Fancy Zucchini, Sage, and Pine Nut Barilla Chickpea Pasta Recipe

This post is sponsored by Barilla, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Today I am partnering with Barilla to share a fun and easy recipe using their new chickpea pasta. I don’t know about you, but pasta is a weekly dinner staple that my husband and I enjoy. Honestly, we could eat pasta every day. So, when I first heard about Barilla chickpea pasta, I knew I had to give it a try! Not only was I blown away by the flavor, but I couldn’t believe it had only ONE ingredient, CHICKPEAS.

Lately healthy pastas with legume ingredients have made their way into the pasta aisle. As someone who is always looking for healthy and delicious alternatives, I had to give it a tray. So, I placed an order online at Target for Barilla chickpea pasta and another healthy pasta brand. Both looked promising and couldn’t wait to pick up my groceries later that day.

Upon inspection of both pastas, I quickly noticed the ingredients as my husband has food allergies. The Barilla chickpea pasta had only ONE ingredient, CHICKPEAS. So that made me so happy because simple ingredients make my life easier. On the other hand, the other healthy pasta brand had multiple ingredients, including an ingredient that my husband is allergic to. Oh no! (Sorry hubby, only the Barilla chickpea pasta for you.) But the taste test still had to go on, so I could share the results with all of you.

Overall, both pastas cooked up nicely and both looked like traditional pasta. However, they both had different tastes. The Barilla chickpea pasta had a wonderful earthly flavor and the texture was perfect. The other healthy pasta brand had a metallic taste and it was a bit gummy. You could certainly tell the difference between the two. Even the colors were quite different. The Barilla chickpea pasta was a beautiful warm pasta color, while the other healthy pasta was cold and gray.

After trying both chickpea pastas. I much preferred the hearty flavor of the Barilla chickpea pasta. Surprisingly, I couldn’t even tell it was made from chickpeas, and if no one told me I would have thought it was regular pasta. This is great because, Barilla Chickpea pasta is a good source of plant-based protein and an excellent source of fiber. It is naturally gluten free, certified non-GMO, and without sodium or cholesterol!! So that’s an added win for me! It even comes in a Red Lentil Penne at Target. So, you can easily switch up flavors and pasta shapes.

So how have I been enjoying my Barilla Chickpea pasta?

Lately I have been loving simple pasta dishes with a fresh garden vegetable, herbs, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. So today, I am sharing a quick and easy recipe for zucchini, sage, and pine nut chickpea pasta. The flavors all come together to make a fancy meal yet simple meal. The Barilla chickpea pasta is the star of the dish and if you want to give Barilla Chickpea Pasta a try head here to purchase at Target https://ooh.li/f1c58af to redeem a Target Circle offer for Barilla Chickpea Pasta, so you can taste Barilla’s high-quality pasta for yourself!

As always, if you make this dish please make sure to send me a photo on Instagram or Facebook. I always love seeing your wonderful creations! Happy cooking and until next, take care!

Fancy Navajo Zucchini, Sage, and Pine Nut Barilla Chickpea Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Box of Barilla Chickpea Pasta
1 large zucchini, sliced in half moons
1 shallot, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4-5 thinly sliced sage leaves
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of pine nuts
1-2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot boil 4-6 quarts of salted water, add in pasta once boiling, and cook for 7 minutes, drain, and set aside
In a large sauté pan, add in extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, and shallots and sauté for 2 minutes on medium heat until shallots are translucent
Add in zucchini with a dash of salt and pepper and sauté for 2-4 minutes until tender
Add in pine nuts and sage and sauté for an additional 2 minutes
Add pasta into sauté pan and evenly coat the pasta with sautéed mixture
Top with parmesan cheese and serve