A simple dish that's ready in about 30 minutes, this White Beans and Greens Pasta is great for a quick, healthy weeknight meal!
My kids are pasta fanatics so we usually have some variation once a week. This week's variation is this White Beans & Greens Pasta. It's super simple to make, ready in no time and easily adaptable to whatever ingredients you have on hand.
what's in it
This recipe starts with basic pantry staples, including pasta and canned beans. We used penne pasta and cannellini beans, but really you can use any type you prefer or what you have in the pantry. Next pick the type of leafy greens you want to use. We went with spinach because that's what we had in the fridge, but you can also use kale, collard greens, chard, arugula, etc. Basically any green that works well sautéed will work here. This dish is really so easy to adapt to what ingredients you have or to suit your family's taste preference.
Garlic gives this dish plenty of flavor while lemon zest and juice add a pop of brightness that makes this pasta so yummy.
Variations
For even more flavor and texture, toasted breadcrumbs and vegan parmesan are the perfect topping for this pasta. Lightly toast plain panko breadcrumbs in a skillet (use the same skillet for the greens and beans to avoid having to wash another) with a drizzle of olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper. It's so simple, but adds a ton of flavor and a bit of crispiness that makes this pasta hard to resist.
A note about the vegan parmesan: you can use store bought or make it yourself. I've provided two options for homemade in the directions. You can use cashews pulsed in a food processor or for an even simpler, no food processor needed and nut free variety try hemps seeds. Both ways are delicious!
Our family really enjoys this pasta and we hope yours will too.
More pasta dishes we love:
Vegan Lentil Bolognese with Pasta
Vegan Cashew Mac and Cheese with Peas
Healthy Vegan Chickpea Noodle Casserole
Vegan Macaroni and Cheese - no cashews
If you make a recipe, I would love to know how it turns out! You can leave a comment and rating below or snap a pic and tag it @weelittlevegans on Instagram so I’ll be sure to see it!
- ½ lb pasta Use gluten free, if needed
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 large handfuls chopped spinach, kale, or other leafy green
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 15 oz canned beans, drained and rinsed I use cannellini.
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes optional
- 4 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 3-4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ tsp dried oregano or italian seasoning
- ¼ - ½ tsp salt
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Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
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While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and toast, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Once toasted transfer to a bowl and set aside.
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Wipe out skillet if needed and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add greens, garlic and beans. Sauté until greens wilt.
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Add pasta, lemon zest and juice and toss to incoporate. Add reserved pasta water, as needed to moisten pasta and heat through.
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Top with desired amount of toasted breadcrumbs and vegan parm and serve immediately.
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Combine all ingredients in a small bowl with a lid. Close the lid and shake well to thoroughly incorporate.
If you don't have hemp seeds on hand to make the vegan parm topping, you can also use cashews. You will need a food processor for this version. For more direction on that see here. There are also store bought options available.
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