Creamy Chickpea Pasta (Ten Dollar Meal)
This delicious pasta dish is filling, budget friendly, and vegetarian.
If you like chickpeas and hummus, you’re going to love this creamy pasta sauce.
Besides tasting great, this pasta dish is also healthy.
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are high in protein, and fiber, and have a low GI (low glycemic index).
All of these things together mean chickpeas can help control your blood sugar and manage weight. They can also help support heart and gut health.
Spinach also has many health benefits. It’s rich in iron, vitamins C and E, magnesium, and potassium.
The majority of the points in this recipe come from the pasta. You can make it even healthier if you use whole wheat pasta.
*20 Weight Watchers Friendly Dinner Recipes*
Click here to track the points on your WW app.
What I Bought
Today, I did my shopping at Kroger. Here is everything I bought and how much it cost:
- Fettuccine noodles – $1.25
- Chickpeas – $.89
- Shallot – $.25
- Head of garlic – $.67
- Organic baby spinach – $3.00
- Vegetable broth – $.79
This meal only cost $6.85!
“Pantry staples” aren’t included in the final cost. For this recipe that includes extra virgin olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and salt.
How to Make Creamy Chickpea Pasta
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the chopped shallot and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable broth to the pan, then add the spinach. Cover with a lid and let cook until the spinach wilts. It should only take a couple of minutes.
To a blender, add the chickpeas, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, and 1 1/4 cups of vegetable broth. Run the blender on high then check the consistency of the sauce. It should be a smooth, creamy sauce.
If it’s not creamy, add another 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth.
Add the sauce to the spinach mixture and heat through. Stir in the fettuccine noodles, then serve.
I topped my pasta with some Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper, and black pepper.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. uncooked fettuccine pasta
- 15.5 oz. chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 14 oz. vegetable broth, divided
- 5 oz. baby spinach
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the chopped shallot and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable broth to the pan, then add the spinach. Cover with a lid and let cook until the spinach wilts. It should only take a couple of minutes.
- To a blender, add the chickpeas, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, and 1 1/4 cups of vegetable broth. Run the blender on high then check the consistency of the sauce. It should be a smooth, creamy sauce. If it's not creamy, add another 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth.
- Add the chickpea sauce to the spinach mixture and heat through. Stir in the fettuccine noodles, then serve.
Here are some more WW friendly recipes:
Tasty and Light Bacon Spinach Pasta
Tomato Basil Pasta with Ricotta
If you’re looking for some zero point recipes, check out my post 20 Zero Point Recipes or my post 20 (More) Zero Point Recipes. Both are filled with delicious recipes that won’t cost you a single point! They’re perfect for days when you’re running low on points, or trying to save up points for a night out.
If you’re looking for dessert recipes you can visit 50 Weight Watchers Freestyle Desserts. It’s filled with delicious desserts perfect for Weight Watchers!
Are you looking for a meal plan that’s Weight Watchers friendly? I have over 100 meal plans that you can choose from and I post a new one each week. Click here to check them out!
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