This post is sponsored by Barilla but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

This pasta bowl recipe with Parmesan, broccolini, and mushrooms will bring you all the comforts of a hearty, creamy, gluten-free pasta dish and uses just a few simple ingredients, all in under 15 minutes!

Ohhhhh! Do I have a pasta recipe for the books! It's got all those hearty feels: it's creamy, cheesy, savory, and filling.

BUT it doesn't have any butter, cream, or meat in it.....

.....because it truly doesn't need it! It's that good. Promise.

That's right my friend, it's vegetarian, gluten-free, and low carb! It only takes me 12-15 minutes to perfect AND the few ingredients needed are all simple staples very likely already in your pantry!

The pasta is cooked in vegetable broth instead of water to give it a hearty-flavored base. The vegetables are roasted in extra virgin olive oil and garlic, and then it's all tossed together with some fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese to give it the most epic, creamy delicious flavors without any of the work, cream, or meat... none of which you will miss at all!

So who's in????

Let me show you how to make this magic happen for you!

Pasta Bowl Ingredients:

Just a few simple ingredients stands between you and your next delicious pasta bowl!

• 8oz of Barilla Chickpea Rotini Pasta
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ Cup Grated Parmesan
• 1 cup broccolini
• 4 cups vegetable stock,
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Why Broccolini?

Why not broccolini???

Broccolini is a whole lot like it's well-known family member, broccoli.

I particularly like broccolini for it's stage presence, it's such a beautiful addition to a plate of pasta or a bowl of vegetables. To the eye, the long strands of broccolini add a stark contrast to the usual chopped or diced vegetables most of us are used to seeing on our plates.

Broccolini also has major health benefits!

• High in Vitamin A & C
• Great source of potassium
• High in fiber

What types of pasta to use in a pasta bowl?

This may seem like a silly question to some readers but I get this question a LOT. So it's not silly, let us discuss.....

For pasta bowls I like to use certain types of pastas like rotini and penne pastas versus spaghetti or angel hair pastas. The reasoning behind this is shape.

In a bowl where the sauce or liquids will quickly fall to the bottom, you want a sturdy noodle that will hold it's form and not just fall apart on you while it sits in that delicious sauce just waiting to be eaten up.

Why try chickpea pasta?

In spite of our best efforts to choose better-for-you food options, so many of the healthier alternatives out there can be a big let down when it comes to taste, texture, and some questionable ingredients.

Barilla has addressed this gap by introducing legume-based pasta. These legume pastas are made from one simple ingredient, chickpeas, and in my opinion, have a far better taste and true “al dente” texture compared to the similar products on the market today.  

Nutritional Chickpea Pasta Benefits:

• Good Source of Plant-Based Protein
• Fiber Rich
• Naturally Gluten-Free
• Non-GMO Certified
• Vegetarian/Vegan
• Grain Free

 Barilla’s Legume Pastas are made with just 1 Simple Ingredient and have a superior taste and texture. Finally, your stories will encourage audiences to try the products for themselves by purchasing on Amazon. 

I typically purchase my Barilla Chickpea Pasta on Amazon. I like to buy my Barilla Rotini pasta in the 4-pack, with 2-day shipping, it can't be much easier.

Partnering up with Barilla to make this recipe possible has also lead me to realize that this company really truly wants to hear their customers thoughts on this product, something that I think far too few companies truly care about. So if you've tried Barilla Chickpea Pasta I'd highly recommend leaving a review with your thoughts on the pasta!

How to make a pasta bowl:

1. Start by heating the vegetable stock over medium-high heat in a large pot. In a large skillet, heat the extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the garlic becomes fragrant and starts to turn a golden brown. Just don't overcook the garlic and burn it! If it becomes dark brown, then the garlic is burnt and will have a severely bitter taste to it!
2. Heat the broccolini and mushrooms in your skillet with the fragrant garlic, stirring the vegetables every 1-2 minutes to cook them evenly. Cook until the broccolini is al dente to your liking, about 4-6 minutes. I like to have a little char on my broccolini for a bit more crunch so I will sometimes cook the vegetables in the skillet for 1-2 minutes longer to get that perfect little char on them.
3. While the vegetables are cooking in the skillet, cook the pasta in the vegetable broth, according to package instructions. Once al dente, remove from heat, and drain the noodles according to package instructions, leaving ½ cup of vegetable broth in with the cooked noodles.
4. Add the Parmesan cheese to the pot with your cooked noodles and then top your noodle bowl with the cooked skillet mushrooms and broccolini. Then enjoy!

What about a different flavor noodle bowl?

Try the Mediterranean Tomato Pasta bowl!

Mediterranean Tomato Pasta combines the perfect amount of fresh Mediterranean flavors and mixes in gluten-free al dente pasta covered in savory sun-dried tomatoes, chopped artichoke, and capers! And another perk? It’s done in less than 15 minutes!

Mediterranean Tomato Pasta Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• ¾ cup chopped Artichoke Hearts
• 3 tablespoon Capers
• 3 cups Baby Spinach
• 8 oz. Barilla Rotini Chickpea Pasta
• 4 cups Vegetable Broth
• 2 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tablespoon minced garlic

How to make Mediterranean Tomato Pasta:

1. Start by heating the vegetable stock over medium-high heat in a large pot. In a large skillet, heat the extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the garlic becomes fragrant and starts to turn a golden brown. Just don’t overcook the garlic and burn it! If it becomes dark brown, then the garlic is burnt and will have a severely bitter taste to it!
2. Heat the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped artichoke hearts, and capers in your skillet with the fragrant garlic, stirring occasionally for a total of 2-3 minutes. Once the vegetables are fragrant, add the spinach to the skillet and cook until the leaves are wilted, approximately 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat until ready to combine the vegetables with the pasta.
3. While the vegetables in the skillet are cooking down, cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and place in a large bowl. I like my pasta on the more firm side of al dente (versus tender) so I don’t tend to cook my chickpea pasta for the full time described on the package. I usually will take off a minute or two. Combine the vegetables from the skillet into the bowl with the noodles.
4. Top with fresh shredded parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!