Chickpea and Spinach Pasta with Lemon and Olives

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A vibrant Mediterranean dish combining protein-packed chickpeas, fresh spinach, and briny olives in a zesty lemon-garlic sauce. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe (gluten-free), ready in about 25 minutes, pairs Whole wheat pasta, Canned chickpeas, Fresh spinach for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with rice, quinoa, or a quick salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 10 min Serves 4 Italian cuisine 380 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Nonstick skillets worth buying → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Cookware & pots → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add 300g whole wheat pasta, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Tip: Use the reserved water later to adjust sauce consistency.
  2. Step 2: In a large skillet, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat, then add 3 minced garlic cloves. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant but not browned. Tip: Cook garlic briefly to avoid bitterness.
  3. Step 3: Add 200g drained and rinsed canned chickpeas and 200g washed, dried fresh spinach to the skillet. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until spinach wilts and chickpeas are heated through. Tip: Stir gently to prevent spinach from bruising.
  4. Step 4: Chop 50g Kalamata olives into 1/4-inch pieces, then add to the skillet. Squeeze juice from 1 lemon into the pan, and stir in the zest (grated rind) from the same lemon. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the olive pieces soften and the sauce becomes fragrant. Tip: Use a microplane to get more lemon zest.
  5. Step 5: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat with the chickpea-spinach mixture. If the sauce is too dry, stir in 1-2 tbsp reserved pasta water. Season with salt to taste, adjusting as needed. Tip: Taste before finalizing salt, as olives and lemon add natural saltiness.

Related recipes