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Lunch recipe · from the recipe book

Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta with Chickpea-Mint Balls

Crisp-edged chickpea balls bright with mint, parsley and lemon zest sit on whole-wheat pasta tossed in jammy roasted cherry tomatoes, finished with salty feta.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta with Chickpea-Mint Balls

Ingredients

  • 1½ cans, drained400 gChickpeas, canned, drained and rinsedpatted dry
  • 2 tbsp14 gGround flaxseed
  • ⅔ cup50 gOld-fashioned rolled oats
  • 4 cloves12 gGarlicminced
  • ½ cup chopped25 gFresh parsleychopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped10 gFresh mintchopped
  • 2 tsp4 gLemon zest
  • 1 tsp2 gGround cumin
  • ½ tsp1 gBlack pepper
  • ¾ tsp4 gSalt
  • 2 tbsp30 gOlive oil
  • 6 cups900 gCherry tomatoeshalved
  • 1 medium110 gRed onionthinly sliced
  • 2 tsp2 gDried oregano
  • ¼ tsp0.5 gCrushed red pepper
  • 11½ oz320 gWhole-wheat pasta, drypenne or spaghetti
  • 6½ cups1,540 gWater
  • ⅓ cup crumbled60 gFeta cheesecrumbled
  • ½ cup leaves12 gFresh basiltorn

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
  2. Stir the flaxseed with 40 g of the water in a small bowl and let it stand 5 minutes until gel-like.
  3. In a food processor, pulse the oats until coarse. Add the chickpeas, one third of the garlic, the parsley, the mint, the lemon zest, the cumin, the black pepper, half of the salt and the flaxseed gel, and pulse until the mixture holds together but still has some texture.
  4. Roll the chickpea mixture into 20 balls, set them on one baking sheet and brush with half of the olive oil.
  5. On the second baking sheet, toss the cherry tomatoes and red onion with the remaining garlic, the oregano, the red pepper flakes, the remaining olive oil and half of the remaining salt.
  6. Roast both sheets for 25 minutes, turning the balls once, until the balls are golden and firm and the tomatoes have collapsed and blistered.
  7. Meanwhile, bring the remaining water to a boil in a wide pot with the rest of the salt. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain, saving a splash of the cooking water.
  8. Scrape the roasted tomatoes and onion into the pasta pot, crush them lightly with a spoon, and toss with the pasta, loosening with a little saved cooking water if needed.
  9. Divide the pasta among bowls, top with the chickpea balls, and finish with the feta and basil.

Contains: Milk, Gluten.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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