Name: Thai Basil Pasta with Tomato-Mint Chickpeas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup pine nuts (or another nut of your preference, like pistachio or almonds); 1 pint cherry tomatoes (quartered); 15- ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed); 1 lemon (juiced); 1 teaspoon lemon zest; .5 ounce mint leaves (torn); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more to taste If desired); Salt (to taste); 8 ounces dry pasta (like linguine, spaghetti, or fettuccine; 1/4 cup pasta cooking water reserved); 1 tablespoon avocado oil; 1 yellow onion (peeled and thinly sliced into half-moons); 3 tablespoons butter; 1/2 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves (torn); Salt and pepper to taste

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This easy Thai basil pasta with tomato-mint chickpeas needs to make it into your weekly rotation right away. It’s a dream weeknight dinner recipe.

My favorite part of this recipe is allowing the sauce ingredients to marinate with aromatics before adding them to the pan. I’ve done this before, like in this jammy tomato-pepper sauce recipe.

In this recipe, I marinate chickpeas with a handful of ingredients, including:

Tomatoes
Mint
Lemon juice and zest
Crushed red pepper
Toasted pine nuts
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil

You can get creative with this marinating process, try this with a variety of ingredients, like:

Additional herbs like parsley or dill
Sliced or minced hot pepper
Sliced garlic cloves
Try it with other nuts! Crushed pistachio, almonds, or walnuts would be delicious.

Personally, I love the combination of pasta with tomatoes and mint, so adding tomato-mint chickpeas is an easy way to bring in some bright, sweet acidity along with protein! Win-win!

How to Make this Thai Basil Pasta:

This recipe is easy (chick)peasy. Seriously.

First, marinate the chickpeas. Combine everything together in a bowl and let them mingle for 15 or 20 minutes.

Next, start the sauce. Sauté onion until it begins to soften and turn golden brown. Melt butter in the pot. Once it’s frothy, add the chickpea mixture and let it bubble away for about 7 minutes. Once the sauce is thickened, add Thai basil and cook for just a minute.

Add the cooked pasta, toss to coat, and that’s it. Did I mention this is a ridiculously easy recipe? The sauce is so fresh, bright, and perfect for a hot summer day!

Looking for more vegetarian recipes? Check my archives!

If you made this recipe, please rate it and comment below! You can also follow me and share your creations by tagging me! I’d love to feature your #triedandtruerecipes creation on my feed.

Thai Basil Pasta with Tomato-Mint Chickpeas

This easy Thai basil pasta with tomato-mint chickpeas needs to make it into your weekly rotation right away. It's a dream weeknight dinner recipe.

4.89 from 9 votes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 40

Servings:

Calories: 360kcal

Equipment

Large pot
Wide pot

Ingredients

Marinated chickpeas:

¼ cup pine nuts or another nut of your preference, like pistachio or almonds
1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
15- ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 lemon juiced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
.5 ounce mint leaves torn
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper more to taste If desired
Salt to taste

Pasta:

8 ounces dry pasta like linguine, spaghetti, or fettuccine; 1/4 cup pasta cooking water reserved
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 yellow onion peeled and thinly sliced into half-moons
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves torn
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Toast the pine nuts:

Heat a wide pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until they begin to turn golden brown. Be careful not to burn them. Transfer the pine nuts to a bowl and wipe out the pot and return it to the stovetop.

Marinate the chickpeas:

In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the chickpeas and toss to combine. Taste and season once more to your preferences. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Cook the pasta:

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water before draining the pasta. Note: Try to time this so that you’re draining your pasta right as you’re ready to add it to the sauce.

Start the sauce:

As you wait for the pasta water to boil, start the sauce. Heat the avocado oil in the wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 6-8 minutes until it begins to soften and turn golden brown in places.
Add the butter. Once frothy, add the marinated chickpeas and bring the sauce to a boil Cook for 7 minutes until it begins to thicken. Don’t allow the sauce to cook down too much; you want to maintain that light, summery quality!

Finish the sauce:

Stir in the torn Thai basil leaves. Taste the sauce and season it with salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper to your preferences. Cook the Thai basil for 1 minute.

Add the pasta:

Add the cooked pasta to the pot and cook for 1-2 minutes more. If needed, add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water. Turn off the heat.

To serve:

Divide the pasta and chickpeas between bowls and garnish with more Thai basil. Enjoy!

Nutrition

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