Rigatoni with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, & Crispy Chickpeas

A deliciously savory and umami-filled pasta made with sweet caramelized onions, mushrooms, and tender & crispy chickpeas.

This Rigatoni with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, & Crispy Chickpeas is packed with delicious flavors from slowly-cooked caramelized onions, savory mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and crispy and tender chickpeas.

While developing this recipe I had the intention of sticking to just mushrooms and onions, then I added sun-dried tomatoes and chickpeas and it was a game changer aka “chef’s kiss.”

Every component of this dish adds a complex and delicious layer of flavor – from the savoriness of the chickpeas, mushrooms, and dried herbs and sweetness from the tomatoes and caramelized onions.

How to Make Rigatoni with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, & Crispy Chickpeas:

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and ½ tsp kosher salt. Cook onions for 40-45 min, stirring occasionally, until soft, golden brown, and reduced in volume. Stovetops vary with their distribution of heat, so adjust temperature if your onions start to char because you don’t want that!
2. While onions are caramelizing, prepare the crispy chickpeas. Preheat the oven to 425℉. Add ½ the can of chickpeas to a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
3. While chickpeas and onions are still cooking, cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente (about 9 minutes or according to pkg directions). Reserve ⅓ cup pasta water. Drain and set aside.
4. Once onions are caramelized, add garlic and mushrooms. Cook for 8-10 min. until mushrooms are light golden brown, soft, and have lost most of their moisture.
5. Stir in tomato paste, dried herbs, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and a tbsp of water to deglaze the pan, if needed. Cook until tomato paste deepens in color and herbs are fragrant. Pour in the other ½ can of chickpeas and sun dried tomatoes. Cook until chickpeas are tender and warmed through.
6. Add reserved pasta water and cook for 3-4 min. until sauce slightly thickens and starts to coat chickpeas. Add spinach and pasta. Cook for 1-2 minutes until spinach has wilted down. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. I added about ¾ tsp kosher salt.
7. Serve with a dash of nutritional yeast and freshly cracked black pepper.

Why You’ll Love This Rigatoni with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, & Crispy Chickpeas:

1. Packed with layers of flavor. From the savoriness of the chickpeas, mushrooms, and dried herbs and sweetness from the tomatoes and caramelized onions.
2. Mostly pantry-friendly ingredients. All of the ingredients in this recipe are easy-to-find and 90% of them are pantry-friendly.
3. Simple and easy to make. Although it takes a bit of patient to caramelize the onions, all of the “sauce” ingredients are cooked in one pan then tossed with the rigatoni – that simple!

Can I use another pasta in this recipe?

Of course. I love rigatoni in this recipe because they occasionally will pick up a chickpea and some of the sauce ingredients and it’s absolutely delicious! I’ve used penne pasta before and it’s just as good.

Do I need to caramelize onions for 45 minutes?

I highly recommend that you slow-cook the onions for at least 45 minutes, because that’s what will make ‘caramelized onions’. You want the onions sweet and very soft. You can cook for 25-30 minutes but they wont truly be caramelized.

If you’re looking for more delicious pasta recipes, you’ll also love this Vegan Pesto Pasta Salad, this Creamy Walnut White Sauce Pasta, and this Vegan Sumac and Ricotta Bucatini.

Also, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram don’t forget to tag me @healthienut + #healthienut! I love seeing your mouthwatering recreations!