Pasta with chickpeas, mussels, and burrata

Name: Pasta with chickpeas, mussels, and burrata
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Tubetti pasta 2 ½ cups; Mussels 1.1 lbs; Burrata cheese 10.5 oz; Precooked chickpeas 1 cup; Parsley to taste; Fine salt to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Black pepper to taste; Garlic 2 cloves

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Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Serving: 4

PRESENTATION

Pasta with chickpeas, mussels and burrata brings together the best of Southern Italian tradition in a way that's a little fancy, yet super easy to pull off. You know, in regions like Puglia and Campania, folks really love mixing seafood with earthy things like beans or chickpeas. This burrata pasta dish is basically a mash-up of classic ideas. Really good stuff.

Instead of just boiling the pasta, the tubetti get cooked right in the flavorful water left over from steaming the mussels. I mean, talk about flavor! You end up with this almost creamy texture that's kind of special. And the way the briny taste of the mussels soaks into every bite of pasta? Seriously good. And that fresh burrata on top? It adds this cool, soft feeling that's totally different from the firmer pasta and the tender chickpeas underneath. Plus, the sprinkle of chopped parsley makes it look and taste extra fresh. For sure.

Imagine all those other seafood pasta dishes you see along the Mediterranean coast—like fregola with mussels and clams—or other Italian pasta with seafood that blends land and sea flavors. This mussels pasta recipe totally fits in with those, but the chickpeas give it a more hearty, earthy side. Pretty much. So it isn’t just all about the ocean.

Thing is, the way everything comes together, you get a dish that's both rich and a bit light, with the creamy burrata melting right in as soon as it hits the warm pasta. People sometimes think a creamy burrata pasta like this takes forever, but it actually comes together pretty quick once you get the hang of cooking the pasta in the mussel liquid. Really, each bite gives you a little bit of everything—some moist pasta, a pop of chickpea, a taste of the sea, and that soft cheese to bring it all together.

It is a total crowd-pleaser, whether you're serving it on a chill weeknight or making something special for friends who love a good Mediterranean pasta recipe. So, next time you're craving something unique yet rooted in tradition, give this dish a try. It's like having a taste of the Italian coast right at your table. Can't go wrong.

How to prepare Pasta with chickpeas, mussels, and burrata

To prepare pasta with chickpeas, mussels, and burrata, start by cleaning the mussels. Remove the beard and clean the shell well 1, then rinse them under running water. At this point, proceed with opening them: pour a drizzle of oil and a garlic clove into a pan and let it sauté over medium heat. Add the cleaned mussels 2 and increase the heat until they start to open. Add a ladle of water 3.

Cover with a lid 4 and cook until all the mussels are open 5. Use a slotted spoon to lift the mussels 6.

Transfer them to a bowl 7 and strain the cooking water 8, collecting it in another bowl 9.

Take plenty of parsley and chop it finely 10. Now shell all the mussels 11. In a pot, pour a drizzle of oil and a garlic clove and let it sauté for a few minutes over medium heat, add the drained precooked chickpeas 12 and let them roast for about 5 minutes.

Now pour the pasta 13 and add all the mussel water 34. Remove the garlic 15.

Let it cook over medium heat until the pasta is done, stirring often and adding a few ladles of water if necessary 10. At the end of cooking, the pasta should be very creamy but not soupy. Adjust with salt and pepper 17. Now add the mussels 18.

Add the previously chopped parsley 19. Mix well 20 and transfer to plates. Add the burrata on top 21 and serve.

Storage

Pasta with mussels, chickpeas, and burrata can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one day. We recommend adding the burrata only at the last moment.