea pasta per package directions. ( Instant Pot instructions are included in the notes below) Drain the hot water and pasta in a colander.
- Mix cooked pasta with garlic , broccoli florets and pine nuts sauté. Add ground black pepper, and lemon juice. Toss well. Season with cheese and truffle oil if using. Sprinkle chopped fresh herbs on the top.
- Your super delicious chickpea pasta with lemon broccoli is ready ! Enjoy. Bon Appetit!
Cooking Pasta In Instant Pot :
- I like to add 1 tbsp. oil to prevent the pasta from clumping together and ½ teaspoon salt and seasoning for flavors to the cooking water.
- Use 1:1 pasta to water ratio and cook on high pressure at 4 minutes. Wait on keep warm timer at least 5-7 minutes, after it's done cooking and release leftover pressure. Use colander and drain any excess water. Rinse the pasta in cold water to avoid it from further cooking and sticking together
Notes
Can I Meal Prep with Banza Pasta?
Yes, Banza pasta holds up well for meal prep. Store cooked pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently to maintain texture.Nutrition
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Jenniffer
Really loved this! Great recipe for a family lunch or dinner. I only substituted regular Parmesan with vegan cheese to keep the dish vegan. Will definitely make this again. Thank you so much for sharing!
Angie
Absolutely delicious! I made a few tweaks to customize the flavor to a more intense and spicy taste, but overall I LOVE this recipe!! My additions: double the lemon juice, add extra Parmesan cheese, add 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp Umami seasoning. I made it last night for dinner and then again today for lunches this week. YUM!!