Red Bean Pasta Sauce Recipes

EASY RED PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm oil and saute garlic; heat through until the garlic turns translucent, not brown. Add onion and cook over low heat until translucent; 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add parsley, basil and ground black pepper; stir. Add tomatoes and cover; raise heat to medium and bring to a strong simmer. Lower heat and add red pepper flakes. Cover saucepan and cook for 25 to 35 minutes.
• The sauce can be run in the food processor for 2 to 3 seconds to achieve a more uniform sauce or let the sauce cook over medium-low heat uncovered for 10 minutes or until it thickens.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until al dente; drain and serve with sauce.

SPICY RED PASTA WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• Add lentils and water to a small saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat, then reduce heat slightly to achieve a mild simmer (not boil).
• Cook lentils to preferred doneness - 15 minutes for a slight bite, 20-22 minutes for more tender lentils. For this dish, I prefer 'al dente' so they don't become mushy.
• When lentils are finished cooking, drain off any excess cooking liquid, season with a pinch of salt, and set aside.
• While lentils are cooking, heat a large, rimmed metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, garlic, carrots and tomato (optional). Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• To prevent splattering, remove skillet from heat and add tomato sauce, tomato paste, pinch sea salt, chili flake, oregano, basil, sweetener, and vegan parmesan cheese (optional), and stir to combine.
• Place back over heat and bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• If serving with pasta, cook according to package instructions at this time. Then drain and set aside.
• Sample pasta sauce and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more sweetener to balance and enhance the flavors: chili flake for heat, salt for saltiness, or more herbs for depth of flavor. If too thick, thin with a little water.
• Add the cooked, drained lentils to the sauce and stir to combine. To serve, either spoon sauce over noodles, or add pasta to the sauce and toss to coat.
• Serve with any additional toppings, such as red pepper flakes, vegan parmesan cheese, and fresh basil.
• Best when fresh. Store leftovers separately in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat sauce in the microwave or saucepan. Add a little water to thin if too thick. I've found gluten free pasta doesn't keep well, so cook fresh for each batch.

PASTA WITH BEANS AND BEEF

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add meat and red pepper. Sauté until meat is no longer pink, breaking up large pieces, about 5 minutes. Add 6 1/2 cups broth, beans and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Mix in pasta. Reduce heat to medium, Simmer uncovered until pasta is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often and adding remaining broth by 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is too thick, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

BROAD BEAN PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the beans for 3 mins until just tender. Remove to a bowl of ice-cold water using a slotted spoon to halt the cooking process.
• Set the pan back on the heat, tip in the pasta and cook following pack instructions. Meanwhile, pop the beans out of their skins so you're left with the bright green beans, and set aside. (This is optional, but the colour, texture and flavour is improved. Discard the skins.)
• Heat a small, dry frying pan over a medium heat and fry the pancetta for 5-7 mins until crisp and golden. Drain the broad beans and add to the pancetta along with the lemon zest and mint. Squeeze over one of the lemon halves and season well. Cook for 1-2 mins to warm through, then remove from the heat.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of the water, then return to the pan along with the pancetta and broad bean mixture, the ricotta and a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water. Mix together, adding more of the reserved water if needed to create a slightly glossy sauce. Divide the pasta between bowls, squeeze over the remaining lemon half and scatter with the parmesan, if you like.

PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND BEANS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or saucepan. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic, and stir together until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes with juice and a pinch of sugar. Raise the heat slightly, and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are bubbling vigorously. Lower the heat to medium-low, and cook gently, stirring and mashing the tomatoes often with the back of your spoon until they have cooked down into a thick, fragrant sauce, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the beans and the herbs, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• When the pasta water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the pasta. Cook al dente, following the recommendations on the package but checking about a minute before the indicated time. When the pasta is just about done, check to see if the tomato sauce seems dry. If so, add up to 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pan and stir. Drain the pasta, toss with the sauce and serve, passing the cheese for sprinkling.

CREAMY VEGAN RED PEPPER PASTA WITH GARLIC BREAD BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Add breadcrumbs, half of the garlic, and ½ tsp. salt and cook, stirring constantly to incorporate the garlic, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in parsley. Wipe out and reserve pot.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, according to package directions. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
• Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in reserved pot over medium-high. Cook onion, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until slightly softened, 6-8 minutes. Add roasted red peppers, remaining garlic, and 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, until any liquid is evaporated and vegetables are combined and glossy looking, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are coated and paste is slightly darkened in color, about 5 minutes.
• Add beans, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes to pot; season with black pepper. Cook, smashing beans and stirring to combine with spoon, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and gradually add reserved pasta cooking liquid (you might not need all of it), stirring and mashing as you go, until combined and sauce is thick. Remove from heat and immediately add pasta; toss to coat.
• Divide pasta among bowls; drizzle with a little oil and spoon breadcrumbs on top. Squeeze some lemon juice over if desired.

SPAGHETTI PUTTANESCA WITH RED BEANS & SPINACH

Steps:

• Cook the spaghetti in simmering water for 10-12 mins until al dente. Meanwhile, fry the onion in the oil in a large non-stick frying pan with a lid until tender and turning golden. Stir in the chilli, garlic and cherry tomatoes.
• Add the vinegar, capers, olives and paprika with a ladleful of pasta water. Stir in the beans and cook until warmed through.
• Add the spinach to the pasta water to wilt, then drain well. Toss with the tomato and bean mixture and the parsley and basil, then pile onto plates or in shallow bowls to serve.

WHITE BEAN PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet (preferably straight-sided) over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and 1 teaspoon salt, and stir, then cook undisturbed in an even layer until one side is golden, about 4 minutes. (It's great if the butter browns, but decrease the heat if it threatens to get too dark.) Stir in the asparagus, carrot and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the peas, scallions and ½ teaspoon salt, then add the red-pepper flakes, oregano and a generous amount of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the peas are warmed through and bright green, about 2 minutes.
• Add the white beans and the cream, lower the heat to medium, and let the cream come to a simmer. Simmer for about 1 minute.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, Parmesan and Dijon. Taste and season with more salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of warm water to the creamy beans to loosen as you like; the sauce will thicken as it cools. (You may need more water when you reheat any leftovers.) Serve in bowls topped with the nuts and a handful of basil leaves. Pass more Parmesan at the table.