Finally here in the Netherlands pumpkin is easy to find, so I get busy creating new recipes like this pumpkin, chickpeas and spinach pasta which is truly delicious!
As always it’s very simple to make and all in a single pot. You can swap the type of pasta but I always recommend using whole wheat pasta, or you can use black kale (cavolo nero) instead of spinach — it will still be tasty.
In no time you’ll have a very hearty one-dish meal, complete with all the nutrients, light and with few Weight Watchers points, ideal for the whole family. Let’s make it!
Find a few more pumpkin recipes here:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 5 oz whole wheat pasta
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (2 measuring teaspoons)
- 1 clove garlic
- A few leaves sage (or a little dried sage)
- 3 1/2 cups pumpkin (with the skin on (edible))
- 8 oz cooked chickpeas
- 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 14 oz spinach (fresh or frozen)
- to taste salt
- Points per serving = 11 WW points
Tools
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Pot
- Wooden spoon
Steps
First of all, weigh out the various ingredients.
Wash the spinach and chop it into pieces. If you use frozen spinach, let it thaw slightly before chopping.
Drain the chickpeas and rinse them well.
Cut the garlic in half.
Wash the pumpkin well and cut it into small pieces with the skin on — the skin is great to eat!
In a large pot put the oil, the garlic and the sage leaves and sauté over low heat.
Add the pumpkin and stir. Let it flavor for a couple of minutes.
Remove the garlic if you don’t like finding it later in the dish…
Add the chickpeas and stir.
Add some of the vegetable broth. I use granulated broth so I add water and granules: 1 heaping teaspoon is enough.
When the water starts to boil, add the pasta — I used whole wheat ditalini. Stir, cover and cook over low heat. If it dries out too much add some more broth or hot water, just like a risotto.
When the pasta is cooked add the chopped spinach.
Mix well and turn off the heat: the spinach only needs to wilt and warm through. If you use another type of vegetable adjust your cooking time accordingly. The rule I follow for vegetables is this: once the vegetable in the pot turns a bright green, I turn the heat off so I’m sure it keeps the maximum of its nutritional properties.
Adjust salt, let rest for a few minutes and serve: our pumpkin, chickpeas and spinach pasta is ready!
If you love pumpkin like I do you’ll see this dish will be one of your favorites: pumpkin, chickpeas and spinach pair wonderfully, a slightly sweet flavor perfect for someone with a sweet tooth like me. Above all it’s a dish that satisfies a lot. Try it and let me know if you liked it…
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
Storage
You can prepare the base sauce up to the point of adding the pasta and spinach and keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Take it out of the fridge (if frozen, thaw), reheat, add some broth and proceed to add the pasta and then the spinach at the end. You can also keep the cooked pasta with pumpkin in the fridge, but reheating will make the pasta less al dente: in that case I recommend using the microwave.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
Which variety of pumpkin should I use?
You can use any variety. With Delica pumpkin it will be sweeter, with violina less sweet. In the photo I used a pumpkin with orange skin and flesh: it isn’t a very large pumpkin and I don’t know the exact Italian name; here in the Netherlands they call it Hokkaido. This one most reminds me of the pumpkins we use in Naples.
Can I use other vegetables?
Certainly you can: black kale (cavolo nero), curly kale, chard… any leafy green that doesn’t require a long cooking time.
What can I use instead of chickpeas?
You can use any cooked legume you prefer. For hulled red lentils (decorticated red lentils) you can add them raw after rinsing very well — use 80g for this recipe and you’ll probably need more broth because they will absorb a lot of liquid while cooking.
