Creamy Garlic & White Bean Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ouncespasta (penne or fusilli)
- 3 tablespoonsolive oil
- 5 clovesgarlic
- 1 can (15 oz)canned white beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cupvegetable broth
- ½ cupheavy cream
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
- ·red pepper flakes
- ·fresh parsley
- 1lemon
Prep
- 01
Mince 5 cloves garlic.
- 02
Chop a small handful of fresh parsley for garnish.
Method
- 01
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook 2 minutes less than the package instructions — the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce.
- 02
In the same pot (after draining pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water), heat olive oil over medium heat. Mince the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring often.
- 03
Add the drained white beans and vegetable broth. Simmer for 3 minutes.
- 04
Stir in the heavy cream and return the cooked pasta to the pot. Add the reserved pasta water a splash at a time, stirring gently, until the sauce coats the pasta nicely (about 2–3 minutes). Taste and season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- 05
Divide into bowls. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each bowl, top with chopped parsley, and serve hot.
Spice Tips
For smokiness, add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika with the garlic. For warmth, try a good pinch of cayenne pepper. Fresh thyme or sage stirred in at the end adds herbaceous depth.
This recipe uses one pot to save cleanup and minimize dishes. For a lighter version, substitute half the heavy cream with more pasta water or vegetable broth. Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water.