White Beans And Pasta Recipes

ONE-POT WHITE BEAN PASTA

Steps:

• Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and smells good, about 45 seconds.
• Add paprika, chili flakes, beans, black pepper, and give a good stir.
• Add hot water or low sodium vegetable broth, salt, turn to high heat and bring to the boil.
• Stir in pasta, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and cook stirring frequently. The amount of liquid is enough to partially cover the pasta (but keep an eye on it to make sure the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot, and add a touch of water if needed).
• In the last 2 minutes of the pasta's cooking time, add fresh spinach, a handful at a time, and cherry tomatoes. Stir until the spinach is wilted, it takes a couple of minutes.
• Turn off the heat, finish the dish with freshly grated parmesan, and give a good stir until the cheese melts and the pasta looks well combined (taste and adjust the season according to your taste if needed).
• Serve immediately with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, more freshly ground black pepper and parmesan cheese if you like. Enjoy!

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.

WHITE BEAN PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet (preferably straight-sided) over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and 1 teaspoon salt, and stir, then cook undisturbed in an even layer until one side is golden, about 4 minutes. (It's great if the butter browns, but decrease the heat if it threatens to get too dark.) Stir in the asparagus, carrot and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the peas, scallions and ½ teaspoon salt, then add the red-pepper flakes, oregano and a generous amount of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the peas are warmed through and bright green, about 2 minutes.
• Add the white beans and the cream, lower the heat to medium, and let the cream come to a simmer. Simmer for about 1 minute.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, Parmesan and Dijon. Taste and season with more salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of warm water to the creamy beans to loosen as you like; the sauce will thicken as it cools. (You may need more water when you reheat any leftovers.) Serve in bowls topped with the nuts and a handful of basil leaves. Pass more Parmesan at the table.

PASTA WITH WHITE BEANS, SAUSAGE & TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oil in large heavy saucepan on medium heat. Add sausage; cook 10 min. or until browned, stirring frequently. Add onion and carrots; cook 5 min., stirring frequently.
• Stir in tomatoes and beans. Simmer on low heat, uncovered, 15 min. or until carrots are tender.
• Meanwhile prepare macaroni as directed on package, omitting salt; drain. Top with sauce and cheese.

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.

WHITE BEANS, PANCETTA, AND PASTA

Steps:

• Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO and the pancetta. Cook the pancetta for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the red pepper flakes, garlic, and herb sprigs. Add the vegetables as you chop: carrots, onions, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the carrots begin to soften, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any good bits. Wilt in the greens and escarole in bunches. Add the beans, tomatoes, and stock and place a lid on the pot, raise the heat, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until cooked al dente. Serve the very thick soup in shallow bowls with lots of cheese.

ITALIAN PASTA AND BEANS (PASTA FAGGIOLI)

Steps:

• Cook pasta as box instructs, in boiling salted water.
• While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot.
• Add onion, carrot and celery and cook for 15 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add garlic and cook one minute more.
• Add beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and water and heat to boiling over high heat.
• Reduce heat to low-med heat and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes.
• Stir in drained pasta, cheese and parsley and cook until heated through.

PENNE WITH TOMATOES & WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5-7 minutes to allow flavors to blend., Add spinach, olives, salt and pepper; cook and stir over medium heat until spinach is wilted. Drain pasta; top with tomato mixture and cheese.

PASTA WITH WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Drain the beans and place in a medium-size saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• In a medium-size skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery, garlic, red pepper flakes and potato and cook until tender. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until just tender. Drain and set aside.
• When the vegetables are tender, add the chicken broth, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Place the pasta in a large bowl. Add the vegetable mixture, the beans, tomatoes and basil and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 plates and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve immediately.

PASTA WITH WHITE BEANS, PESTO AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, wine and pesto; simmer over medium heat until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Add cannellini and stir until heated through.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
• 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.

LEMONY PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Grate the zest from the lemon into a small bowl. Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice from half of it on top of the zest. Add the white beans, shallot or onion, grated garlic, red-pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt and toss well. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, usually 2 minutes less than the package directs.
• Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, then add the asparagus. Sauté until the asparagus is tender and starting to brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Add a big pinch of salt and the sliced garlic and sauté until the garlic is lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
• Dip a coffee mug or glass measuring cup into the pasta water and scoop out about 1/2 cup of it to use for the sauce. Drain pasta, shaking it well. Add pasta, bean mixture, parsley and Parmesan to sauté pan and cook until the beans are hot and the pasta is al dente. If the mixture looks dry, splash in some (or all) of the reserved pasta water. Squeeze remaining lemon half over pasta, toss and taste. Season with pepper; add more salt, red-pepper flakes and lemon juice, if desired.

CHARD & WHITE BEAN PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta water., In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium heat; saute leeks and onion until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and sage; cook and stir 2 minutes., Add potato and chard; cook, covered, over medium-low heat 5 minutes. Stir in beans, dry seasonings and reserved pasta water; cook, covered, until potato and chard are tender, about 5 minutes., Add pasta, basil and vinegar; toss and heat through. Serve with sauce.

PASTA AND WHITE BEANS IN LIGHT TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy, large skillet over medium heat.
• Add garlic and saute until golden, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes and cook 5 minutes.
• Add parsley, basil and oregano and simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
• Add beans and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Place freshly cooked pasta in bowl.
• Pour sauce over and toss thoroughly.
• Also nice with grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese.

WHITE BEANS WITH CABBAGE, PASTA, AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the cabbage, bring back to a boil and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes; use a slotted spoon or small strainer to fish it out. Drain, and let sit. (You can shock it in a bowl of ice water to keep it on the crisp side but I prefer it soft.) When the water returns to a boil, add the pasta and cook until tender but firm; start checking after 7 minutes. Drain, reserving at least 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Return the pot to medium heat (no need to rinse it) and add the oil. When it is hot, add the leeks, celery and a heavy pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the thyme and prosciutto and stir until fragrant, just a minute or 2.
• Add the cabbage, beans and pasta. Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta or bean cooking liquid and cook, stirring once in a while, until the flavors blend and everything is hot, about 5 minutes more. If the mixture dries out, add a little liquid; it should be saucy but not soupy.
• Sprinkle with the cheese and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve, passing more cheese at the table.

GREEK PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
• Meanwhile, combine tomatoes and beans in a large non-stick skillet. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
• Add spinach to the sauce; cook for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly.
• Serve sauce over pasta, and sprinkle with feta.