What kind of pasta should I use?

We like to make this with elbow macaroni. Typically we go for the Delallo whole what elbows. But you could use other short pasta shapes such as ziti or shells.

Can I use chickpea pasta in this recipe?

Sure, you can use pasta made from chickpea flour in this recipe. We use regular pasta, or sometimes whole wheat. The "chickpeas" in our title refers to the garbanzo beans added to the sauce. But you could double up on healthy chickpeas by using pasta made with them.

What kind of wine should I use in this recipe?

The classic cooking tip is to use the same wine in the recipe as you plan to serve with the meal, for the best pairing results. However, I personally am not keen to use a $40 bottle of wine in my cooking. On those occasions I do have a bit of wine leftover, I save it for my next recipe calling for wine. I would go for a leftover or lower priced Merlot, or an Italian red wine, to add to the sauce.

Can you put chickpeas in bolognese?

A traditional bolognese sauce starts with some chopped onion, carrots and celery cooking up before adding meat and tomatoes. The sauce cooks slowly over a long period of time. Chickpeas or other legumes would not be added to a classic bolognese. That said, adding chickpeas to a pasta sauce like this one is a great way to add nutrition and use less meat.

Everyday Pasta Sauce with Ground Beef and Chickpeas

Name: Everyday Pasta Sauce with Ground Beef and Chickpeas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 1/2 lb ground beef (aka “mince” meat); 1/4 cup red wine; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional); 28 oz can diced tomatoes; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh basil; 14.5 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed; handful of greens such as kale, chopped (optional); 12 ozs elbow macaroni or other short pasta shape; shredded Parmesan cheese to pass at table

Everyday Pasta Sauce with Ground Beef and Chickpeas

elbow macaroni with a ground beef sauce with tomatoes and chickpeas.

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5 from 3 reviews

This pasta sauce recipe with ground beef and chickpeas has been a go to meal these days. Great way to stretch ground beef and use ingredients on hand.

Author: Cooking Chat
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: Main
Method: stove top
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 lb ground beef (aka “mince” meat)
1/4 cup red wine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh basil
14.5 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
handful of greens such as kale, chopped (optional)
12 ozs elbow macaroni or other short pasta shape
shredded Parmesan cheese to pass at table

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Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the onion, sauté until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the ground beef, breaking up with a heavy spoon. Cook until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the red wine and garlic. Simmer on medium low for a few minutes until the wine has been mostly absorbed.
Add the diced tomatoes, stirring to combine with the beef. Add the oregano and dried basil. (if using fresh basil, save that until you are almost done cooking the sauce). Stir in greens at this time, too, if you are using them.
Start cooking the pasta according to package instructions as the tomatoes and beef simmer.
After the tomatoes have cooked for about 10 minutes, stir in the chickpeas. Break up a few against the side of the skillet with a heavy spoon, to thicken the sauce. Add the fresh basil at this time if using.
Drain the pasta when cooked to your liking. Gradually stir the pasta into the skillet, so that the pasta and sauce are well combined.
Plate the pasta, and top with grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Notes

My large cast iron skillet just fits the pasta with sauce. If you have a smaller skillet for the sauce, and don’t think the pasta will fit, you can combine the pasta and sauce in the pasta pan or a separate bowl.
You can substitute ground turkey for the beef if you like.
Mushrooms can be added to this dish if you would like. Add the slices mushrooms after the ground beef begins to brown, before adding the red wine.
I often have a bit of kale around, leftover from making kale pesto or some other use. I like to use the rest of it in this pasta sauce. You can use other greens, too. Greens such as kale, collards or chard need more cooking time. If using baby spinach, add closer to the end of cooking.
One reader notes she used “diluted red wine vinegar” instead of the red wine called for here, and it worked well.

Find it online: https://cookingchatfood.com/pasta-sauce-ground-beef/