Bright, earthy and supremely satisfying – this Za’atar Spiced Pasta makes for a fantastic weeknight meal that comes together easier than you’d think! | Gluten Free + Dairy Free + Vegan

Credit for this Za’atar Spiced Pasta goes to Yotam Ottolenghi and his cookbook, Ottolenghi SIMPLE. It’s the first and only (so far) recipe that I’ve made from SIMPLE, but I was sold after one bite!

This isn’t an exact replica from his book. The original, Gigli with Chickpeas and Za’atar was made with fluted, gigli pasta (not easy to find gluten free) and anchovies with slightly different ingredient amounts.

I totally understand that it might be considered blasphemy to think that I could improve upon a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe. This pasta was just so good I had to make a free-from version to share with more people!

Za’atar Spiced Pasta

Earthy, citrusy, woodsy, savory – this za’atar pasta recipe is absolutely bursting with flavor thanks to a few key ingredients.

Ingredients

• Onion & Garlic – a little sweet, a little spicy
  • Sauté the onions until soft to mellow out the sharpness and unlock a gentle sweetness. Garlic, on the other hand, packs in a punch of pungency (in a good way!).
• Cumin & Thyme – warm and woodsy
  • Cumin is warm and a bit nutty while thyme is more sharp and woodsy. While they are two totally different flavors, they really play together here to produce a delicious, earthy and inviting flavor.
• Miso Paste (optional, but recommended!) – umami bomb
  • Miso is my plant based substitute for anchovy. Just like anchovy, miso is funky, salty and adds a lot of complexity to the pasta. While it’s not an exact flavor swap, it is a good one!
  • If you don’t have any miso on hand you can use tamari or gluten free soy sauce instead. Miso is a by-product of tamari so it will work in a similar kind of way here.
• Chickpeas – nutty and earthy
  • Chickpeas add a lovely, nutty flavor along with a satisfying, creamy texture. A little variety in bite is part of what makes this pasta so moreish!
• Lemon – bright and citrusy
  • A little acid goes a long way to brighten up the earthy spices and tone down the salty flavors. Start with the recommended amount as you make this. You can also squeeze a bit of fresh juice over the top at the end.
• Vegetable Stock – salty goodness
  • Simmering in a vegetable stock sauce helps infuse even more flavor into the chickpeas. As the sauce cooks and reduces down, all that flavor will find its way into the chickpeas ensuring every bite is absolutely bursting with flavor!
• Parsley – bright and fresh
  • Fresh parsley has a very clean, almost peppery flavor. Make sure to wait until the end before you mix it in to retains that freshness.
• Za’atar Spice – all of the above
  • Last but not least – za’atar spice! Za’atar is a spice blend of different herbs and spice. Flavor wise, it has notes that range from earthy, woodsy, tangy and nutty. While za’atar seasoning recipes vary depending on who’s making it, the base ingredients remain the same: sumac, sesame seeds, za’atar plant (wild thyme) and salt.

DIY Za’atar

Learn how to make homemade Za’atar! Simply mix together a few herbs and spices, then store in an airtight container. Sprinkle over salad, roasted veggies, hummus, proteins and more!

Get the Recipe!

The Steps

Don’t let the miso paste and za’atar blend trick you into thinking this recipe is more complicated than it actually is! True to the goal of the cookbook, this Za’atar Pasta is actually quite simple and easy to make.

1. Add some olive oil to a large sauté pan and cook onions until soft (about 5-7 minutes).
2. Add the garlic, cumin, thyme and miso. Cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Stir in the remaining oil, chickpeas, lemon zest and sugar. Fry 5-8 minutes to crisp up the chickpeas.
4. Add the stock and lemon juice and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
5. While the sauce is simmering – prepare your pasta according to package instructions.
6. Mix everything together. Turn off the heat and add the cooked pasta, spinach, chopped parsley and za’atar blend to the sauce.
7. Finally, taste and season as you see fit with additional salt and a good grind of pepper and enjoy!

Make it Your Own

While I do recommend you make this recipe as written at least once (and maybe even the original if you’re not vegan!), I am always happy to encourage substitutions and additions when possible.

A few ways you can play around with the recipe to suit your preferences:

• Double the chickpeas.
  • The original recipe actually called for two cans of chickpeas. I’ve always made it with one because it’s all I had available the first time making this. One felt like plenty, but two cans would certainly make this more filling!
• Use a different type of pasta.
  • If you’re UK based I highly recommend Sainsbury’s FreeFrom Casarecce from the Taste the Difference line. It’s got a great taste and texture and reheats beautifully (truly a great feat for gluten free pasta!).
  • If you can find casarecce, try to find a pasta that works well in a sauce: shelled pasta (conchiglie), macaroni, fusilli, penne, etc. The idea is to find a pasta the sauce can penetrate into. Anything with twists, curves, tubes and texture will likely work.
• Add more herbs and spices.
  • Fresh thyme, oregano, mint and red pepper flakes would all be great additions here. In fact, any herb that you can also find in za’atar spice will work!

More Delicious to Use Za’atar Spice

• Gluten Free Manakish Za’atar
• Shirazi Salad (Salad-E Shirazi) – Sprinkle over salads like this for an extra boost of nutrition and flavor!
• Gluten Free Spinach & Feta Parcels
• Sprinkle over roasted vegetables and roasted vegetable stews
• Add to homemade crackers and dips
• Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
• Baked Paprika & Za’atar Chicken Thighs

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Za'atar Spiced Pasta with Chickpeas and Spinach

Yield: 5 servings Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

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Bright, earthy and supremely satisfying – this Za’atar Spiced Pasta makes for a fantastic weeknight meal that comes together easier than you'd think!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided (45 ml)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon miso paste, ensure gluten free if needed (optional*)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (30 ml), divided
• 1 can (15 oz | 400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 3/4 cup vegetable stock (420ml)
• 10 oz dried gluten free casarecce, or pasta of your choice (280 g)
• 2 cups spinach, (60 g)
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (15 g)
• 2 teaspoons za'atar spice
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Need help converting to weights? Check out my cups to grams Conversion Guide.

Instructions

1. In a large pan or cast iron skillet, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and warm over a medium-high heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Reduce to a medium heat. Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, thyme, and miso paste (if using). Sauté for 1 minute, stirring the whole time.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, along with the chickpeas, lemon zest and sugar. Fry 5-8 minutes until the chickpeas start to brown and crisp up.
4. Add the stock and lemon juice to the pan. Mix well and bring to a simmer. let simmer about 8-10 minutes until the pasta sauce has reduced into a thicker consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
5. While the sauce is simmering, boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Cook according to package instructions for your particular pasta. You ideally want to cook until al dente (springy and chewy, not mushy). Drain and set aside until needed.
6. Once the sauce has reduced enough, turn off the stove and remove the pan from the heat. Add the drained pasta along with the spinach, parsley and za'atar spice to the pan. Mix until fully combined. The residual heat of the pan should be enough to wilt the spinach.
7. Taste and season with more lemon juice, zest, salt, pepper, etc as you see fit and enjoy.
8. Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Notes

Miso Paste

• The original recipe called for about 7 anchovy fillets chopped into a coarse paste. I used miso paste in my recipe as a plant based alternative. It adds a similar umami-like complexity that is worth adding if you can.
• If you can't get any miso, you can add 1 tablespoon gluten free tamari or soy sauce instead. Both soy sauce and miso can be used to add a a ‘meaty’ umami flavors that you’d normally get from meat or animal products.

Pasta Type

• If you're UK based I highly recommend Sainsbury's FreeFrom Casarecce from the Taste the Difference line. It's got a great taste and texture and reheats like a dream.
• If you can find casarecce, try to find a pasta that works well in a sauce: shelled pasta (conchiglie), macaroni, fusilli, penne, etc. The idea is to find a pasta the sauce can penetrate into. Anything with twists, curves, tubes and texture will likely work.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 5

Serving Size:

1 cup Calories: 379Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 12gSugar: 5gProtein: 16g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© A Saucy Kitchen, Sarah Nevins

Course: Mains Cuisine: Mediterranean