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Get ready to fall in love with your new favorite pasta dish: High-Protein Pasta with Peas. Using chickpea pasta and peas is an easy way to pack protein and fiber into this dish. The pasta simmers right alongside bright and tender green peas, soaking up all their sweet, springy goodness. A swirl of fragrant basil pesto wraps everything in bold, herby flavor, while toasted pine nuts add crunch. Best of all? It all comes together in one pot, so cleanup is a breeze. Keep reading for all our best tips and tricks, including which pasta shapes you can use and how to adapt the recipe for allergies.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• Avoid using pre-grated Parmesan cheese here and opt for grating it yourself from a block instead. Pre-grated cheese has anticaking agents that can prevent it from melting properly.
• If you’ve got fresh peas, use them! Because they take longer to soften, blanch them for a few minutes before stirring them into the pasta.
• Feel free to use any shape of chickpea pasta, such as rigatoni or medium shells. If you prefer, regular or whole-wheat pasta works just as well, although it will reduce the amount of protein in the dish.

Nutrition Notes

• Chickpea pasta is made from chickpeas, so it has many of the same benefits, just in pasta form. One benefit is feeling full for longer periods of time, thanks to the satisfying combination of plant-based protein and fiber. Chickpeas also contain folate, a B vitamin that is crucial for maintaining cell health and preventing some birth defects.
• Shallots provide some vitamin A to this dish, which can help support healthy vision and immune health. The allium also contributes magnesium, an antioxidant that can reduce inflammation and support bone health.
• Peas offer protein and fiber like chickpeas, and they also provide vitamin K and vitamin C. Eating foods with vitamin K can support bone and heart health, while foods with vitamin C may help boost collagen production.