Pasta e Ceci (Chickpea Soup Recipe)

square crop looking down into a bowl of soup with a spoon on the right.

5 from 2 votes

Pasta e Ceci (Chickpea Soup Recipe)

This easy Pasta e Ceci is a classic Italian chickpea soup made with pantry staples. Creamy, hearty, and naturally vegan, it’s ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for a cozy weeknight meal.

Course Soup

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword chickpea, pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 279kcal

Author Debi

Ingredients

15.5 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzos) drained and rinsed
4 cups water (or vegetable broth for more flavor)
½ cup jarred or homemade marinara or spaghetti sauce (use your family’s favorite)
1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
1 cup small pasta (such as ditalini, elbows, or small shells), uncooked

Instructions

In a heavy 4-quart pot, combine chickpeas,water (or broth), marinara sauce, rosemary, olive oil, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 10–15minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove about 1 cup of the chickpeas and set aside. Discard rosemary stem if using fresh. Transfer remaining soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the blended soup to the pot along with the reserved chickpeas. Bring back to a gentle boil.
Add pasta and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring frequently, until al dente. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Notes

Makes 2-4 servings: 2 as a main dish, 4 as a starter

The pasta will continue to soak up the liquid as it sits, so if you plan on making this ahead of time, I recommend making the soup without the pasta, then adding cooked pasta in before serving.

Save leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soup will thicken as the pasta absorbs the liquid, so add water/broth when reheating.

For longer storage, store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Transfer completely cooled soup to a freezer-safe, gallon-sized zip-top bag. Lay flat in the freezer. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition