Pasta with White Beans, Pesto and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Pasta is not my choice; white flour pasta has so little nutrition. But sometimes whole-wheat pasta is on our weekly menu because my family loves it.
This recipe enhances the nutritional value of pasta with beans and spinach, the pesto adds an antioxidant boost and makes it simply delicious; try Cilantro Pesto, or the Arugula Pesto. In a hurry I’ve also used store-bought pesto.
Serve with the Mixed Green Salad with Pecans and Cranberries and dinner is ready.
Variations:
• Use 1/4 cup sunflower seeds of Parmesan cheese for a vegan meal
• Use roasted red bell peppers instead of sun-dried tomatoes for a different taste and texture
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes oil-packed, drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup white wine (or broth)
- 1/3 cup Pesto
- 1 15 - ounce can cannellini white kidney beans - rinsed, and drained,
- 8 ounces penne pasta whole-wheat
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated, optional
- 5 oz spinach or baby kale
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
- Bring a large, covered, pot of salted water to boil. Pour in pasta and turn down to medium heat and cook, covered, until pasta is tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
- Heat olive oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, sauté 2 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes, wine (or broth) and pesto; simmer over medium heat until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Add cannellini beans and spinach and stir until heated through and spinach begins to wilt.
- Add pasta and cheese to sauce; toss to coat.
- Mix in enough reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from
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