Family-Friendly
High-Protein Chickpea Pasta with Tomato & Basil
Simple does not mean low-effort — a 20-minute tomato sauce made with real tomatoes and plenty of basil is one of the best things you can put on pasta. Cibo di Italia Gluten-Free Penne Rigate brings 16g of protein per 100g to the bowl before the sauce even hits, making this one of the most satisfying plates on the table.
Ingredients
- 300 g Cibo di Italia Gluten-Free Penne Rigate
- 400 g crushed or passata tomatoes — one tin — good quality makes a difference
- 250 g cherry tomatoes — halved
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 pieces garlic cloves — thinly sliced
- 1 tsp sugar — balances the acidity
- 1 pinch dried chilli flakes — optional — leave out for kids
- to taste salt and black pepper
- 20 g fresh basil leaves — torn — add half into the sauce, half at the end
- 30 g parmesan or pecorino — grated, to serve — use a vegetarian rennet version if needed
Method
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Step 1. Heat olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook gently for 2 minutes until soft and golden — don't let it brown.
2 min
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Step 2. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook 3 minutes until they start to collapse, pressing a few down with a spoon.
3 min
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Step 3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Add sugar, chilli flakes (if using), salt and pepper. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns a deep red.
15 min
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Step 4. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the gluten-free penne rigate for 6–7 minutes — taste at 6. It firms up fast after draining.
7 min
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Step 5. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining. Drain the penne and tip straight into the tomato sauce.
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Step 6. Toss over medium heat for 1 minute, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce around the ridges. Tear in half the basil.
1 min
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Step 7. Plate up, scatter over the remaining basil leaves and finish with grated parmesan. Serve immediately.
Goes well with
A simple green salad with cucumber, rocket and a squeeze of lemon.
Sparkling water with a wedge of lemon and a few torn basil leaves.
Sliced fresh fruit with a drizzle of honey — mango or melon works well.
Nutrition
Scaled to your servings
- 440kcalCalories22%
- 62gCarbohydrate24%
- 22gProtein44%
- 12gFat17%
The pasta we used
Cibo di Italia Penne Rigate
300g · Cooks in 6–7 minutes · Serves ~3
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