Cold pasta with chickpeas, tuna, and lemon, a variation of cold pasta with tuna and lemon, fresh, quick, and delicious, perfect for hot summer days. It’s the time for cold pasta, when you are less inclined to stand in front of the stove. So, the search is on for fresh, easy, and quick recipes that solve the problem.
Naturally, it’s needless to say the chickpeas are the ready-made canned ones. A super quick first course, where the only thing to cook is the pasta. I cooked it in a pressure cooker to further shorten preparation time, but you can also cook it the traditional way in plenty of salted water. Truthfully, there’s another small cooking step for the dressing, but it takes just a few minutes, and it’s what makes this recipe unique and special.
I indeed sautéed a couple of anchovy fillets with oil and minced garlic in a pan. This dressing, added to lemon juice and chopped parsley, will make this first course even richer and tastier. And now, let’s head to the stove together, because the cold pasta with chickpeas, tuna, and lemon will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other cold first-course recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 3 People
- Cooking methods: Pressure cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 301.27 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 27.50 (g) of which sugars 0.96 (g)
- Proteins 17.91 (g)
- Fat 13.23 (g) of which saturated 1.82 (g)of which unsaturated 0.62 (g)
- Fibers 3.93 (g)
- Sodium 2,046.44 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 236 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 7 oz pasta
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 tbsp coarse salt
- 5.6 oz canned tuna
- 5 oz canned chickpeas
- 2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice (with its zest)
- 2 fillets anchovies in oil
- 1 clove garlic
- chopped parsley (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
Tools
- Pressure Cooker
- Pan
- Bowl
- Cutting Board
- Knife
Steps
First, cook the pasta in a pressure cooker. Place it in the open pot with water and salt. Close the pot and place it on the stove at maximum power. From the start of the whistle, or as soon as the orange ring reaches the first level, cook the pasta over very low heat for 4 minutes. Obviously, cooking times are relative and depend on the type of pot you have. Anyway, the pasta should cook for half the time stated on the package.
After the cooking time has passed, gradually vent the steam, open the pot, and drain the pasta, then run it under cold water to stop cooking. Then transfer the pasta to a bowl and prepare the dressing.
Separately, clean a clove of garlic and crush it with a garlic press. Sauté it in a pan for a few moments with the anchovies and oil. As soon as the anchovies are melted, turn off the heat and pour the dressing into a bowl. Then also add the lemon juice, the chopped parsley, and a little salt. Mix well and pour the dressing over the pasta. Then add the chickpeas and tuna, both drained of their preservation liquid, the zest of an untreated and washed lemon, and mix.
The pasta salad with chickpeas, tuna, and lemon is ready to be enjoyed. Add more zest and chopped parsley if you like, and serve at the table.
Storage and Tips for Cold Pasta with Chickpeas, Tuna, and Lemon
The pasta salad with tuna, chickpeas, and lemon can be prepared in advance and kept in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days in a container with a lid.
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FAQ – Questions and Answers for Cold Pasta with Chickpeas, Tuna, and Lemon
What can I substitute for chickpeas?
As an alternative to chickpeas, you can use other legumes of your preference, such as cannellini beans.
