Bean Pasta Primavera
Submitted by bean
Spinach spaghetti tossed in a creamy white bean and roasted red pepper sauce with steamed broccoli, asparagus, and sun-dried tomato garnish. Vegetarian, vibrant, and satisfying.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
60 minThis is not your average pasta primavera. The sauce is the star, and there’s not a drop of cream in sight.
White beans get blended with roasted red peppers, vegetable stock, and fresh herbs into a velvety, coral-colored sauce that clings to every strand of spinach spaghetti.
Then comes the garden: tender-crisp broccoli, diagonal-cut asparagus, yellow bell pepper slivers, and steamed spinach all get tossed in with whole white beans, shredded basil, and poppy seeds.
Sun-dried tomatoes scattered on top add little bursts of concentrated, tangy sweetness.
Chef Tips
- Blend the sauce until completely smooth. The white beans and roasted peppers should create a creamy, uniform texture with no visible chunks.
- Steam the vegetables separately from the pasta and keep them tender-crisp. Overcooked broccoli and limp asparagus will drag the whole dish down.
- Squeeze the excess water out of the steamed spinach before chopping and tossing it in. Soggy spinach will water down the sauce.
- Toss everything together while the pasta is still warm so the sauce coats evenly and the flavors meld on contact.
Variations
- Swap spinach spaghetti for penne or rigatoni if you want the sauce to pool inside the pasta shapes.
- Add crumbled goat cheese or shaved Parmesan on top for a tangy, salty finishing touch.
- Stir in a handful of toasted pine nuts for a nutty crunch that pairs beautifully with the bean sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine 1½ cup beans, stock and roasted peppers in food proc.
Blend until smooth and creamy. Fold in herbs, and season with cayenne or paprika, salt and pepper.
Set aside.
Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions.
Meanwhile, prepare veggies.
Remove broccoli florets from stalks and cut into bite sized pieces.
Peel broccoli stalks and cut diagonally into ¼ inch thick slices.
Cut asparagus stalks diagonally into slices about 1 inch long.
Remove seeds from peppers and cut into long slivers.
Steam broccoli, asparagus and peppers until tender crisp--about 10 minutes and set aside.
Steam spinach 3 to 4 mins.
Cool, press out excess liquid and chop coarsley.
Place pasta in large warmed bowl. Add sauce, veggies, basil, poppy seeds, and remaining 1c white beans.
Toss gently to mix.
Season with salt and pepper and garnish with sun dried tomatoes.
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