One-Pot Lemon-Garlic Chickpea and Spinach Pasta

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 drafted and published.

A vibrant vegetarian pasta dish with creamy chickpeas and wilted spinach, finished with lemon brightness and fresh herbs. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 35 minutes, pairs spaghetti, chickpeas, fresh spinach for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. 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: 20 min Serves 4 Italian cuisine 520 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 8 oz spaghetti and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the spaghetti.
  2. Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, sautéing for 1 minute until fragrant — do not brown the garlic.
  3. Step 3: Stir in 15 oz drained chickpeas, 1/2 cup vegetable broth, and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Simmer for 3 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly.
  4. Step 4: Add the drained spaghetti, 2 cups fresh spinach, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Toss for 2 minutes until the spinach wilts and the sauce thickens to coat the pasta.
  5. Step 5: Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese until melted and glossy. Adjust seasoning if needed.

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