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    Home » Pasta

    Chickpea Pasta With Eggplant

    Published: Jul 12, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Our chickpea pasta with eggplant is a healthy and delicious pasta dish made with diced eggplant cooked in a fresh tomato sauce with chickpeas, garlic, and herbs.

    This recipe is quick and easy to make, with simple ingredients. In less than 30 minutes, you'll have a wholesome and nutritious plant-based dinner for the whole family.

    chickpea pasta with eggplant and tomato
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • More eggplant and chickpea recipes
    • More pasta recipes
    • Recipe
    • Chickpea Pasta with Eggplant

    Check out our Best Eggplant Recipes

    Our chickpea pasta recipe (as in regular pasta with chickpeas - not pasta made with chickpea flour) is perfect for a quick and healthy family dinner you can put together in 30 minutes.

    Chickpeas and pasta taste great together and complement each other from a nutritional point of view, nourishing you with high-quality and complete plant-based protein.

    To add flavor, we cook the chickpeas in an Italian-inspired eggplant tomato sauce. It's super easy; all you need is a diced eggplant and fresh tomatoes that we'll season with olive oil, garlic, and herbs.

    You can boil the pasta while the chickpea-tomato-eggplant sauce simmers, toss it in the same pan, and enjoy.

    This recipe is suitable for most diets, including vegetarians and vegans, and you can make it gluten-free by substituting gluten-free pasta for wheat pasta.

    Again, this recipe is a nutrition powerhouse, and one portion contains xxx whopping grams of protein (100% plant-based), heart-healthy fats, plenty of fiber, and good carbs.

    The recipe is also forgiving; you can swap ingredients based on what you have available at home. Let's see how!

    chickpea pasta in a large bowl

    Ingredients

    Chickpeas

    Use canned chickpeas, sometimes garbanzo beans, to make this chickpea pasta recipe in less than 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can use dry chickpeas that you previously soaked overnight and boiled for 1 to 2 hours until soft.

    You can replace chickpeas with most beans, including kidney beans, cranberry beans, pinto beans, and even lentils.

    Pasta

    Use a short pasta type such as penne, rotini, fusilli, and rigatoni. You can use regular wheat pasta, whole-wheat pasta, or gluten-free pasta.

    Remember to reserve two cups of pasta water that we'll add to the sauce to make it super creamy.

    Eggplant

    Use globe eggplant, the large ones with an oval shape and dark shiny skin. Italian eggplants also work as they are very similar to globe American eggplants.

    If eggplants are not in season, you can make this recipe with many other vegetables, including zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts. The process is the same as for eggplants.

    Tomatoes

    We recommend using fresh ripe tomatoes for this chickpea pasta with eggplants. We prefer cherry tomatoes or plum tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are also perfect for this recipe.

    If you don't have fresh tomatoes, use a 28oz can of whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes.

    Black olives

    Pitted black olives add a savory taste and a pleasant texture to this sauce. We find that adding olives makes this dish so tasty that there's no need for parmesan cheese.

    Olive oil

    Use extra virgin olive oil for better flavor and nutrition. Alternatively, regular olive oil is also ok.

    Garlic

    To add a mild and pleasant garlic aroma. For this recipe, we prefer fresh garlic to garlic powder.

    Red Pepper Flakes

    To add some spiciness. You can replace them with chili powder or dried chili.

    Salt & Pepper

    We use sea salt or kosher salt to season this dish. Finally, we add black pepper for a fragrant aroma.

    Fresh Herbs

    Add a fresh herb such as basil or parsley if you can. You can replace fresh herbs with dried herbs such as oregano, thyme, or Italian seasoning mix.

    Instructions

    Start with the sauce

    To a large skillet, add extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, red pepper flakes, halved cherry tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes), salt, and pepper.

    halved tomatoes on a pan with oil and garlic

    Fry the tomatoes on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, then crush them with a fork.

    crushing fried tomatoes on pan

    Wash and dry the eggplant, remove the stem, and cut into 1-inch cubes (2.5 cm). Add the eggplant to the pan along with one cup of water.

    Next, add rinsed chickpeas and pitted olives.

    eggplant cubes added to the pan

    Stir well, cover with a lid and simmer the chickpea pasta sauce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    Take the lid off and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the eggplant is thoroughly cooked. Add more water if necessary.

    Add fresh basil or parsley towards the end, then toss in the pasta.

    Cook the pasta

    While the chickpea simmers in the eggplant tomato sauce, boil the pasta in a large pot with plenty of salted boiling water. Undercook the pasta by 1 minute, then add it to the pan with the sauce.

    penne in the chickpea tomato sauce

    Add 1 cup of reserved pasta water, toss the pasta, and cook on medium heat for about a minute until the pasta is al dente.

    Serve in a large bowl or smaller individual bowls, and garnish with a sprinkle of chopped flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil.

    chickpea pasta in a large bowl

    Serving suggestions

    Chickpea pasta with eggplant and tomatoes is a nutritious and fulfilling dish, and we recommend eating it as a main meal.

    If you'd like, you can serve it with a side salad, although that's not necessary as plenty of veggies are already in the sauce. We can recommend our:

    • shaved brussels sprouts salad
      Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
    • Cucumber tomato salad
      Cucumber Tomato Salad
    • Panzanella
      Panzanella
    • Fennel salad in a bowl
      Fennel and Orange Salad

    Variations

    Make it with beans

    Try substituting cranberry beans or kidney beans for the chickpeas. Beans and pasta also go very well together and are complementary nutritionally, providing us with plenty of complete plant-based protein.

    Make it with mushrooms

    You can enjoy this recipe year-round, even when eggplants go out of season. For example, in fall and winter, substitute mushrooms for eggplant.

    You can use white mushrooms, brown mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, and chanterelle mushrooms. Cut the mushrooms chunkily, then follow the same instructions as the main recipe.

    Storage

    Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat on a pan with a drizzle of olive oil or microwave. Add some fresh herbs before serving. This recipe is not suitable for freezing.

    More eggplant and chickpea recipes

    Love eggplant and chickpeas? Then you might like these hand-picked recipes below:

    • breaded eggplants
      Breaded Eggplant
    • eggplant salad with pasta
      Eggplant Salad
    • stuffed eggplants
      Stuffed Eggplant
    • eggplant soup
      Eggplant Soup
    • Quinoa chickpea salad with fork
      Chickpea Quinoa Salad
    • roasted chickpeas
      Roasted Chickpeas
    • chickpea pasta salad
      Chickpea Pasta Salad
    • Chickpea Stew with naan bread
      Chickpea Stew

    If you want more, check out our best eggplant recipes or our best chickpea recipes, which include recipes with chickpea flour.

    More pasta recipes

    • Zucchini pasta with pine nuts and fork
      Zucchini Pasta
    • tofu pasta with tofu bolognese sauce
      Tofu Pasta (Tofu Bolognese)
    • garlic and oil pasta aglio olio
      Garlic and Oil Pasta (Spaghetti Aglio e Olio)
    • vegan mushroom pasta
      Vegan Mushroom Pasta

    For more healthy, delicious, and nutritious plant-based pasta recipes, check out our best pasta recipes roundup with 40+ everyday recipes.

    Recipe

    chickpea pasta

    Chickpea Pasta with Eggplant

    Author: Nico
    Our chickpea pasta with eggplant is a healthy and delicious pasta dish made with diced eggplant cooked in a fresh tomato sauce with chickpeas, garlic, and herbs.
    This recipe is quick and easy to make, with simple ingredients. In less than 30 minutes, you'll have a wholesome and nutritious plant-based dinner for the whole family.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 2 votes
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 453 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 cups cherry tomatoes halved
    • 2 cloves garlic crushed
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1 large eggplant
    • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas or 1½ cups cooked chickpeas
    • ½ cup black olives pitted
    • 1 cup water
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ cup basil or parsley
    • ½ pound penne

    Instructions
     

    START WITH THE SAUCE

    • To a large skillet, add extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, red pepper flakes, halved cherry tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes), salt, and pepper.
      halved tomatoes on a pan with oil and garlic
    • Fry the tomatoes on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, then crush them with a fork.
      crushing fried tomatoes on pan
    • Wash and dry the eggplant, remove the stem, and cut into 1-inch cubes (2.5 cm). Add the eggplant to the pan along with one cup of water.
      Next, add rinsed chickpeas and pitted olives.
      eggplant cubes added to the pan
    • Stir well, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
      Take the lid off and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the eggplant is thoroughly cooked. Add more water if necessary.
      Add fresh basil or parsley towards the end, then toss in the pasta.

    COOK THE PASTA

    • While the chickpea simmers in the eggplant tomato sauce, boil the pasta in a large pot with plenty of salted boiling water. Undercook the pasta by 1 minute, then add it to the pan with the sauce.
      penne in the chickpea tomato sauce
    • Add 1 cup of reserved pasta water, toss the pasta, and cook on medium heat for about a minute until the pasta is al dente.
      Serve in a large bowl or smaller individual bowls, and garnish with a sprinkle of chopped flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil.
      chickpea pasta in a large bowl

    Notes

    Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 portion out of 4.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Chickpea Pasta with Eggplant
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 453 Calories from Fat 108
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 12g18%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 7g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 930mg27%
    Carbohydrates 73g24%
    Dietary Fiber 13g54%
    Sugar 13g14%
    Protein 15g30%
    Vitamin A 783IU16%
    Vitamin B6 0.4mg20%
    Vitamin C 31mg38%
    Vitamin E 3mg20%
    Vitamin K 22µg21%
    Calcium 84mg8%
    Folate 161µg40%
    Iron 4mg22%
    Manganese 2mg100%
    Magnesium 94mg24%
    Zinc 2mg13%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

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    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

    Hi, we are Nico and Louise, and we love cooking! Welcome to our blog.

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