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Chickpea Pasta Recipe with Feta is the perfect light, spring meal. Your favorite pasta is mixed with a creamy, lemon sauce, chickpeas, feta cheese and arugula. This is the perfect weeknight meal or an elegant way to celebrate.
Spring is in the air and that calls for light, lemony pasta dishes. Lemon mixed with feta cheese and pasta is my new favorite dish and today’s Chickpea Pasta Recipe with Feta is one I can’t stop making. You probably have seen the famous feta baked pasta dish that everyone is making these days.
I must admit I love feta cheese in pasta. To be honest I use feta in so many recipes from this Greek Village Salad, to this Mediterranean Bean Salad to this Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich. The American Dairy Association Mideast and I are partnering today to share this light, delicious and easy to make pasta dish with you guys. If you like pasta recipes you also might like this Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta, Shrimp Pesto Pasta, Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Recipe or this Instant Pot Turkey Taco Pasta.
Recipe Ingredients
- Milk: This recipe uses 2 % milk to help create a creamy but light sauce. You can substitute any dairy in. Keep in mind if you use skim milk it will have a thinner texture and a bit less flavor than the higher fat milks.
- Cheese: I added feta cheese into this pasta. I love the saltiness of feta and when heated with the milk it creates a nice, creamy sauce. You can use other cheeses like goat cheese, mozzarella or Parmesan cheese.
- Spices: For this dish I went pretty simple with the spices and just used Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. There are a variety of spices that would be nice additions from paprika, to sumac to za’atar.
- Lemon: This recipe is lemony and uses lemon juice and lemon zest. Of course if you want less lemon flavor leave out the lemon zest and take the lemon juice down to 1 lemon.
- Chickpeas: I love adding chickpeas to pasta dishes. If you don’t like them you can leave them out or try cannelini beans.
How Do you Make This Chickpea Pasta?
Step 1: Boil Pasta: Generously salt a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and add the pasta in. Cook until just over al dente, making sure not to overcook. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
Step 2: Melt Butter: While the pasta is cooking heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and let melt.
Step 3: Cook Shallots: Add the shallots and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes or until fragrant. Whisk in the flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Step 4: Add Lemon and Milk: Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Add the milk and whisk until it starts to thicken. If you are using a lower fat milk you might have to whisk in 1 or 2 more Tablespoons of milk to thicken the sauce. If you think the sauce is too thick you can use the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce.
Step 5: Add Seasoning: Add the Italian seasoning and 3 ounces of feta cheese and let simmer for about 2 minutes. When the pasta is done cooking reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
Step 6: Stir In Pasta: Stir in the pasta, chickpeas and arugula. Gently stir and serve warm. Garnish with fresh parsley, crushed red pepper, pine nuts and extra lemon zest.
Storage Tips
Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat you can microwave or you can heat in a skillet.
Recipe FAQ
When making pasta I always suggest keeping a cup of the pasta water in case you need to thin out the sauce. The pasta water helps create a silky smooth sauce.
Toasted breadcrumbs or crushed nuts add a delightful crunch to the dish. I love pine nuts, walnuts or crushed almonds.
More Pasta Recipes
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Chickpea Pasta with Feta
Video
Ingredients
- 12 ounces of medium sized pasta
- 2 Tablespoons butter or you can use olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves,, minced
- 1 small shallot,, diced {or you can use about 1/2 cup of sweet onion, diced}
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 lemons,, juiced and the zest of 1 of the lemons
- 2 cup of 2 % milk or you can use cream for a creamier sauce, , divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour {you might need more if using a lower fat milk}
- 6 ounces of crumbled feta cheese,, divided
- 1 – 15 ounce can of chickpeas,, drained
- 2 cups of arugula {or greens of your choice}
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lemon zest for garnish
Instructions
- Generously salt a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and add the pasta in. Cook until just over al dente, making sure not to overcook.
- While the pasta is cooking heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the butter or olive oil. Let the butter melt or the olive oil heat.
- Add the shallots and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes or until fragrant. Whisk in the flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk and half of the lemon juice. Add the remaining 1 cup of milk and other half of the lemon juice whisking constantly.
- Stir in the lemon zest and the 3 ounces of feta cheese stirring constantly until the sauce bubbles and starts to thicken. TIP: If you are using a lower fat milk you might have to whisk in 1 or 2 more Tablespoons of milk to thicken the sauce. If you think the sauce is too thick you can use the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce.
- Add the Italian seasoning and let simmer for about 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
- When the pasta is done cooking reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta. Stir in the pasta, chickpeas, arugula with the sauce.
- Gently stir. Add in 2 to 3 Tablespoons of reserved hot pasta water which contains salt and starch for extra flavor and texture in the sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 3 ounces of feta cheese on the pasta dish. Serve warm with fresh parsley, crushed red pepper, pine nuts and extra lemon zest.
Notes
- I used 2% milk for the sauce but you can use lactose-free milk, cream or any milk. With lower fat milks you may need to add more flour to thicken the sauce. If you think the sauce is too thick you can use reserved pasta water.
- Lactose- free milk works nicely as well but will have a slightly sweeter flavor.
- If you don’t like as much of the lemon flavor you can cut the lemon juice down to 1 lemon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Today’s post is sponsored by the American Dairy Assocation of Mideast. All opinions are 100% my own.
