Beans With Small Shell Pasta Recipes

PASTA AND BEANS

Steps:

• In a medium size saucepan heat the olive oil. Saute onion until tender. Stir in tomatoes and entire can of beans. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Mix pasta with bean mixture and salt as desired.

PASTA WITH CREAMY WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season well with salt. Add the pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than indicated in the package directions, about 7 minutes. Drain well reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the oil, carrot and onion to the skillet. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the pepper flakes and thyme and cook another minute. Stir in the drained beans and chicken broth. Reduce the heat to medium to maintain a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use the back of a spoon to gently mash some of the beans. Set aside.
• Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the pasta and toss to coat well. Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and add the 1/2 cup pasta water as needed to maintain a creamy, broth-like sauce. Sprinkle in the spinach and cook until wilted.

PASTA WITH SHELL BEANS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Combine the beans, onion, water, the crushed garlic cloves, bouquet garni and salt to taste in a heavy saucepan or soup pot, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Taste and adjust salt. Remove and discard the onion, the bouquet garni and the garlic cloves. Drain though a colander set over a bowl.
• While the beans are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in the tomatoes. Blanch for 30 seconds, then transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain, core and peel. Cut the tomatoes in half. Place a strainer over a bowl, and squeeze the seeds out of the tomatoes into the strainer. Press the seed pods against the strainer to extract as much juice as you can, and then discard the seeds. Chop the tomatoes.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the minced garlic. Cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and add the tomatoes, sugar, the basil sprig and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down to a thick sauce and smell fragrant, about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Stir in 1/2 cup of the bean broth and mix together. Stir in the beans. Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
• Bring the water back to a boil, salt generously and add the pasta. Cook al dente, until firm to the bite, following the timing instructions on the package. (Check the pasta a minute or two before the end of the suggested cooking time.) Drain the pasta and toss with the beans, tomatoes, and slivered basil. Serve with Parmesan on the side.

BEANS WITH SMALL SHELL PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and oil. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and hot pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
• Stir in beans, basil, and parsley. Cook until beans are heated through, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cooked pasta and heat through.
• Spoon into serving bowls and top each with Asiago cheese.

PASTA WITH BEANS AND BEEF

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add meat and red pepper. Sauté until meat is no longer pink, breaking up large pieces, about 5 minutes. Add 6 1/2 cups broth, beans and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Mix in pasta. Reduce heat to medium, Simmer uncovered until pasta is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often and adding remaining broth by 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is too thick, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

PASTA SHELLS WITH BEANS, GREENS, AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add in the sausage; brown the sausage, breaking it apart with a spoon; drain browned sausage on a paper-towel lined plate.
• Add garlic and sage to the same skillet; stir/saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
• Add in the beans, spinach, and broth; bring to a boil.
• Lower heat and simmer about 5 minutes or until the spinach is just tender.
• Add in drained pasta, sausage, salt, and pepper; simmer until well heated; adjust seasoning to taste.