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I’m feeling major spring vibes with this risotto.
Which is kind of odd, since there is a ton of snow on the ground and the temps are freezing…but the sun finally came out over the weekend and it brought a big smile to my face!! Yeah!! Even with the sun out though, it’s still pretty COLD. I’ve basically barricaded myself in fresh flowers in hopes to bring a resemblance of spring to my little barn a bit earlier this year. It’s all about positive thoughts right?!?
Totally, + I just really LOVE flowers. If they weren’t so expensive, I would be buying fresh flowers daily to sit atop my desk. Just looking at them makes my day a little brighter…thinking only a flower person would get that.
SO, my point here is that I am buying way too many flowers and craving all the fresh foods of spring… things could totally be worse. 🙂
OKAY and also?? My Super Bowl Sunday was maybe kind of sort of, filled will a lot of cheesy dip… and a lot of gooey chocolate (in the form of skillet cookies). Not gonna lie, it was good! Today though, today I am looking for something a little bit lighter, fresher and full of colors!! Hehe, I love me my colors!!
SIDE NOTE: how amazing would this quick pasta be for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner on Sunday?!?! Oh my gosh, you MUST!! Oh and single ladies?? How about a girl’s night in?!? Again, you MUST!
Here’s the deal, I love traditional risotto, but I also love pasta. When I saw a recipe for pasta risotto in Bon Appetit the other month, it pretty much screamed, MAKE ME! I made mine very differently, and little more on the lighter side, but I promise guys this risotto is SO GOOD.
And yes, that is a poached egg on top. Poached/soft-boiled eggs + creamy, cheesy pasta is the ultimate. You have to try it. No really, you HAVE to.
So, just like the title states, this quick + simple pasta “risotto” is a great last minute dish. Simply cook the pasta just as you would traditional risotto, but since this is pasta and not rice, it takes about half the time. Risotto in under an hour?!?
YESSSS.
I kept the flavors pretty classic – white wine, a little garlic, parmesan cheese, basil and then topped it all off with fresh greens + eggs + roasted chickpeas and cauliflower. What? I REALLY like my toppings. 🙂
While the risotto is cooking on the stove top, you should be roasting your chickpeas. Roasted chickpeas are my current obsession. I’ve been making these on a weekly basis and adding them atop pretty much all of my meals. I love not only that they add a healthy source of protein, but also the flavor and crunchiness they add, so yummy, but especially yummy atop this pasta. TRUST me, you cannot skip the chickpeas, and there’s also some cauliflower in the mix for added veggies! You could totally sub (or add) broccoli as well. actually, I think broccoli might even be better…I love roasted broccoli!
OKAY and finally, that egg. In the recipe I say it is optional, BUT I am going to be honest, I would be so sad if you did not add some form of an egg to this pasta/risotto. The egg is the perfect finishing touch. If you make a runny egg like a poached or soft-boiled egg, the risotto almost turns to carbonara. OH MY. YES. YES. YES! Words cannot describe how good the egg is on here. Please, please, PLEASE give it a try.
And with that I will leave you to eat all of this pasta risotto….
Cause quick + simple pasta “risotto” is what a Monday really needs!
Quick + Simple Pasta "Risotto" with Herbed Roasted Chickpeas.
Ingredients
Herbed Chickpeas
- 1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (can sub broccoli if preferred), I used green Cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt + pepper
- 1 cup mixed fresh herbs (I use basil, parsley, dill + oregano)
Quick Pasta "Risotto"
- 2 tablespoons butter, use vegan butter for vegan version
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 small sweet onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, left whole
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 5 1/2 cups chicken or veggies broth (I prefer to use chicken broth, but use veggie for a veggie version)
- 3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese + more for topping, use vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast for vegan version
- 1/2 cup fresh basil + more for topping
- 2 cups fresh baby kale
- 4-5 poached or hard boil eggs, optional
Instructions
Herbed Chickpeas
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Spread the chickpeas out on a towel and dry them completely. Add the chickpeas + cauliflower to a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, salt + pepper. Toss well to evenly coat. Roast for 20 minutes and then stir the chickpeas/cauliflower around and roast another 20 minutes or until the chickpeas are golden. Remove from the oven and toss with the fresh herbs. Serve warm atop the pasta. Save any leftovers for snacking later!
Quick Pasta "Risotto"
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil + butter. Once hot, add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring ofter until the onion + garlic cloves are soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Slowly pour in the wine and bring to a simmer, simmer until the wine is reduced by half. Add the pasta and 2 cups of broth. Cook, stirring often until the broth is mostly absorbed. Add another 2 cups of broth and do the same as above, cooking until most of the pasta has absorbed the broth. Continue this process until the pasta is al dente and there is around 1 cup of broth left in the pot. Once the pasta is al dente, remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the parmesan, crushed red pepper flakes + basil. Taste and season as needed with salt + pepper.
- Remove the cloves of garlic from the risotto. Stir the cauliflower florets into the risotto. Divide the risotto among bowls and top with a handful of baby kale, a poached egg and the roasted chickpeas. Garnish with more parmesan + basil. EAT!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Plus maybe a long nap….and definitely some chocolate. Yup. Monday done right! 🙂
Holy cow! This was soooo good
Hey there,
Wonderful! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, I’m so glad it turned out well for you!
Hi! Can you use white cooking wine rather than white wine or should I skip that all together?
Hey Kaitlyn,
Sure, that would work just fine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Don’t worry about the ambiguous future, just work hard for the sake of clarity
Thank you! xTieghan
I’m addicted!! So good! I modified it quite a bit, but stuck to the principles. I didn’t have chickpeas, so I just did broccoli, kale and mushrooms. And on top a threw in a splash of capers! Delish!
Thank you so much Lindsay! xTieghan
I’ve made this twice and really love the flavors, veggie and egg combos! I’m struggling that both times it’s been a little “starchy”. I used shells the first time, which wasn’t a great fit, and orzo the second time. Do you have any advice to make it less gluey?
HI! So it’s hard to say without know ing how you are cooking this, but my only suggestion is less cooking time and less liquid. The more you stir this, the starchier it will become. Please let me know if you have other questions. So glad you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
I made this tonight and it turned out delicious! Great combo between the pasta, chickpeas, cheese, greens and eggs! I was shocked at how much it made, I’ll have tons of leftovers! I didn’t have the herbs for the chickpeas so I used a seasoning blend instead, and I fried the eggs. I’m sure I’ll make this again, thanks!
So happy you decided to make this Kelly! Leftovers are good I hope!!
It all sounds delish! Thank you.
Hi! Love this recipe! Any suggestions for trying it in the crockpot??
Thanks! I am not sure the the pasta would do all the great in the crockpot, might get soggy. BUT i think if you wanted to try it that adding everything all at once to the crockpot and cooking on low for 4 hours would be good. Let me know how it goes!
Achei muito interessante as receitas esta de parabéns
Obrigado!
I have made three of your recipes this weekend all amazing, this one…..nothing short of wonderful! So glad I found your blog.
Tried it – frankly I would give it 3 out 5 stars. Need to update recipe to let people know they need 2 baking sheets – one for the chickpeas and one for the cauliflower – also the roasting time is too long, at least for my oven. It is different and just needs a little tweaking. The chickpeas are good for snacking, on salads, etc.
Sorry this was not a hit for you. I did only use one pan for the chickpeas and cauliflower. I like to roast them together.
Tried this yesterday except we didn’t have basil in the house. Everyone liked it.
Happy to hear it was still yummy! 🙂 Thanks Lori
This recipe is absolutely delicious!!! I used gluten free chickpea pasta instead, but it had no change. I would definitely make this again. 🙂
Thank you!!
I cooked this for my birthday party the other night. Everyone loved it. Thanks!
So happy you loved it!! THANK YOU! Oh and happy belated birthday! 🙂