Creamy cannellini beans combine well with fresh vegetables and pasta in this delicious, easy-to-prepare main dish. It also tastes great cold, and can be accompanied by other vegetables or olives, and works well as a pasta salad.
Serves 4-6
- 1 pound whole-grain penne pasta (or other pasta of your choice)
- 2 large cloves garlic, sliced
- 3 pounds fresh tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped, OR 1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 4 cups cooked cannellini beans, OR 2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 pound fresh spinach, washed and chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
1. Cook pasta according to package directions until cooked but still firm, al dente.
2. Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet, sauté garlic in 1Tablespoon water until soft, then add tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil, add salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add about ¼ cup of the pasta water to the sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the spinach to the sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until spinach just begins to wilt.
4. Drain pasta and pour into a serving dish. Toss sauce and pasta together, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.