Kale Pesto Pasta with Roasted Chickpeas.
This kale pesto pasta is deliciously vibrant and cozy. Kale pesto made with lots of parmesan and garlic is twirled into hot pasta, served with crunchy chickpeas on top and a handful of extra cheese. Delish!
Going into the second week of January looking green!
This super simple kale pesto pasta is served with lots of parmesan cheese and a big handful of crispy chickpeas on top. Don’t forget the pile of parmesan.
It’s so satisfying!
And vibrant and pretty.
And easy!
I can’t believe I am sharing this with you guys because I have been eating a version of this recipe for… maybe, 15 years? Or close to 15 years.
I’ve never quite deemed it recipe-worthy, because it’s simple. And frankly, it happens most often based on the leftovers in my fridge.
Pesto-y pasta, topped with crispy roasted chickpeas and are one of my-go to meals. I LOVE this. It is super satisfying and filling. The components can be made ahead of time so it’s easy to have to for lunch or dinner in a pinch.
And you can switch up the flavors too! Different pesto, different cuts of pasta, different seasonings on the chickpeas.
Love a dish like this so much.
I came about this when I had roasted too many chickpeas one week. And I had a ton of leftover chickpeas by Friday, and, well… they aren’t they great and crispy after more than a week. I wanted to use them up and I didn’t have kids yet, so I couldn’t really pawn them off on to other plates in the house.
Enter a big bowl of pasta! I threw some on top and the rest is history.
It’s true – I make crispy chickpeas almost every week. I love to eat them for a snack, on salads, in pasta and more. I’ve converted many people I know to the wonders of this little treat. The texture is so incredible and I adore how satisfying the chickpeas can be.
They are a major staple here, and so is pesto.
I tend to stockpile a ton of basil pesto in my freezer for the winter months. But there is something about a hearty kale pesto in the winter. I love the mix of kale and parmesan, mixed in hot pasta with some crushed red pepper, lots of garlic and a touch of lemon.
Add that pasta and it’s dinner gold.
This kale pesto can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for a weeknight meal. You can also store it in the freezer for a few months. I like to use it to top soups or even as a spread on a sandwich too.
Huge winner!!
Kale Pesto Pasta with Roasted Chickpeas
Kale Pesto Pasta with Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
roasted chickpeas
- 2 14 ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
kale pesto pasta
- 4 cups chopped green kale
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 cup finely parmesan cheese
- ½ cup pine nuts, toasted
- kosher salt and pepper
- ½ lemon, juice freshly squeezed
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ to ¾ cup olive oil
- 1 pound bucatini pasta
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- extra parmesan, for topping
Instructions
chickpeas
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place the chickpeas on a towel and lightly towel-dry them so they aren’t wet from rinsing. You can remove any loose skins at this time too.
- Place the chickpeas on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat, then sprinkle with the paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Shake the pan a few times to distribute the seasoning. Roast the chickpeas for 15 minutes, then toss and roast for 10 to 15 more, until crispy.
kale pesto pasta
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook according to the package directions. Remember to reserve the pasta water.
- Combine the kale, garlic, parmesan, pine nuts, lemon juice, pepper flakes and a big pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until small crumbs remain and everything is combined. With the processor on, stream in the olive oil until the mixture comes together.
- Place the hot pasta in a large bowl. Add in the kale pesto and toss continuously for 1 to 2 minutes, until every strand is coated. Drizzle in the pasta water and continue to toss. Sprinkle on some extract parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
- Serve the pesto bucatini with a few spoonfuls of the roasted chickpeas on top. Add extra parmesan cheese. Serve!
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I appreciate you so much!
Dip some bread in there too…
4 Comments on “Kale Pesto Pasta with Roasted Chickpeas.”
I liked the flavors, but the texture was dry. Perhaps the pesto would have been better if I had used a higher powered blender. I guess I’ll save for a vitamix!
Delicious! I added diced tomatoes and flaky salt to the top of the pasta before serving.
I was so excited to see this recipe until, I saw the parmesan. Parmesan cheese is unfortunately not vegetarian! Due to the enzymes required to create the cheese and how those enzymes are ‘sourced’ it’s not a vegetarian cheese making this recipe not one for vegetarians (Or at least not for vegetarians who are also avoiding parmesan cheese due to how it’s made) :(
Excellent recipe – thank you! Next time I will roast the chickpeas a little less, but no complaints. :)