Name: Vegetarian Fideo for One
Total time: 35 min
Yield: Serves 1
Ingredients: 2 ounces (½ cup) fideo pasta; 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling; 1 shallot, minced; ¼ teaspoon table salt, divided; 1 garlic clove, minced; ½ teaspoon smoked paprika; ⅛ teaspoon pepper; 1 ½ cups water; ½ cup canned chickpeas, rinsed; ⅓ cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped; 2 ounces (2 cups) baby kale or baby spinach

Why This Recipe Works

A cousin of paella, fideos (“noodles” in Spanish) is a one-skillet dish of short, thin noodles that are toasted and simmered in a flavorful broth with additions, most frequently meat or seafood. But fideos are so flavorful that the dish is also a great option for a vegetarian meal (plus, it’s a whole lot easier). We first toasted the fideo, which gave nuttiness and color to the noodles, then added smoked paprika, shallots, and garlic to create a flavorful and smoky broth. Our well-stocked pantry yielded canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers, which contributed the heft we were after. Baby greens, stirred in at the end, brought freshness and color.

Before You Begin

We like extra-virgin olive oil as a finishing drizzle to add richness and authentic flavor.

Instructions

Toss 2 ounces (½ cup) fideo pasta with ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil in 10-inch skillet until evenly coated. Toast over medium heat, stirring often, until browned and pasta has nutty aroma, 3 to 4 minutes; transfer to bowl.

Heat remaining 1½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil in now-empty skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add 1 minced shallot and ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1 minced garlic clove, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in toasted pasta, 1½ cups water, ½ cup rinsed canned chickpeas, ⅓ cup rinsed, dried, and chopped jarred roasted red peppers, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid has been absorbed and pasta is tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Off heat, stir in 2 ounces baby kale or baby spinach until wilted. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve.