Simple pasta with spring greens is a great recipe to enjoy what you have on hand and make a quick dinner! Young greens and canned beans are tossed with orecchiette along with fresh herbs, tomatoes, and parmesan for a satisfying 30 minute meal.
Hello, all.
These days, like you, I’m looking for flexible recipes which I can make with pantry staples and what’s in the fridge. And I love making all sorts of pasta recipes with Mediterranean flavors (it’s my thing!) so a simple recipe which hits those notes is one I’m going to want to make and share with you.
What’s to love?
Perfect for staying in! In my notes from when I first made it back in March, I called it pandemic pasta or pantry dinner because this is sort of meal you need during those times when you can’t get to the store or don’t want to go.
Lot’s of spring flavor! It’s also a great source of spring flavors with green onions, young greens, and little tomatoes. I have to admit that I find the greens and reds in the dish to be very cheering as well as healthy and filling.
Very flexible! I have all sorts of variation ideas listed in the recipe for different greens, beans, herbs, and pastas. Enjoy!
What do you need?
- Pasta – Orecchiette is my favorite, but any style short or long will do
- Spring Greens – At least 4 cups of greens
- Beans – One can of drained beans (and you can switch to frozen)
- Tomatoes – Fresh or sundried
- Herbs/Cheese/Olive Oil – These add a flavor punch, so don’t skip!
How to make this
To make spring greens pasta toss cooked pasta with garlic, olive oil, and beans. Add greens to wilt and cook through. Stir in tomatoes and fresh herbs and serve.
- Cook your pasta while you saute the garlic in olive oil.
- Toss the orecchiette with some of the water in the skillet with the garlic.
- Add the beans and warm through.
- Add the greens and wilt.
- Finish up by stirring the tomatoes, fresh herbs, scallions, and cheese.
- Check the seasonings and serve!
If you try my recipe for Spring Greens Pasta, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.
– Stay Safe, Annemarie
How to Make Spring Greens Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 14-oz can beans (such as cannellini), drained
- 4-6 cup spring greens, chopped or sliced
- ~12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 scallions (or spring onions), sliced
- 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley or basil
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, or other similar cheese
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a pot of water to boiling, add a heaping spoonful of salt and cook the pasta according to the package directions minus 2 minutes.
- Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Add garlic and saute until softened, about 1 minute.
- Scoop out 2 cups of the water and then drain the pasta.
- Add drained pasta plus 1 cup of the water to the skillet with the garlic. If you are using a hearty green (such a full grown kale), add it now. Saute until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the beans and cook for 30 seconds.
- Now add any more tender greens (baby kale, arugula, etc.) and continue cooking until the greens are wilted, adding more pasta water if needed.
- Remove skillet from the heat and stir in the tomatoes, any fresh herbs/scallions, and parmesan. Toss to combine.
- Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Pasta: I personally make this recipe with a short shape (like orecchiette or pipettes or small shells) but long shapes such as spaghetti or fettuccine are great too.
- Beans: White beans (cannellini, small white, butter), red beans (kidney), chickpeas, or any other type you enjoy with pasta will work here.
- Spring Greens: I used baby arugula in the photos; kale, spinach, chard, beet tops, turnips tops, or any other green which does well when sauteed will work. You can use one type of green or a mix! (For a fully pantry/freezer meal, use frozen spinach or kale.)
- Tomatoes: Use any fresh or sundried tomato with good flavor. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
Paula says
Great recipe. Easy to make. Delicious! I out a bit of cream cheese in to make the sauce creamy