Rosemary Chickpea Spaghetti with Creamy Spinach

1. Boil Water

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. This will be used to cook the pasta later.

2. Cook Chickpeas

While the water is heating, pour olive oil into a wide, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the drained chickpeas, chopped rosemary, Aleppo pepper, a generous pinch of salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas start to caramelize and pop at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer half of the chickpeas to a bowl for garnish later.

3. Sauté Shallots and Garlic

Reduce the heat to medium and add the finely chopped shallots and garlic to the skillet with the remaining chickpeas. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are softened and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes.

4. Add Heavy Cream

Pour in the heavy cream and let it simmer for another 3 minutes, allowing the cream to thicken slightly.

5. Add Spinach

Turn off the heat and add the baby spinach to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper, then stir to combine. The residual heat will wilt the spinach perfectly.

6. Cook Pasta

Add the spaghetti to the pot of boiling water and cook according to the package instructions, about 5 minutes. Once the pasta is al dente, use tongs to transfer it directly from the pot to the skillet with the spinach and cream sauce.

7. Combine Pasta and Sauce

Add about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and the finely grated Parmesan to the skillet. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and cook for about 2 minutes, tossing everything together until the sauce thickens and coats the noodles.

8. Serve

Serve the pasta immediately, topping each bowl with the reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of fresh rosemary, black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.