| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound mezzi rigatoni pasta
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained well on paper towels
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
- 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
- 1 bunch Swiss chard (or baby spinach), stemmed, leaves chopped into 1/2-inch strips
- 1 3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just short of al dente, 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 1/4 cups of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chile flakes and capers and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the Swiss chard and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook until wilted, 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and simmer for 1 minute. Add the drained pasta and sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the Parmesan and the lemon zest; toss well to coat. Add 1 cup more of the reserved pasta water and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Simmer until the pasta is al dente, the sauce has thickened and the flavors have come together, 2 minutes. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 726 |
| Total Fat | 33 g |
| Saturated Fat | 10 g |
| Carbohydrates | 77 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 32 g |
| Cholesterol | 29 mg |
| Sodium | 1038 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 726 |
| Total Fat | 33 g |
| Saturated Fat | 10 g |
| Carbohydrates | 77 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 32 g |
| Cholesterol | 29 mg |
| Sodium | 1038 mg |
Reviews
Awesome weeknight dish that was pretty quick and easy. Made this with plant based sausage and added kale with spinach instead of Swiss chard. Flavors married well. Loved the creaminess and of course the little spice kick.
Great vegetarian dish that I’ll definitely make again.
Great vegetarian dish that I’ll definitely make again.
Wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, but I have to say it’s a keeper!
I’ve now made this a number of times – it makes a great weeknight dinner. Although I love it with Swiss Chard, I like it even more with dinosaur kale (so good!) I’ll also add some Boars Head chicken sausage, sliced and browned (and leave out the capers) if I have some on hand.
Very good. Followed exactly. Except doubled the greens. Delicious.
Loved everything about this dish. Well balanced. Great as a side or a vegetarian main dish. Even my teenagers loved it!
Very savory. The Chile flakes add just the right kick.
This is a regular in my recipe rotation. I usually throw in some chopped bacon or pancetta to crisp up with the chick peas, and I use a LOT of spinach!
For the two of us I made this recipe exactly as written, with one exception. I only had 1/2 pound of the rigatoni on hand, so I considered cutting everything else in half to make it work. I’m so glad I didn’t. I think using the full pound of pasta would have made the chard mixture too skimpy. As a result I ended up with three healthy, generous servings and a delicious recipe I’ll be making often.
Fantastic recipe. Simple, healthy and tasty!
I was not sure what to expect, but this was actually delicious. Not a huge fan of raw garbanzos, I was pleasantly surprised at how they tasted in this recipe all crisped up. The rest of the ingredients, although a little unconventionally mixed, really came together beautifully. Best of all, it was easy and came together very quickly. Half teaspoon of red pepper flakes sounds like a lot but it was not too spicy at all.
Truly enjoyed this recipe, it was so easy and absolutely delicious! I definitely will make again!!