Packed with spicy, garlicky goodness, you’re going to want to make this spicy broccoli and white bean pasta often. It’s so easy to make, it is perfect for a fast, healthy weeknight dinner.

This pasta dish, from the Frugal Vegan cookbook, is simple and inexpensive to make and it really delivers in terms of flavor. The beans help thicken the sauce, which coats the other ingredients in the taste of spicy red pepper and garlic.

I tweaked the original recipe a bit. I doubled the amount of broccoli, because I like a greater ratio of vegetable to pasta. I also rearranged a few of the cooking steps.

This recipe makes four generous servings.

Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients for this spicy broccoli and white bean pasta.

• 4 cups small broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 12 ounces dried pasta
• kosher salt (according to taste)

You are also going to want to reserve about a cup of the water from cooking the pasta.

Directions

Heat a large pan of water to boiling. Add some salt to the water. Add the broccoli and cook it for about 2 minutes. Scoop the broccoli into a strainer and set aside.

Bring the water back to a boil and add the pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente. (If you cook the pasta before the next step, be sure to reserve about a cup of the water.)

While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes to a large skillet. Sauté these ingredients on medium heat for a minute. Add the broccoli and beans. Sauté for 3 or 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the beans. With the back of a wooden spoon, mash some of the white beans to thicken the liquid. Continue to add more of the water until you get enough sauce with a thickened consistency.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and cook it for another minute. Add more pasta water if needed. Add salt to taste and it is ready to serve.

Related Posts

You might also enjoy one of these recipes:

• Seared Polenta with Cherry Tomatoes
• Carrot, Ginger and Orange Soup