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Creamy Pasta with White Beans and Spinach

September 10, 2014 By Patricia 23 Comments

Fresh basil adorns a bowl of Creamy Pasta with White Beans and Spinach

This recipe for Creamy Pasta with White Beans and Spinach has many things going for it, including the fact that it’s easy to make. It’s simple, yet elegant, and perfect for a festive gathering or dinner for the family. The sauce may be rich, but it’s not overwhelming, and it works perfectly paired with hearty white beans, fresh spinach, and bits of roasted red pepper.

I was recently asked by retailer UncommonGoods to review an item from its wine glasses/gifts category (click here to see all there is to choose from). After doing a quick search on its site, I found the perfect glasses to fit my style: the Floral Wine Glasses. I was drawn to these glasses – small tumblers – because they reminded me of dinnertime growing up. During family dinners, my Italian family rarely drank from stemware, and usually poured homemade wine into short, juice-type glasses.

Set of six Floral Wine Glasses from UncommonGoods

The UncommonGoods’ Floral Wine Glasses are festive and unpretentious, decorated with simple flowers (a different design on each) with an Art Deco flair. The glasses come in a set of six, hold 6.5 ounces of your favorite wine, and are made in the USA. They arrived on my doorstep packaged in a cute cardboard carrier with a spot for each glass, and individually covered in protective bubble wrap.

These glasses were spot on sitting next to a bowl of Creamy Pasta with White Beans and Spinach. For me, they added a time-honored tradition to serving a glass of wine with a simple and delicious meal: not overly ornate, but welcoming and relaxed.

UncommonGoods Floral Wine Glass with a bowl of Creamy Pasta with White Beans and Spinach

UncommonGoods has something for everyone’s wine style, whether you’re looking for glasses, cool accessories, or a unique gift. If you’re not familiar with the company, you should check it out. With headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, it was founded in 1999. Half of the items sold by UncommonGoods are made by hand, and most of its products are made here in the USA. You’ll definitely find something special on its site.

Pasta meals are more than mere red sauce. Creamy Pasta with White Beans and Spinach is the perfect example. No fuss, but definitely special.

Recipe for Creamy Pasta with White Beans and Spinach
Serves 4-6

 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for which I was compensated. All opinions expressed here are my own.


INGREDIENTS

  • 8 ounces small pasta, like penne
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 roasted red pepper, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra to season
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus extra to season
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 (15 ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 cups (packed) fresh spinach
  • 3 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips, plus extra for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
  2. As the pasta cooks, add the olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, for several minutes, or until it begins to soften.
  3. Add the garlic and red pepper, and cook for a minute or so.
  4. Add the butter to the skillet. When it melts, add the flour and whisk for a minute or so.
  5. Add the milk to the skillet and whisk, stirring. Add the Parmesan cheese and continue to whisk. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of the cooking water from the pasta (2-3 tablespoons to start). Allow the mixture to cook for a few minutes.
  6. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Toss to coat.
  7. Add the beans, spinach, and basil leaves to the skillet, and turn off the heat. Toss all the ingredients so they’re well coated. Season with salt and ground black pepper.
  8. Serve on individual plates garnished with Parmesan cheese and torn basil leaves.
 
Serves 4-6

Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes, uncategorized, Vegetarian Tagged With: dinner recipes, pasta, vegetarian

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Comments

  1. Kelly @ Inspired Edibles says

    September 10, 2014 at 2:53 pm

    This sounds lovely Patricia -- I am especially enamored by the spinach and bean combo... thought the dish might also have sun-dried tomato? (wondering what the spirited flecks of red are) :).
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      September 10, 2014 at 4:22 pm

      Hey Kelly! Thanks so much -- the red bits are roasted red peppers :)
      Reply
  2. Kristen says

    September 10, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    I love beans in just about any thing, especially pasta though! What a great looking meal!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      September 10, 2014 at 4:23 pm

      Thanks so much, Kristen. I love using white beans with pasta! Cheers!
      Reply
  3. Jenn @ Deliciously Sprinkled says

    September 11, 2014 at 12:39 am

    Yum, this looks delicious! Can't wait to try it! :)
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      September 12, 2014 at 4:42 pm

      Thanks so much, Jenn & for stopping by!
      Reply
  4. Ordinary Blogger (Rivki Locker) says

    September 11, 2014 at 12:44 am

    Wow, those pieces are just beautiful. I'm originally from Brooklyn - I might have to make a stop there next time I visit my mom. Love the use of both spinach and basil in this pasta. Lovely.
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      September 12, 2014 at 4:47 pm

      Thanks for stopping by, Rivki - hope you enjoy the pasta! Try going online to check out all the goodies UncommonGoods has to offer!
      Reply
  5. Shelly @ Vegetarian 'Ventures says

    September 12, 2014 at 12:01 am

    I'm always looking for new easy weeknight recipes - love the mix between filling pasta and veggies here!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      September 12, 2014 at 4:49 pm

      Hi Shelly! This is definitely an easy (and tasty) recipe. Thanks for stopping by!
      Reply
  6. Yvonne says

    September 12, 2014 at 8:55 pm

    I like everything about this dis. I would enjoy it, for sure! (And the glasses are really attractive-and reminds me of good family gatherings.)
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      September 13, 2014 at 12:18 am

      Thanks, missy! We really enjoy this dish, too. I LOVE the glasses :)
      Reply
  7. Katerina says

    September 18, 2014 at 1:22 pm

    This pasta looks so creamy and so tasty with the beans and spinach!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      September 18, 2014 at 4:54 pm

      Hi Katerina - Thanks so much! Hope you give it a try :)
      Reply
  8. The Mistress of Spices says

    January 19, 2015 at 2:18 pm

    Made this for dinner tonight (doubled the recipe). Healthy and delicious...thank you!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      January 19, 2015 at 7:23 pm

      Oh that's so great to hear! Thanks for coming back to let me know. It's a favorite of mine :)
      Reply
  9. Pat says

    July 27, 2015 at 9:15 pm

    Nice blog, but I didn't see a printer friendly button. When I wanted to print a recipe it wanted to print 9 pages including comments. Very annoying to try to just print the recipe quickly before going shopping. Did I just not see the printer friendly button?
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      July 28, 2015 at 12:06 am

      Apologies, Pat. I've just recently installed a new recipe tool that allows for a quick printer-friendly version (without all the comments). If you were trying to print an "older" recipe, that, unfortunately is the case. All new recipes will allow a quick and easy print. My suggestion for the older recipes that don't have the new option - maybe just highlight the recipe and copy/paste into a Word doc and print that way? I know it's not super-convenient, but at least you won't get all the pages with comments. I appreciate you stopping by and hope you'll be back again!
      Reply
  10. Kristen says

    December 17, 2015 at 8:09 pm

    Hello! This looks wonderful. I would like to make this for Christmas dinner. Can this be made in advance? Have you ever doubled recipe? THANKS
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 18, 2015 at 12:38 am

      Hi Kristen! I've never made this in advance, so not sure how it would be. I'd imagine you could make the pasta in advance, then heat it (maybe in the microwave with just a touch of water) before making the rest of the recipe. I've never doubled this recipe, but don't think it'd be a problem! I hope that helps you. Please let me know if you try it and how it turns out! Merry Christmas!
      Reply

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I'm Patricia

Welcome to Grab a Plate!

Growing up surrounded by my Italian family it was always, "grab a plate" whenever anyone came to visit. Food was always a celebration, even everyday meals, and I like it that way. I try to make each meal memorable with my recipes for mainly meatless, mostly healthy, and easy-to-make dishes (with sweet treats in between).

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