Creamy Pasta and Beans and delicious. At least twice a week, I prepare legumes, and among my favorites are definitely cannellini beans. I soak them in the evening with a pinch of baking soda, and by morning they are ready for cooking. Beans, like all legumes, are economical, versatile, and perfect to include regularly in our diet. Once upon a time, beans were called “the meat of the poor” for their high nutritional value, and even today they are recommended as a source of protein, minerals, and vitamins. I learned the use of baking soda in the soaking water for dried legumes from my grandmother; it softens them, facilitates cooking, and reduces preparation time. Moreover, with soaking the legumes, substances responsible for the formation of air in the stomach and intestines, often associated with the consumption of legumes, are eliminated. The version I want to share with you today is a Pasta with very creamy beans in which I simply blended half of the beans once cooked. For the pasta, you certainly need small pasta like tubetti, cavatelli, or even mixed pasta. And for convenience, you can also choose to cook the beans in advance and store them in a container in the fridge for 2 days. So let’s run to the kitchen and prepare a delicious Pasta and beans together
AND DON’T MISS THESE RECIPES AS WELL:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: Serves 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 449.48 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 83.51 (g) of which sugars 4.19 (g)
- Proteins 24.53 (g)
- Fat 3.66 (g) of which saturated 0.63 (g)of which unsaturated 0.83 (g)
- Fibers 12.67 (g)
- Sodium 185.57 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the Very Creamy Pasta and Beans
- 8.8 oz white beans (cannellini)
- 1 carrot (medium)
- 1/2 stalk celery
- 5.3 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 white onion (medium)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- to taste salt
- 7.1 oz tubetti (or small pasta)
How to Prepare Creamy Pasta and Beans
Dried beans need to be rehydrated in water for about 12 hours or more. I soak them in a bowl in the evening with plenty of water and add half a teaspoon of baking soda. Drain and rinse them under running water. Pour the beans into a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Remove any foam that forms on the surface. Clean the vegetables and cut them into cubes. Add the garlic clove, carrot, onion, celery, bay leaves, and cherry tomatoes to the pot. Let cook on low heat for about 2 hours. Do not add salt until the end of cooking.
If they dry too much, add half a glass of warm water. Taste the beans to check for doneness and add salt only when they are cooked. Remove the bay leaves. Transfer half of the beans to an immersion blender cup and blend to a cream. Transfer the bean cream back to the pot of beans.
Cook the pasta in salted water. Drain it al dente and toss it into the pot with the beans. Heat for 2-3 minutes over medium heat and serve the Creamy Pasta and Beans with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of pepper if desired.
See you tomorrow with a new recipe, hugs, Loredana
Loredana’s Tips
You can cook the beans in advance and store them in the fridge in a container for 2 days or freeze them to have them ready when needed
Don’t miss my recipe for Chickpea Burgers to cook in the oven or on the stovetop
