WED LUNCH · FROM THE VIDEO
Lemon Chickpea Pasta with Spinach
- 20 min
- 8 min with Sunday prep
- 1–4 servings
- 420 kcal
- 24g protein
A bright, protein-packed pasta that gets its lemony punch from fresh zest and juice, with extra chickpeas folded in for staying power and a handful of spinach wilted right into the hot noodles. It's a five-ingredient lunch that comes together fast and tastes just as good cold from the fridge as it does warmed up.
Adds this lunch's 4 groceries to your Walmart cart; you check out on Walmart. Part of 5 work lunches from one $25 grocery run · send the whole week to Walmart.
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Ingredients
- 3 ozchickpea pasta, dry
- 1/2 cupcanned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cupbaby spinach
- 1/4 eachlemon, juiced and zested
From the pantry: garlic, minced, olive oil, salt, black pepper
Cookware
large pot · colander · mixing bowl · citrus juicer or reamer · cutting board · chef's knife · meal-prep container
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the chickpea pasta according to package directions, about 7 to 9 minutes.
- Reserve 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
- Return the empty pot to low heat, add the olive oil and minced garlic, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the drained chickpeas to the pot and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to warm through.
- Add the baby spinach and stir just until wilted, about 1 minute.
- Return the drained pasta to the pot along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and a splash of the reserved pasta water; toss to coat.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, tossing once more so everything is evenly dressed.
- Let the pasta cool for 5 minutes, then pack it into a meal-prep container and refrigerate.
Two tips
- If you made the Sunday batch of chickpea pasta with lemon and chickpeas, just skip to wilting the spinach into a portion of it in a skillet and toss with extra lemon juice.
- Swap the spinach for arugula or baby kale if you want a peppery bite instead.
Packing
Pack the pasta warm or fully cooled into an airtight meal-prep container; it's meant to be eaten cold or at room temperature, but a 60-second microwave zap loosens it up nicely. Keep a lemon wedge on the side to squeeze on right before eating for extra brightness.
Storage
Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezing isn't recommended since the spinach turns watery and the pasta texture softens too much on thawing.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 55 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 380 mg
The rest of the week
MonEgg Fried Rice
Day-old rice fried with peas, carrots and 3 scrambled eggs; soy sauce to finish.
rice · eggs · frozen peas and carrots · soy sauce
~22g proteinFull recipe →
TueBlack Bean Burrito Bowl
Rice, black beans, corn, salsa and cheddar.
rice · black beans · salsa · cheddar · corn
~20g proteinFull recipe →
ThuLoaded Baked Potato Bowl
Chopped baked potato with beans, cheddar, a jammy egg and Greek yogurt as sour cream.
potatoes · black beans · cheddar · Greek yogurt · eggs
~21g proteinFull recipe →
FriCrunchy Taco Salad Jar
Salsa and yogurt at the bottom, then beans, corn, cheese, romaine; chips on the side.
romaine · black beans · corn · salsa · cheddar · tortilla chips
~19g proteinFull recipe →
Recipe developed by MealPot for the “5 work lunches from one $25 grocery run” video. Nutrition is estimated from standard (USDA) data for the quantities above. Photo: MealPot, an AI-rendered illustration of the packed lunch.