Healthy Pasta Alternative: Chickpea Pasta (+ an easy recipe!)
This post is sponsored by Barilla but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Do you love pasta? I definitely do! I could eat pasta almost every day of the week. No joke (although my waistline wouldn’t like it). I think pasta is great in moderation. It provides simple carbs that our bodies need for quick energy.
I love how versatile pasta is. Lots of sauce options, and it can be a side dish, a meal or in a casserole.
And I’m not shy about my preferences in pasta. I don’t like crunchy pasta or pasta that tastes like cardboard or pasta that has the texture of gummy mush.
Have you ever looked at the ingredients of your favorite pasta? Ideally, it should only have ONE ingredient, but often the cheap, popular pastas have multiple (unnecessary) ingredients.
So I have been searching for a healthier pasta alternative. I wanted one that would allow us to enjoy pasta occasionally and that I feel good about feeding my family.
The Search For A Healthier Pasta Alternative
- tastes great
- contains 1 simple ingredient
- has to be easy to use (I don’t have time for pastas that require precise timing or an eagle eye watching it)
As moms who care about our families, we are all seeking healthier options. In fact, it’s a hot topic right now.
With so many “healthy” options available today, it’s difficult to know which products to try.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve tried several “healthier alternatives” to pasta, and I’ve been disappointed in the taste and texture of those alternatives.
Some of them even have questionable ingredients (um, what is xanthan gum?!).
I feel the best when I eat food that has simple ingredients that I can read and understand without needing a chemistry degree!
One Ingredient Chickpea Pasta
Enter, Barilla Chickpea Pasta! (Purchase here on Amazon – and read other reviews – for an easy way to add healthier options to your diet –and leave a review with your thoughts on the pasta!)
- has a great texture – very similar to traditional pasta
- cooks like traditional pasta
- has a great taste – similar to traditional pasta, but just the teensiest bit earthy when comparing side to side. However, for anyone who might feel turned off by that, I didn’t notice the difference at all once I made my pasta dishes.
- contains only ONE ingredient!
Barilla’s Chickpea Pasta Has Many Benefits
But that’s not all! In addition to tasting great and having a fabulous texture, Barilla’s Chickpea Pasta provides lots of other benefits:
- Plant-Based Protein
- Fiber-rich
- Gluten-free
- Non-GMO certified
- Vegetarian/Vegan
- Grain-free
In short, it’s high-quality nutrition, made from only 1 ingredient, with a superior taste/texture that is “Foodie-Approved”!
I wanted to test the versatility of this product, so I made not one, but TWO pasta dishes with different sauces and ingredients. I am thrilled with how they turned out!
Purchase here on Amazon for an easy way to add healthier options to your diet –and leave a review with your thoughts on the pasta!
Give these recipes a try, and don’t forget to include Barilla’s Chickpea Pasta when you make them!
- 1 box (8.8 oz) Barilla Chickpea Pasta
- 1/2 cup Barilla pesto sauce
- 1/2 cup mushrooms diced
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes diced
- 1/4 cup sliced olives
- 1/4-1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- While pasta is cooking, prepare mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and olives.
- Once pasta is done, drain pasta.
- Add pesto and stir to combine.
- Add mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. Stir to combine.
- Top with feta cheese. Serve immediately.
- Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 7 days.
Serve with Greek Chicken or Falafel.
**Purchase your Barilla Chickpea Pasta here!