There is just something so delicious about pasta with red sauce and it’s even better if that pasta sauce is homemade and the pasta is healthy and made from vegetables, chickpeas and lentils to be more specific. Yup, you heard that right. This pasta does exist and it’s thanks to Chickapea whose pasta is so tasty and packed with protein! To top off this pasta I made homemade zucchini meatballs. The entire meal was dairy free and sugar free and such an easy dinner recipe to make!
There are a few moving parts when it comes to this recipe as you will need to make three things: pasta sauce, pasta, and the zucchini meatballs. It is completely your choice if you want to use a can of already made pasta sauce and omit the meatballs or top with cheese or another protein! In total this meal takes about an hour as you do want your sauce to be able to simmer a bit to soak up as much flavor as possible.
I love to cook with Chickapea pasta because it is made with only two ingredients: chickpeas and lentils. Their pasta is extremely high in protein and is the best gluten free pasta I have tried. It’s ready in less than 15 minutes and the texture and taste is amazing! Plus this company is up to great things, like being a B Corp and donating 2% of revenue to a charity every year.
Substitution Ideas:
- Pasta: can use any pasta you like
- Tomato Sauce: can use canned or jarred tomato sauce instead of making it fresh
Tomato Chickpea Pasta w/ Zucchini Meatballs
Cooking & Baking Supplies
- Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 8oz box of lentil or chickpea spaghetti
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced + sauteed in olive oil on stove
- 3 tbsp olive oil (2 tbsp to cook tomatoes, 1 tbsp to put in pasta water)
- 1/8 cup fresh basil
Tomato Sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 4 large tomatoes, halved
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- salt + pepper to taste
Zucchini Meatballs
- 1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 3 cups zucchini, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt + pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
- 1/4 cup olive oil to cook
Instructions
- Place all of the tomato sauce ingredients in a large pot and let simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
- While tomato sauce simmers, prep the meatballs. Grate the zucchini, place it in a medium bowl, sprinkle salt on it, and let sit for 10 minutes. Using a cheesecloth or paper towel squeeze out the water.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the zucchini with all meatball ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
- Heat up water for pasta according to pasta box instructions and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Cook pasta according to instructions.
- When you add pasta into the water, start making meatballs. Heat a large pan or skillet over medium heat and add olive oil to cover the base of the pan so it is about 1/4 inch deep (approximately 1/4 cup of oil). Roll 3 tbsp balls and place on a heated pan. Cook on all sides for about 3 minutes until all sides are golden brown (should take about 10 minutes). Continue to add oil as needed to maintain at least 1/4 inch deep in the pan and cook meatballs until batter is done.
- Strain water from pasta and place pasta back in the pot. Add in tomato sauce and leave on a low boil.
- In a medium pan over medium heat, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and add halved cherry tomatoes and saute until the outside starts to crinkle.
- Add cherry tomatoes to the pasta in the pot, add fresh basil, and meatballs and ENJOY!
