This lemony parmesan linguine is packed with tangy and tart lemon, creamy and salty parmesan, crispy chickpeas, and roasted broccolini. The textures and flavors all come together to make one delicious and simple pasta dish. It’s such a delicious vegetarian meal! Give this recipe a try and don’t forget to leave a review!
Inspired by this Summer Squash and Ricotta Pasta, these vegetarian pastas are packed with flavor!
Ingredients
- Linguine
- Broccolini
- Canned chickpeas
- Parmesan
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: smoked paprika
- Optional for garnish: Parsley
FAQs
Can I make this recipe vegan?
Yes, simply leave out the parmesan! You may need to add more salt, as the parmesan adds quite a bit of flavor and salt to the dish.
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Sure! I love linguine with this dish, but you can really use any pasta shape you want.
Tips
- Boil the pasta in heavily salted water (the typical rule is 1 ½ tablespoon in 4 quarts water for 1 lb of pasta). So, for this recipe, you would use 2 quarts of water and ¾ tablespoon salt since the recipe calls for a ½ lb pasta.
- Don’t skip using the pasta water in this recipe! It takes this dish to a whole new level.
- Make sure the water comes to a boil before adding in the pasta. This helps cook the pasta correctly.
- Use freshly grated parmesan! This is important because the parmesan makes the pasta sauce when mixed in with the pasta water, and if you buy the parmesan pre-grated it doesn’t melt as well.
When it comes to making crispy chickpeas, you can use an oven or air fryer. Instructions are included for both in the recipe, and if you want to add a spicy and smoky flavor to the dish, add smoked paprika to taste when seasoning the chickpeas. I love this addition, but leave it out if you’re sensitive to spice! Other than that, simply toss one can of drained, rinsed, and dried chickpeas with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste before cooking.
Make sure to thinly slice the broccolini so it can be easily incorporated with the pasta. If you leave it too thick, it’s hard to pick up with the pasta when eating.
Make sure to slowly incorporate the pasta water and parmesan to make a thick and creamy parmesan cheese sauce to coat the pasta!
Storage
To store any leftovers, place in a covered container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to heat some up, add a little bit of water and either heat in the microwave or on the stove! Keep the crispy chickpeas separate from this pasta dish until you’re ready to eat it, they’ll get soggy if you store them with the pasta.
How to store crispy chickpeas:
The best way I have found is to place them in a bowl at room temperature and simply place a paper towel over the bowl. Do not store in the refrigerator!
Related
Lemony Parmesan Linguine with Crispy Chickpeas and Broccolini
Ingredients
For Pasta
- 8 oz linguine
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 4-6 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 6 oz broccolini sliced vertically into halves (or for larger pieces quartered)
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
For Crispy Chickpeas
- 15 oz can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
For the crispy chickpeas
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- Lay out the chickpeas in a single layer and dry them.
- Place the chickpeas in a bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and optional smoked paprika.
- For air fryer method: Preheat air fryer to 400F. Place chickpeas in a single layer, cooking until crispy (10-12 minutes). Shake the air fryer basket halfway through to turn the chickpeas over.
- For oven method: Preheat oven to 425 F. Roast chickpeas until crispy, about 25-30 minutes. Toss the chickpeas halfway through baking.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
For the pasta
- Bring 2 quarts of heavily salted water to a boil. Boil linguine until al dente, about 8 minutes. Before straining, set aside 1 cup of pasta water.
- While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil on a pan on medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the broccolini to the pan, and cook until it is at your desired tenderness, about 5 minutes.
- Add strained pasta, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the pan and toss.
- Add in small amounts of the reserved pasta water and parmesan, stirring until parmesan is melted, then adding more until parmesan is all added. You may not need all of the pasta water to incorporate the parmesan.
- Remove pasta from heat, and top with crispy chickpeas and (optional) parsley for garnish.
- Serve!
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