Description
This Easy White Bean Pesto Pasta is made with four ingredients and ready in about 15 minutes! This recipe is easily made gluten-free and vegan, and makes the perfect easy vegan dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz. pasta of choice, I used gluten-free brown rice elbows
- 1 (15 oz.) can white beans, I used cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 oz. (1 cup) pesto sauce, vegan if needed, Trader Joe’s vegan pesto works great here!
- 2 to 3 cups baby greens, like spinach, kale, or chard
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Chili crisp, parmesan, lemon juice, to garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package directions. Reserve about one cup of pasta cooking liquid. Drain, rinse if called for, and set aside.
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In a medium saute pan, heat the white beans. Add the pesto and stir to combine, adding pasta water to thin out the pesto to a thinner, saucier consistency. Add the greens and cover for one minute to help them wilt more quickly. Remove lid, and stir until the pesto is warmed through and the greens are wilted.
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Stir in the pasta, adding more pasta water as needed. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Serve and garnish with chili crisp for spice, Parmesan (vegan if needed) and/or lemon juice if you like it extra tangy. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use any pesto you like here – I love this spinach basil pesto, pesto Rosso (sun-dried tomato pesto), fennel frond pesto, and carrot top pesto!
- I love the creaminess of cannellini beans, but Great Northern beans, Navy beans, or even garbanzo beans are all great options.
- If you prefer to use a more mature green, like kale, chard, or collards, cut them thin and saute in a bit of oil & salt to soften before adding in the beans and pesto.
- I topped mine with chili crisp for a little heat, plus some vegan parmesan and lemon juice. Hemp seeds, fresh herbs, & toasted nuts would make great toppings as well.
Keywords: white bean pasta, pesto pasta, gluten-free pasta, vegan pasta, easy vegan dinner