Feel-good pasta soup

Try our take on comforting pasta e ceci. Seasoning is key, and a drizzle of good olive oil and a scattering of hard, sharp cheese will really bring it to life

Prep:10 mins
Cook:20 mins

Serves 4
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 452
fat 15g
saturates 3g
carbs 54g
sugars 0g
fibre 12g
protein 19g
salt 0.9g

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 rosemary sprigs, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp tomato purée
pinch of chilli flakes, plus extra to serve (optional)
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained
150g short pasta, such as tubetti or macaroni
1 vegetable or chicken stock cube
25g parmesan, pecorino or vegetarian-style hard cheese, grated, plus a rind if you have one (see tip, below)
150g kale, spinach or cavolo nero, tough stalks removed and roughly chopped
1 lemon, zested, plus a squeeze of juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Heat the oil in a large, deep pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 mins, or until it turns translucent. Stir in the rosemary and garlic and sizzle for another minute, stirring to ensure the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the tomato purée and a pinch of chilli flakes, if using. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas and pasta. Crumble in the stock cube, add the parmesan rind, if using, and pour in 1 litre water. Season and stir, bring to a simmer and cook for 8 mins, or until the pasta is nearly cooked.
Add the kale, spinach, or cavolo nero to the pan, stirring until the leaves wilt, this should take just a few minutes. It should look soupy at this point, if the broth has thickened too much, add a little extra water. Add the lemon zest and half the grated parmesan, taste the broth and add a squeeze of lemon, pinch of chilli or a little more salt if needed.
Ladle into bowls, discarding the cheese rind. Top with the remaining grated cheese, another sprinkling of chilli flakes, if you like, and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil.