Roasted Radish Chickpea Pasta with Lemon and Garlic
The following recipe and photography were provided by local blogger Carolyn Hodges of The Dinner Shift.
I love the crunch and bite of radishes in fresh salads, but have you ever tried them cooked? Roasting radishes tones down their spice and enhances their sweetness. The texture of a cooked radish is similar to that of a cooked carrot or potato.
Here, I’m tossing roasted radishes with chickpea-based pasta, lots of garlic, lemon and plenty of herbs for a satisfying and comforting vegetarian pasta. I love the salty contrast of crumbled feta in this dish, but you can omit it to keep this vegan.
Banza is one of my favorite alternative pasta brands. While we eat plenty of regular pasta in our house, I like to use a bean-or lentil-based pasta to increase fiber and protein, especially when making vegetarian pastas.
Banza pasta is made from chickpeas and has one of the best textures and flavors I’ve found. Heinen’s offers a wide assortment of Banza pasta shapes in the pasta aisle. Feel free to use any shape in this recipe.
Roasted Radish Chickpea Pasta with Lemon and Garlic
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp. Heinen’s extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 bunches fresh radishes, trimmed and quartered
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 8 oz. Banza pasta, any shape
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. Heinen’s dried thyme leaves
- ¼ tsp. Heinen’s crushed red chili pepper
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2-4 oz. Esti feta cheese, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Toss the radishes in 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the sheet pan and roast until tender, about 25-30 minutes.
- While the radishes roast, bring a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Start checking the pasta at the 6-minute mark to avoid overcooking it. Drain well and set aside.
- In a large, deep nonstick skillet, heat the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced garlic, thyme and crushed red chili pepper. Sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Add the roasted radishes and cooked pasta to the pan, along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley and feta, if using. Gently toss well to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
