Pasta e Ceci (Italian Chickpea Soup)

5 from 2 votes

Pasta e Ceci (Italian Chickpea Soup)

Pasta e ceci-Italian Chickpea Soup is a classic Roman dish that comes together in one pot. A rich tomato broth, hearty chickpeas and pasta, this is total Italian comfort food that’s ready in 30 minutes!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: broth, chickpeas, gluten-free

Servings:

Calories: 90kcal

Author: Lora

Equipment

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
1 medium onion finely diced
2 carrots peeled finely diced
2 stalks celery leaves removed and finely diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 14 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 14 ounces canned whole tomatoes, hand crushed
7- 8 cups stock vegetable or chicken low sodium (I used my homemade chicken broth)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or dried rosemary if you can't get fresh
2 bay leaves
1 cup dried ditalini pasta or another type of small pasta
salt and pepper to taste
extra olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pot ( I like to use my Dutch oven) over medium heat.
Add in the diced onions, carrots, and celery, and saute for about 8-10 minutes until onion is soft and translucent.
Add the minced garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Keep an eye on the garlic and stir as it will brown quickly (1-2 minutes is enough to cook up the garlic).
Add in the tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to break them up (if using canned plum tomatoes, break them up before adding, and remove the tough white core).
Add in the chickpeas and stir together.
Next, add in the salt, pepper, rosemary and bay leaves (if you’re not using a low sodium broth, wait to add salt until after you add your broth).
Bring to a boil for a few minutes and then lower the heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
If you are cooking the pasta in the broth, this is when you add it in (If you are not cooking the pasta in the broth, cook it in a separate medium sized pot in boiling and salted water until al dente. Drain, drizzle on olive oil and reserve in a bowl until the chickpea soup is ready).
Cook the pasta in the soup, at a low boil until al dente, stirring frequently to keep from sticking, until the pasta is al dente (it will keep cooking when you remove from the heat) and the broth has thickened, 8-10 minutes, depending on which pasta you choose. Add more broth or water if it's thickened too much and you would like it thinner.
Check the flavor and if needed, season with some more salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Ladle into bowls and serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Notes

How to store this soup

To store pasta e ceci soup in the refrigerator: Once the soup has cooled completely, place it into an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

The soup does thicken when it stores. You’ll need to add a little broth to thin it out when reheating. That’s another reason I prefer to cook my pasta on the side and store whatever leftovers in a separate container. As I mentioned, I’m not a fan of mushy pasta in my soup. I prefer to cook pasta on the side if I’m making a big pot of this that will have leftovers. It’s really up to you how you like to do the pasta.

Nutrition