Garlic Penne Pasta And Veggies is a meatless pasta dish with garlic, spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas and Parmesan. It’s ready in 20 minutes!
If you’re looking for a meatless main dish that is full of flavor and takes practically no time at all to prepare, I think you’ll enjoy this tasty meal! Penne pasta is paired with a light garlic, Parmesan and veggie sauce.
This dish includes garbanzo beans (chickpeas) for added protein, fresh tomatoes, baby spinach and garlic, which bring color, texture, and flavor to the pasta.
It’s a cinch to make, and is ready in 20 minutes, because you make the sauce and veggies while the pasta cooks! How’s that for convenience? Let me show you how to make this meal:
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Cook The Penne Pasta
The first thing you’ll need to do is cook the penne pasta in boiling water, according to the directions found on the package.
While the pasta is cooking you prepare the rest of this dish, so it’s ready when the pasta is done! Once the penne is done cooking, drain the water off of the hot pasta.
Prepare The Garlic Sauce And Veggies
While the pasta cooks, make the simple garlic sauce and veggies. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the hot oil.
Stir to combine, and sauté them, stirring often for 30-45 seconds. Be careful to not burn the garlic or it may become bitter in taste (and you do NOT want that!).
Add chopped fresh tomatoes and a can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) that have been rinsed and drained to the skillet.
Stir to combine, and continue to cook and stir on medium heat for 2 more minutes.
Place the fresh baby spinach and salt into the skillet, and cook, stirring often until the spinach leaves have wilted from the heat.
This is the garlic and veggie sauce you will add to the hot penne pasta, once it is done cooking. See how simple that was?
Serving The Garlic Penne Pasta And Veggies
Once the penne pasta has finished cooking, drain it and immediately add it to the skillet full of veggies. Add grated Parmesan cheese, and then toss the garlic penne pasta and veggies, to combine.
Because there is not a thick sauce coating everything, the pasta will cool fairly quickly, so serve the pasta immediately while hot. If desired, you can add additional Parmesan cheese to the top as a garnish for serving.
I hope you have the chance to make this delicious dish for those you love, and trust you’ll enjoy it as much as we do.
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you’ll come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, God bless you, and have a GREAT day!
Looking For More PASTA Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of wonderful pasta recipes for you to enjoy, including:
- Chicken Pasta Casserole
- Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells
- Sweet Chili Shrimp Pasta
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Easy Fettucine Alfredo
Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!
I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.
Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks
Original recipe source: Doris Heath, via “Taste of Home Magazine”, Oct./Nov. 2022 edition, page 26, published by Reiman Publications
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Garlic Penne Pasta And Veggies is a meatless pasta dish with garlic, spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas and Parmesan. It's ready in 20 minutes!
- 12 ounces uncooked penne pasta
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more if you like it spicy
- 15 ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) rinsed and drained
- 2 medium tomatoes , seeded, cut in ½" pieces
- 9 ounces fresh baby spinach
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish, if desired
Cook pasta in boiling water, according to directions on the package. Once pasta is done cooking, drain water off pasta.
While pasta cooks, prepare sauce, so it's ready when pasta is done! Heat olive oil on medium heat in large skillet. Add garlic/red pepper flakes to hot oil. Stir to combine; cook stirring often for 30-45 seconds (don't let garlic burn or it becomes bitter).
Add tomatoes and garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Stir to combine. Continue to cook and stir on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add spinach and salt to sauce; cook, stirring often until spinach has wilted from the heat. Sauce is now ready for hot, drained pasta.
Once pasta is done, drain; immediately add it to skillet with veggies. Add grated Parmesan cheese; toss well, to combine ingredients. Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!