A bowl of pasta with greens and tomatoes.
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Garlicky Spaghetti with Beans and Greens

This was hands down one of the best new recipes I’ve made in a long time. WOW! It has a lot of my favorite ingredients – pasta, tomatoes, beans and garlic. I couldn’t find arugula, so I ended up getting a mixed bag of greens, and I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy them warm. It ended up being fantastic – the tomatoes get just soft enough to melt in your mouth while still having some texture to them, and it has the perfect amount of garlic. I substituted bucatini for the spaghetti. The beans add a great textural contrast to the tomatoes, and the lemon juice is really key in bringing it all together. This dish is just wonderful, and I highly recommend it. My tiny kitchen got insanely hot while I was boiling the pasta for this dish, but it was most definitely worth it!

A bowl of pasta with greens and tomatoes.

Garlicky Spaghetti with Beans and Greens
Cooking Light August 2009

Canned beans are a great pantry staple with lots of protein and fiber. To help reduce sodium in regular canned beans, we rinse and drain them.

6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups)
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
5 ounces arugula leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Place pasta in a small bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, tossing gently. Set aside, and keep warm.

2. Return pan to medium heat. Add oil, garlic, and pepper; cook 2 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, tomatoes, and beans; cook 2 minutes. Add pasta; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add reserved pasta water and arugula, tossing gently to combine. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutritional notes:
Calories: 290
Fat: 10.5g (sat 2.7g,mono 5.8g,poly 1.3g)
Protein: 11.3g
Carbohydrate: 38.1g
Fiber: 3.7g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Iron: 2.4mg
Sodium: 469mg
Calcium: 173mg

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Ashley Covelli is a food photographer, recipe developer, and culinary instructor based in Ossining, New York. She loves helping people become enthusiastic and adventurous in the kitchen so that they can build skills and confidence to cook for themselves and their loved ones. She can almost always be found with at least 3 different beverages within arm's reach.

One Comment

  • Katy ~

    Pasta is so good and so adaptable; this does sound very very good. Perfect for a weeknight meal, I think, as well. YUM!

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