Creamy White Bean and Spinach Pasta
In short: Cannellini beans blended into a silky garlic and lemon sauce, tossed with pasta and wilted spinach. A cream-free vegan dinner in about 25 minutes. It takes about 25 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 555 kcal
Blended white beans make a sauce that looks and feels like cream, with plenty of protein and fiber as a bonus. Half the beans are puréed with stock, olive oil, lemon and garlic, and the rest stay whole for texture. Spinach wilts into the hot pasta just before serving. The whole thing comes together in the time it takes the pasta to boil, which makes it a dependable midweek dinner from the pantry.
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente. Scoop out a cup of the cooking water, then drain.
- While the pasta cooks, blend one can of beans with the whole garlic clove, the stock, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper until completely smooth.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and chili flakes and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the whole beans and cook for 2 minutes, lightly crushing a few with a spoon. Pour in the blended sauce and warm it for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring until just wilted, then add the pasta and lemon zest.
- Toss for 1 minute, adding a splash of the pasta water until the sauce coats the pasta. Taste and adjust the salt, then top with pine nuts if you like.
Tips
- Blend the sauce for a full minute so that no grainy bits of bean skin remain. A high-speed blender makes it smoother, but any blender works.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers or fried mushrooms for extra depth, and finish with a few torn basil leaves.
Questions and answers
Can I make bean pasta sauce ahead of time?
Yes. The blended sauce keeps for 4 days in the fridge and thickens as it cools. Loosen it with a splash of water or stock when reheating.
Can I use other beans?
Butter beans, haricot or great northern beans all work. Chickpeas give a slightly nuttier, thicker sauce.
Is this pasta gluten-free?
The sauce is gluten-free. Use a corn or rice pasta, which absorbs more liquid, so keep extra pasta water or stock on hand.
How long does it take to make Creamy White Bean and Spinach Pasta?
About 25 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Creamy White Bean and Spinach Pasta?
About 555 kcal per serving, with 21 g of protein, 83 g of carbohydrates and 15 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 555 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 21 g |
| Carbohydrates | 83 g |
| Fat | 15 g |
| Fiber | 13 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 800 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
