What a week it has been! I’m not sure where to start, so let’s dive straight into the recipe. Isn’t it beautiful? This dish draws inspiration from Stonesoup’s lentils with zucchini noodles. While I enjoyed the zucchini “noodles,” I found the lentils mixed with tomato paste to be a bit too rich for a light, vegan summer meal. That’s when I decided to create my own arrabiata sauce, something I’ve wanted to make for quite a while. I also added some chickpeas for an extra protein boost.
And just like that, an incredible meal was created!
Zucchini Noodles with Arrabiata Chickpeas
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Calories: 250 per serving
Servings: 4
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 small onion
- chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp dried red pepper flakes
- 1 red bell pepper
- chopped
- 3 or 4 diced tomatoes
- seeded
- with juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 can chickpeas
- rinsed and drained
- 2 to 3 zucchinis
- olive oil
- sea salt
- black pepper
Instructions:
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan
- heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onion starts to caramelize
- about 10 minutes. Add the pepper flakes and red pepper and cook until the pepper softens
- about 2 minutes. 2. Add the tomatoes and heat until the sauce begins to simmer. Lower heat and cook uncovered until thickened
- about 15 minutes
- stirring frequently. 3. Slice the ends off the zucchinis. Use a vegetable peeler to shave off strips of zucchini. 4. On a baking sheet
- layer the zucchini a few layers deep
- drizzle with olive oil
- and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes
- until the zucchini has lost its crunch. 5. Back to the sauce: stir in the basil and chickpeas. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 more minutes
- until everything is heated through. Serve generous portions of zucchini pasta topped with arrabiata sauce!