I love chickpeas so much that I’ve baked them into fudgy chocolate brownies and even turned them into a creamy plant-based “chicken” salad. But when it comes to comfort food, there’s no better place for them than a pot of Pasta e Ceci, or pasta with chickpeas.

Pasta e Ceci isn’t just a chickpea and pasta soup; it’s a thick, stew-like hug in a bowl that smells exactly like a Roman trattoria. To make it, canned chickpeas are combined with a handful of humble yet flavorful Italian ingredients and mashed until the soup is thick and creamy. 

This classic Italian soup has been around for ages, but its magic lies in its simplicity. It’s proof that you don’t need a long grocery list to create a velvety, incredibly rich meal.

Pasta e Ceci Ingredients

Vegetables – The soffrito—a sautéed mix of diced onion, carrots, and celery—really gets the flavor party started. 

Herbs and seasonings – This is Italian comfort food after all, so we need salt, red pepper flakes, and a sprig of rosemary to bring those cozy vibes. If you don’t have fresh rosemary, use 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary instead.

Chickpeas – Canned chickpeas are the most convenient option.

Broth – I like this soup with vegetable broth when I want to keep it vegetarian, but chicken broth is just as good. When I want more protein, I’ll make it with my collagen-rich homemade bone broth instead.

Parmesan – I tossed both the shredded parmesan cheese and the leftover parmesan rind into the soup.

Pasta – Short tubular noodles, like ditalini pasta, work best in pasta e ceci. Tubetti, orecchiette, conchigliette, or elbow macaroni are also great options.

This list provides further clarification on a few ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Gluten-free option – Use your favorite gluten-free short-cut pasta instead. I recommend boiling gluten-free pasta separately, then adding it to the serving bowls and ladling the soup over top.
• Vegan version – Use vegetable broth and replace the cheese with nutritional yeast or white miso paste. Finish with vegan parm or a drizzle of high-quality EVOO. 
• Add more veggies – Feel free to sauté a diced zucchini, chopped green beans, or sliced mushrooms with the soffritto at the beginning.
• Add meat – Brown a crumbled Italian sausage or pancetta in the pot before you add your vegetables. Or, stir in some shredded chicken at the very end.
• Flavor boosters – Stir in a little Calabrian chili paste for a kick, or finish the soup with fresh lemon juice for brightness.

How to Make Pasta e Ceci

Step 1: Sauté the soffritto. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in a large pot until softened. 

Step 2: Bloom the aromatics. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the tomato paste turns rusty brown.

Step 3: Deglaze. Add the rosemary sprig, chickpeas, and 1 cup of the broth, then use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom. 

Step 4: Mash the chickpeas. Use a potato masher or a fork to mash some of the chickpeas directly in the pot. 

Step 5: Cook the pasta. Add the remaining broth and parmesan rind to the pot, then heat the soup to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. 

Step 6: Finish and serve. Take the pot off the heat, discard the rosemary sprig and parmesan rind, and then stir in the shredded parmesan. Adjust the flavors as needed, then ladle the soup into bowls. Serve and enjoy! 

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Don’t rush the soffritto, or else the soup will lose its foundation of savory flavors. You’ll know it’s done when the onions are translucent and the carrots have started to sweeten. 
• Take the time to deglaze the pot with broth and loosen any stuck bits on the bottom (called the “fond”) with a wooden spoon. There’s some amazing flavor in those brown bits!
• To avoid mushy pasta, simmer the noodles just until they’re al dente (tender with a slight bite). If you want to save the leftover soup, consider undercooking the pasta by about 2 minutes so it doesn’t overcook when you reheat it later.

Italian Soup FAQs

Storage

Make Ahead: If you’re a meal-prepper, make the soup as normal, but cook the pasta in a separate pot on the stove and store it in its own container. The noodles won’t turn to mush in the broth this way.

Refrigerator: Keep the leftover soup in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Reheating: Add as much soup as you plan to eat to a small saucepan along with a splash of water or broth (the pasta tends to soak up a lot of it as it sits). Heat over medium-low until it’s warmed through. 

More Italian Soup Recipes

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Sausage Tortellini Soup

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

My Instant Pot has earned a permanent spot on my kitchen counter, and for good reason. I mean, how great is it that it helps me make classic spaghetti and meatballs without any effort?! 

Like my Instant Pot pot roast and Instant Pot orange chicken recipes, all of the guesswork is taken out of pressure cooker spaghetti and meatballs. It uses a “dump-and-go” method that’s faster than making it on the stove and keeps the mess to a minimum. Just add frozen meatballs, a jar of sauce, and spaghetti to your pressure cooker, push a couple of buttons, and dinner’s ready in no time.

Spaghetti and Meatballs Ingredients

Frozen meatballs – Always opt for pre-cooked frozen meatballs, whether you made them yourself or bought them from the store. Fresh meatballs tend to fall apart. Personally, I love spaghetti and meatballs with my baked chicken meatballs! My paleo beef meatballs and turkey meatballs would be good, too.

Spaghetti noodles – Duh! You’ll need to break the noodles in half to help them fit in the Instant Pot, or you can swap them for a smaller noodle (use what you like).

Marinara sauce – My go-to sauce for spaghetti and meatballs. An equal amount of homemade pasta sauce, like my cherry tomato pasta sauce, also works! If you’d like to change things up, feel free to use jarred spaghetti sauce, arrabiata sauce, or any tomato-based pasta sauce you love instead.

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Change the pasta – Pretty much any noodle goes here, like fettuccine, linguine, penne, or rotini. I don’t recommend using delicate noodles, such as angel hair pasta, because they tend to become mushy.
• Gluten-free option – This recipe works just as well with gluten-free pasta noodles and your favorite gluten-free meatballs.
• Vegetarian option – Use frozen plant-based meatballs for an easy meatless meal. Personally, I like to use my lentil meatballs for a good amount of plant protein.
• Add vegetables – When I’m craving some veggies, I’ll sauté onion, sliced mushrooms, and bell peppers in the pot before adding the meatballs.

How to Make Spaghetti and Meatballs in the Instant Pot 

Step 1: Layer. Pour the olive oil into your Instant Pot and place the frozen meatballs on top. Break the spaghetti noodles in half and layer them over the meatballs. 

Step 2: Add sauce. Pour the marinara sauce over the noodles, then fill the empty sauce jar with water. Shake it to loosen any leftover sauce, then pour the water into the pot. The noodles should be mostly submerged. 

Step 3: Pressure cook. Secure the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook for 9 minutes. When the cook time is up, switch the valve to Venting to release the pressure. Once the pin drops, open the lid.

Step 4: Stir and serve. Give everything a good stir, then divide the spaghetti and meatballs between bowls. Top with grated parmesan and fresh basil, and enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• You can prevent the spaghetti from sticking together by breaking the noodles in half and layering them on top of the meatballs in a loose, criss-cross pattern instead of in a tight bundle. 
• To avoid a burn notice, submerge the noodles in the sauce-water mixture before locking the lid in place.
• Worried about overcooked or mushy noodles? Stick to the recommended cook time and always use a quick release when the timer ends. This way, your pasta won’t sit under pressure for too long.
• Don’t worry if the sauce looks loose after removing the lid. Let the spaghetti and meatballs sit for a few minutes… The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.

Spaghetti and Meatballs FAQs

Storage

Refrigerator: The leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Let the spaghetti and meatballs cool completely, then transfer them to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat the spaghetti and meatballs on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.  

There’s no such thing as too much mac and cheese, right? 

That philosophy could explain why I have so many recipes on my blog, like my buffalo mac and cheese, truffle mac and cheese, and cottage cheese mac and cheese. It’s just one of those meals that checks all my boxes: cheesy, simple, delicious, and a breeze to customize.

I even love the dairy-free version, like this vegan mac and cheese recipe. It’s made with a creamy cashew-based sauce, everyday pasta, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping. You’d never guess it’s vegan, though, because it’s still ultra-“cheesy” and tastes just like the real deal.

Whether I’m eating it all to myself or feeding it to vegans and meat eaters, everyone is always obsessed with how good it is!

Vegan Mac and Cheese Ingredients

Pasta – Macaroni would be the obvious choice, but this recipe works with any short pasta! I personally love using shells because they scoop up the “cheese” sauce.

Cashews – Softened and blended cashews are what make the sauce so rich and creamy. I recommend using raw, unsalted cashews. Roasted cashews might throw off the flavor in the sauce.

Milk – I like almond milk, but any unsweetened non-dairy milk will work.

Nutritional yeast – Don’t skip this! It’s what gives the sauce its cheesy flavor. I buy my nutritional yeast from the bulk or health food section at my local well-stocked grocery store.

Breadcrumbs – I like sprinkling panko breadcrumbs over the mac and cheese, then throwing it under the broiler for a crunchy, golden topping. Sometimes, I’ll amp up the crispy topping by combining the panko with a little melted butter, red chili flakes, dried herbs, and/or vegan parmesan cheese.

This list provides further clarification on a few ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Gluten-free – Use your favorite gluten-free pasta and top it with gluten-free panko.
• Nut–free – The cashews can be swapped for an equal amount of softened sunflower seeds. A brick of silken tofu or a can of white beans should also work.
• Add veggies – Sometimes, I’ll sneak in roasted broccoli, sautéed spinach, roasted mushrooms, or frozen peas for a little more nutrition and texture.
• Protein boost – Bulk up the mac and cheese by using protein pasta or stirring in vegan sausage crumbles, tempeh bacon, or chickpeas.
• Extra “cheesy” – Fold 1 or 2 tablespoons of vegan cream cheese into the “cheese” sauce or top the mac and cheese with vegan parmesan just before serving.

How to Make the Best Vegan Mac and Cheese

Step 1: Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve some of the pasta cooking water, then drain the rest. Set the pasta aside.

Step 2: Soak the cashews. While the pasta cooks, add the cashews to a medium saucepan and cover them with water. Heat to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 3: Sauté aromatics. Next, sauté the onion, garlic, and smoked paprika in a large, oven-safe skillet until they are soft and fragrant.

Step 4: Make the sauce. Add the butter and milk, then heat to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Step 5: Blend. Drain the softened cashews and transfer them to a high-speed blender. Pour in the “cheesy” milk mixture and blend until smooth. 

Step 6: Combine pasta and sauce. Pour the sauce back into the skillet, add the cooked pasta, and toss until the noodles are coated. Thin the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed.

Step 7: Top with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the panko evenly over the top and place the skillet under the broiler until the breadcrumbs are golden and crisp. Enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• The pasta needs to be al dente, AKA tender with a slightly firm bite. Overcooked noodles can become mushy when mixed with the sauce, especially after broiling.
• You can soften the cashews ahead of time by fully submerging them in a bowl of water and keeping them in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. 
• A high-powered blender will be your BFF. It breaks down the cashews and turns them into a rich sauce, no problem. If you’re using a regular blender, just blend the sauce a little longer or until it’s completely smooth.
• The sauce may look a little thin or runny at first, but that’s okay! Just keep simmering over medium-low heat until it thickens. It will also thicken as it cools.

Macaroni and Cheese FAQs

Storage

Make-ahead: A great way to save time here is to blend the cheese sauce and keep it in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Then, all you need to do is reheat the sauce and toss it with freshly cooked pasta.

Refrigerator: Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Warm up the whole batch in a 350ºF oven or zap the individual portions in the microwave.

Freezer: For the best texture, I recommend freezing the cheese sauce without the pasta. It should freeze well for about 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then reheat and toss with fresh pasta the next day.