Chickpea and Fennel Rigatoni

Chickpeas, fennel, and rigatoni paired with plenty of mozzarella cheese create a fragrant, filling vegetarian dinner.

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Inactive time: 30

Total Time: 50

Servings:

Calories: 477kcal

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (plus more for finishing)
1 yellow onion (peeled and finely diced)
1 fennel bulb (stems reserved for another use; bulb trimmed, cored, and finely diced; fronds reserved for garnish)
6 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
3 Roma tomatoes (cored and roughly chopped)
2 (15-ounce)cans chickpeas (drained)
½ cup water (plus more if needed)
12 ounces rigatoni
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (plus more to taste)
4 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella
Salt and pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until they soften. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Add the Roma tomatoes and chickpeas. Season with salt, pepper, and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes.
Mash some of the chickpeas during cooking to create a thicker sauce. Add another splash or two of water if the sauce reduces too much. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and additional crushed red pepper if desired.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Scoop out ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.

Turn on the broiler.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding the reserved pasta water if needed. Continue tossing until the pasta is coated.
Scatter the shredded mozzarella cheese over the pasta and drizzle with a few teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. Place the pot under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and browned. Remove from the broiler.

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