Pasta and Chickpea Soup from Tuscany.
Delicious and nutritious pasta and chickpea soup is a classic in Tuscany and other Central and Southern regions of Italy. However, each region has its own way of making it!
Minestra di Pasta e Ceci alla Toscana.
Pasta and chickpeas is a traditional pasta recipe in many parts of Central and Southern Italy. Most recipes are more of a soup, but others are ‘dry’. Italians say pasta ‘asciutta’. What this means is the pasta is served with a sauce but isn’t a soup.
Different kinds of soup.
In Italy, pasta and chickpea soup is called a ‘minestra’. Italians actually have six different kinds of vegetable soup; minestra, minestrone, zuppa, passato, vellutata and crema! The word ‘minestra’ comes from the verb minestrare or amministrare, meaning to administer. Apparently because traditionally this soup was served at the table by the head of the family! A minestra usually contains vegetables or legumes along with some kind of cereal such as rice, pasta, farro, barley etc.
Like pasta with chickpea soup, minestrone contains vegetables and pasta and rice. However, I read that the recipe is more modern and includes quite a number of veggies which weren’t widely available or eaten in Italy until the 17th-18th century. Having said that, nowadays, minestra can also contain ingredients that wouldn’t have been used a long time ago, like tomatoes.
Classic minestrone is also usually thicker than a minestra and made using green, red and yellow veggies. Today, it is made with fresh and seasonal vegetables. But, in the past it was a way to use up not exactly fresh vegetables or those that become more easily digestible after a long cooking time.
Zuppa is a soup without pasta or cereal and usually eaten with bread or croutons. Passato is a puree of mixed vegetables, often seasonal, whereas vellutata is a puree of normally only 2 or 3 vegetables to which cream may be added. Finally crema, as you may imagine is a puree too. But, this soup is usually made with one type of vegetable and may include milk or rice flour.
Pasta with chickpea soup is good for you!
Pasta with chickpeas is a recipe with very ancient origins some versions of which date back to Ancient Rome! It is also a dish that was popular in the past among the peasant farming population because of its low cost but high nutrient content. In fact, chickpeas, like all other legumes, possess a high quantity of protein. Today, chickpeas are considered a super food and are full of protein, fibre, minerals and vitamins. So, the combination of chickpeas with the carbohydrates contained in the pasta, makes pasta and chickpea soup super nutritious and a great source of energy! Perfect for the farmers working all day in the fields!
Different versions of pasta with chickpea soup.
This version of pasta and chickpea soup is from Tuscany. There, the pasta is very often egg pasta like tagliatelle or tagliolini and is cooked in the soup just before serving. The other ingredients apart from the chickpeas are just some garlic, rosemary and tomatoes or tomato concentrate. So very simple.
Other well-known versions for pasta with chickpea soup come from Puglia, Naples and Rome.
In Campania (Naples) the pasta is usually some kind of pasta tube such as broken ziti or even candele. The Neapolitans don’t use rosemary but more often basil or parsley and frequently add peperoncino!
In Lazio, Roman pasta and chickpea soup is enriched with salted anchovies. These are fried separately with a clove of garlic and tomato sauce then added it to rest of the soup. The pasta in Rome is often small tubes like ditalini.
In Puglia, pasta with chickpeas is not so much a soup and the pasta is usually cooked separately. They use short pasta or lagane like in this recipe for lagane pasta and chickpeas from Basilicata.
A very ancient recipe from Tuscany which I would like to try is with the addition of chestnuts to pasta and chickpea soup. These are first chopped and sautéed with red garlic, rosemary and a handful of fine chopped pork fat.
Dried chickpeas have a higher nutritional value than canned
Making this pasta with chickpea soup.
Although more of a cold weather dish, this pasta with chickpea soup from Tuscany can, of course, be eaten year round. In Italy, it is normally made with dried chickpeas which have been soaked overnight. This is because the chickpea cooking water is the soup! Obviously this means it takes a while to make. Chickpeas have to be cooked for up to 2 hours depending on their size!
Pasta with chickpea soup can be made with canned chickpeas and stock. But I don’t think it tastes the same. I also don't like using canned chickpeas because they are higher in sodium and fat and lower in protein, minerals and vitamins per serving compared to dried chickpeas. I’m sure that if you try this soup, you’ll agree it’s worth the time it takes to make! For added flavour, you can also add some crispy guanciale or pancetta.
If you do try this pasta with chickpea soup recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.
Your feedback means a lot to me!
Buon Appetito!
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Heather says
What a comforting bowl of food! I am 1/4 Italian, so I always love experiencing different flavors from my roots. I never had chickpeas with pasta before but my oh my does it sound delicious 🙂
Brian Jones says
I always associate chickpeas with North African or Indian food and often forget how much they are used in classic European food, this looks and sounds delicious. Looking forward to giving this a try.
Amanda says
I love the idea of putting chickpeas and pasta together! It sounds like such a delicious match, especially with the rosemary. Thanks for sharing!
Jenna says
Pasta with chickpeas is a whole new ball game for me. I love your version. It was very filling for my family. A complete meal. Served it with a salad.
Tania | Fit Foodie Nutter says
This soup transports me back to my favourite parts of Tuscany for sure! Love this great recipe.
Meghna says
I have never tried this combo before. What a lovely pairing of flavors! Will try it asap, thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Lauren Vavala | DeliciousLittleBites says
I love this recipe - it's like one I used to make all the time! The chickpeas, tomato and rosemary all taste so delicious together!
Amy | The Cook Report says
This recipe looks so flavourful and I love the combination of chickpeas and pasta
Eileen Kelly says
i am always looking for new delicious soup recipes! We eat them almost every day! This soup is so full of flavor! The chickpeas are an absolutely awesome addition to the soup!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
Pasta and chickpeas is such a great combination! What amazing flavor in this- I can't wait to try it.
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
This soup looks so hearty and delicious! I have not tried something like this before, and this looks so so so good. I can't wait to give it a try.
Stine Mari says
I would love to try this one! It looks pretty easy too, which is always a bonus, but not a requirement 🙂 I love using chickpeas, but I don't think I've ever had them with pasta, that sounds delicious.
Danielle Wolter says
what a great soup! i love chickpeas but haven't really used them with pasta before. this looks like an ultra flavorful comforting dish!
Gloria says
Nothing beats homemade soup. It is SPRING and it is SNOWING!! This would be perfect for dinner tonight. I have all the ingredients too.
Andrea Metlika says
This looks and sounds amazing!! I can't wait to try this.
Jen says
Love that this is a healthier dish without sacrificing any of the flavor. Looks fantastic!
Stephanie says
I'm a big fan of chickpeas so this pasta dish is calling my name. Can't wait to try.
Jill says
I learn so much when I read your posts. This soup looks delicious!
Noelle says
What a great flavor combination! Chickpeas for the win, thanks for the share we loved it!
Kelly Anthony says
I've never cooked chickpeas before but I'm excited to try something new. As always I enjoy reading the facts about the food you cook.