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Harissa Chickpea Pasta with Feta

Harissa Chickpea Pasta with Feta reads citrus 5.3, salinity 4.9 and sourness 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mediterranean main, about 35 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.2 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.3 · Salinity 4.9 · Sourness 4.7 · Umami 4.6 · Allium 4.2 · Fruity 4.1 · Richness 4.0 · Nutty 3.9 · Sweetness 2.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.4 · Herbaceous 2.4 · Earthy 2.2 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Bitterness 1.2 · Floral 1.2 · Marine & Briny 1.0 · Heat 0.7

What's in it (14)

• salt — 30 g
• shell pasta — 340 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• chickpeas — 851 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• sesame seed paste — 41 g
• tomato paste — 30 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• vegetable broth — 237 g
• lemon — 65 g
• feta cheese — 113 g
• parsley — 30 g
• black pepper — 3 g

Time & effort: about 35 min (33 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 199.6 kcal, 9.6 g protein, 4 g fat, 31.4 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the kosher salt. Add the pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, 1 minute less than the package's low end (about 9-10 minutes total). Scoop out and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
2. While the pasta water comes to a boil, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the chickpeas in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until blistered and deep golden on the bottom, 5-6 minutes; stir once or twice more to color the other sides, then transfer the chickpeas to a bowl.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the diced onion to the same skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 4-5 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic, harissa paste, and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until the pastes darken slightly and smell toasted and fragrant, 1-2 minutes (this bloom is what gives the sauce its depth, so don't skip it, but watch closely so the garlic doesn't scorch).
5. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8-10 minutes.
6. Return the chickpeas to the skillet along with the drained pasta and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss constantly over medium heat until the sauce clings to the pasta and looks glossy rather than watery, 2-3 minutes, splashing in more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if it looks tight.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper, and half of the feta and parsley until the feta just begins to soften into the sauce.
8. Divide the pasta among bowls, top with the remaining feta and parsley, and season with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon salt or more to taste.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage — Italian
• Stuffed Bell Peppers with Couscous, Chickpeas, and Feta — Mediterranean
• Harissa Roasted Vegetable and Chickpea Bake — Middle Eastern
• Harissa Shrimp and Chickpea Skillet — Middle Eastern
• Mediterranean Eggplant Steaks and Orzo Salad with Walnuts, Oregano and Tomatoes — Mediterranean

Keep reading: what citrus, salinity, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.