This Vegan Tuscan White Bean Pasta recipe features a creamy sauce combined with the flavors of onion, sundried tomatoes, spinach, zucchini, white beans, garlic and herbs with a sauce. So tasty!
It is a delicious and satisfying dish that is simple to prepare. It’s easy enough for a weeknight meal. However, this dish is charming enough for a weekend date night, or entertaining friends.
Toppings to add to Tuscan White Bean Pasta
You can add fresh chopped herbs such as basil, parsley, or oregano on top of your pasta for added freshness and aroma.
Vegan Parmesan: Want it a little cheesier? Add some vegan parmesan or grate your favorite vegan cheese. You can make your own or you can use store-bought vegan cheeses.
Crushed red pepper flakes: If you enjoy a bit of heat, sprinkle some crushed red pepper flakes over the pasta to add a spicy kick.
Sautéed or roasted garlic: If you enjoy garlic, you can add more sautéed minced or thinly sliced garlic in olive oil until golden brown and crispy. Or you can roast garlic in the oven. Then top your pasta with the garlic for an extra burst of flavor.
What to Serve with Tuscan White Bean Pasta
- Garlic Bread: Toasted garlic bread pairs perfectly with the creamy pasta dish. You can make your own vegan garlic bread using a crusty baguette or store-bought vegan bread.
- Side Salad: The freshness of a raw salad of greens, tomatoes and cucumber provides a nice contrasting texture.
- Grilled Mushrooms: Marinate and grill Portobello mushroom caps for a hearty and flavorful addition. You can season them with balsamic vinegar, garlic, and herbs.
Storage
- Place any remaining pasta in an airtight container. Keeps in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days. Don’t recommend freezing due to frozen pasta can change texture.
Vegan Tuscan White Bean Pasta
Equipment
- 1 large pot – for boiling the pasta
- 1 strainer or colander – to drain the cooked pasta
- 1 large skillet or frying pan
- 1 mixing spoon or spatula
- 1 cutting board and knife
- 1 measuring cups and spoons
- serving dishes or bowls
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- ½ cup chopped sundried tomatoes (in oil, drained)
- 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed (such as cannellini or navy beans)
- ¾ cup vegetable broth
- ¾ cup unsweetened plant-based milk (such as almond or soy milk)
- ⅛ cup nutritional yeast (optional, for cheesy flavor or use vegan parmesan instead)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon coconut amino, tamari, or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the minced garlic, diced zucchini to the skillet and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the zucchini starts to soften.
- Add the fresh spinach leaves to the skillet and cook until they wilt, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped sundried tomatoes and white beans.
- Stir in the arrowroot (or cornstarch), lemon juice, coconut amino (or tamari) and nutritional yeast into the vegetable broth. Stir until no lumps and smooth. Then pour both the vegetable broth and plant-based milk into the skillet. Stir in the Italian seasonings and dried basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Allow the sauce to simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it thickens slightly.
- Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet and toss until the pasta is well coated with the creamy sauce and all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to heat the pasta through.
- Remove from heat and garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.
This is the next recipe I want to try. Looks delicious.