Banza Chickpea Pasta Bake Recipe - Hollis Homestead (2024)

Banza Chickpea Pasta Bake – a delectable fusion of savory Italian sausage, rich marinara, and a decadent blend of mozzarella and parmesan cheese, all crafted into a delightful baked pasta. Elevate your pasta game by replacing conventional noodles with Banza chickpea pasta, a healthier alternative that effortlessly removes the guilt from your cherished pasta recipes. With its high protein content, lower carb profile, and gluten-free nature, Banza chickpea pasta not only amplifies the nutritional value but also preserves the beloved taste of traditional pasta.

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Banza chickpea pasta comes in 16 different shapes and cuts of pasta so chances are you’ll be able to find your favorites. For this Banza Chickpea Pasta Bake, I used Banza Rigatoni. I also love pre-making short cuts of pasta in the Instant Pot. Go here to see how to make chickpea pasta in the Instant Pot.

This recipe was inspired by my other popular Banza chickpea pasta recipes. Tuscan Chicken Pasta With Banza, Banza Penne and Italian Meatballs, Air Fry Range Chicken Parmesan with Banza Spaghetti and Banza Cajun Chicken Pasta.

Ingredients:

• EVOO
• Salt
• Banza Chickpea Pasta
• Mild Italian Ground Sausage
• Marinara Sauce (no sugar added) Or Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce
• Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
• Grated Parmesan Cheese

Ingredient Notes:

Choose a high-quality ground Italian sausage and a quality no sugar added marinara sauce if you don’t have a homemade spaghetti sauce option like this one. I also recommend splurging on a fresh mozzarella like this.

How To Cook Banza Chickpea Pasta

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. Start by bringing 8 cups of water to a roaring boil. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the water.
3. Next, add the box of rigatoni to the water and stir immediately to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
4. Boil rigatoni for 3-4 minutes. The pasta will not be fully cooked at this point, but to prevent it from breaking apart when it’s baked in the casserole you’ll need it to be partially cooked and still firm.
5. Using a strainer dump pasta and water and rinse pasta with cold water immediately and leave to drain for a few minutes.
6. In a large skillet brown the Italian sausage completely. If needed drain any fat from the cooked sausage. I’m using a homemade Italian elk sausage with less fat so I don’t need to drain excess grease from the meat.
7. Next, if your mozzarella is not pre-sliced you’ll need to slice it into ¼ inch slices and set it aside.

Assemble The Pasta Bake

1. In a 13×9″ glass baking pan place the cooked pasta and cooked sausage. Sprinkle with half of the parmesan cheese add 1 cup of marinara sauce and stir everything together to combine.
2. Pour over the remaining marinara sauce, sprinkle on the remaining parmesan cheese, and place sliced mozzarella slices evenly over the top.
3. Bake pasta at 350° for 20-25 minutes, remove pasta from the oven when the sauce is hot and bubbly.
4. Optional broil on low for 5 minutes to further melt the mozzarella cheese on top. Watch as you are broiling the dish so as not to burn the mozzarella.
5. Remove the pasta and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a salad on the side.

More Chickpea Pasta Recipes You May Enjoy

Recipe Variations

If Banza Rigatoni isn’t available substitute penne, rotini, or ziti. Follow the cooking instructions on the box, but cut the cooking time in half. Because Banza Chickpea Pasta doesn’t have gluten if you overcook it will fall apart easily.