Batch Cook · Italian · High Protein
High-Protein Banza Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Creamy Garlic Spinach
A protein-packed pasta dish built around Banza chickpea rotini, Italian chicken sausage, baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and a light garlic-parmesan cream sauce. Nearly 50g of protein per bowl. Lower carb than traditional pasta — but not keto. This one's for the balanced-macro, high-protein crowd.
High Protein • Lower Carb • Freezer-Friendly • Under 500 Cal • Gluten-Free
30m Total Time | 8 Servings
480 Calories, 48g Protein, 20g Fat, 48g Protein, 36g Net Carbs, ~480 Calories
Not a keto recipe. Banza chickpea pasta has ~48g net carbs per standard serving. This recipe uses a slightly smaller pasta portion and loads up on protein and vegetables to bring net carbs down to ~36g per serving — roughly half of traditional pasta. Ideal for high-protein, lower-carb meal prep.
Pasta & Protein
3 boxes (8 oz each) Banza chickpea rotini
2 lbs Italian chicken sausage links, sliced into ½-inch rounds
2 tbsp olive oil
Vegetables & Aromatics
10 oz fresh baby spinach
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed), drained & sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp red pepper flakes
Cream Sauce & Finish
1 cup chicken broth
¾ cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan
2 tsp salt (plus more for pasta water)
1 tsp black pepper
1 fresh lemon, juiced
¼ cup fresh basil, torn
Cook the Banza Pasta
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the Banza rotini and cook for 7 minutes (slightly underdone — it will finish in the sauce). Stir frequently as Banza foams. Drain, rinse briefly with cool water to stop cooking, and set aside.
⏱ 7 minutes
Brown the Chicken Sausage
While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sliced chicken sausage and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
⏱ 7 minutes
Cook Aromatics & Sun-Dried Tomatoes
In the same skillet, add the diced onion and cook until softened. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱ 4 minutes
Build the Cream Sauce
Add the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer and reduce by about half. Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add ¾ cup of the parmesan and stir until melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
⏱ 5 minutes
Combine Everything
Add the baby spinach to the sauce in batches, stirring until fully wilted. Return the sausage rounds to the pan. Add the cooked Banza pasta and toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated in sauce. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top and toss once more.
⏱ 3 minutes
Plate, Portion & Store
Serve in bowls, topped with the remaining ¼ cup parmesan and torn fresh basil. For meal prep, portion into 8 servings in 28 oz containers. Skip the basil on portions you're freezing — add it fresh when serving. Cool completely before freezing.
Prep Notes & Tips
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Container: Use 28 oz (3.5-cup) rectangular containers. The sauce coats the pasta and keeps it from drying out during storage.
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Freeze: Cool completely, portion into containers. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the microwave (4–5 min, stirring halfway, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen). Banza holds up better than traditional pasta in the freezer — the chickpea base is sturdier.
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Banza cooking tip: Banza foams when boiling — use a large pot, stir frequently, and rinse after draining. Cook 7 minutes for meal prep since it softens a bit more when reheated.
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Not keto: Banza has ~48g net carbs per 3.5 oz serving. This recipe brings it down to ~36g net carbs by using a smaller pasta portion and loading up on sausage and vegetables. It's a high-protein, lower-carb recipe — not strict keto.
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Protein boost: Already at 48g protein per serving. Add white beans or an extra sausage link to push it further.
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Volume boost: Double the spinach to 20 oz — it wilts down dramatically and adds almost no calories.
