We’ve had a lot of pesto the last few weeks. The sun and warm spring air have filled my head with a seemingly endless list of pesto combinations. Sorrel and lemon, spinach and feta, and now white bean and basil. I'm quickly learning that if there's anything that could stand up to the versatility of pasta, pesto is getting pretty darn close.
Anguel and I have a special attachment to pesto. In our relationship’s early days, Anguel was very eager to impress me with his … erm ‘cooking skills', which you can read more about here. We both quickly learned that simple, fool-proof recipes were the perfect choice for our dinners in – or at least the ones he was in charge of. And this Ina Garten Spinach & Pesto Salad quickly became one of our favorites. Thankfully, we've expanded from store-bought pestos and now prefer to make our own at home when we can. The freshness is so worth it!
Today's recipe packs in the delicious flavors of a pesto pasta, but with some serious health upgrades. Vegetarian pastas usually leave something to be desired. They're usually loaded with heaps of oil / cheese, and all too often lack a source of protein. So while they might be a delicious dish of carb-y goodness (cue nap time), they’re often lacking in the health department. I wanted to change that. Here, white beans form a creamy base for the sauce. One that's entirely dairy free – hip, hip hooray for a vegan pasta! And this creamy base couldn't be easier. I usually use a can of cannellini beans to save time, but you could definitely substitute canned for home-cooked beans. A quick dance party in the saucepan will infuse the beans with flavors of onion, garlic, and vegetable stock. And once the flavors have developed, a food processor or blender will turn your sauce into a creamy base.
The creamy white bean base is then combined with a flavorful pesto sauce. The pesto itself is more of a classic take – with basil, pine nuts and lemon juice – just without the cheese. I like to throw in an extra handful or two of spinach as well, because it's an easy way to get more greens into your life. And since the basil is much stronger in taste, the spinach is barely recognizable.
A sprinkling of extra mix-ins keeps this pasta fresh and bright. I prefer to use spinach and green peas, which work together beautifully – and because it reminds me of Ina's salad, which we love. They also don't require any additional prep, which suits us well on weeknights when were tight on time. You can feel free to add in whatever toppings you wish. And because it's sometimes hard to have pasta without the cheese, this is where the Brazil nut parmesan comes in. No, it's not actually cheese. But it does add the salty, cheesy elements that you get from a parmesan topping. Vegan style, of course. But it's not strictly for vegans - even our cheese loving friends adore it!
This recipe makes a rather large batch. It's perfect for us because we love serving this dish to friends – it's even a big hit with the green vegetable-avoidant types. Spinach in pesto is like childhood, I mean adulthood, trickery at its finest. If you want a smaller portion, I'd suggest storing half the sauce in the fridge and then cooking up fresh pasta the next day. Or, if you're all about efficiency, just make the full batch, and store the fully dressed pasta in the fridge. It makes a delicious and filling lunch or dinner the next day.
Creamy White Bean Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
Creamy White Bean Pesto Pasta
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup vegetable broth
- 1 (15 oz/14 fl oz/398 ml) can cannellini beans, rinsed
- 2 cups packed basil (2.8 oz/80 g)
- 1 cup packed baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 lb dried rotini pasta (gluten free if needed)
- 1 cup chopped baby spinach
- 1½ cups frozen green peas, rinsed
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
Brazil Nut Parmesan
- ¼ cup Brazil nuts
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp nutritional yeast
Instructions
Creamy White Bean Pesto Pasta
- Toast nuts: Add pine nuts to a large saucepan or pot over medium heat (see note 1). Toast nuts, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Start sauce: Return the saucepan to the stove. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in broth and beans. Stir to incorporate any brown bits from the bottom of pan. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until liquid has been absorbed (5 to 10 minutes).
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, before draining.
- Blend sauce: Meanwhile, add pine nuts, basil, (whole) spinach, remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and the onion bean mixture to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy (it's okay if there are small flecks of basil still visible).
- Combine: Return the noodles to the pot, over low heat. Pour in the sauce, stir until evenly coated. Stir in in spinach and green peas. If needed, add small amounts of pasta water to thin. Cook until peas are warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with brazil nut parmesan on top.
Brazil Nut Parmesan
- Preheat: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake nuts: Scatter brazil nuts on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- Peel nuts: Using a small knife, flake off as much of the skin from the nuts as you can.
- Mix: Add nuts, garlic powder, salt and nutritional yeast (if using) to a food processor (or blender). Process until the mixture looks sandy. Use as a topping wherever you might sprinkle parmesan cheese. Refrigerate extra.
Notes
- Pan: This pan size might look like overkill for the pine nuts, but you're going to use the pan for cooking the sauce, so go big.
Andrea says
This pasta was so good! I love anything pesto so this was an easy sell for me but the white bean makes this dish something special... the creamy texture is soooo yummy and filling!
Jessica says
Do you use store bought vegetable stock or make your own? The store stuff usually seems tomatoey to me.
Bri says
Hey Jessica! Sometimes we make our own, but most of the time we use store bought just for convenience. My personal favorite is "Better than Bouillon". They have an organic vegetable broth (concentrate) that we enjoy. Our local Costco stocks it, which is the best pricing I've found. You can read more about some of our pantry favorites, including brands we recommend over at --> https://evergreenkitchen.ca/our-pantry/ . Hope this helps!