Creamy Kale & Bean Pasta with Garlic and Lemon from Professor Tim Spector is a deeply satisfying pasta dish that gets a nutritional upgrade with the addition of creamy cannellini beans and fibre-rich kale. The beans not only boost the fibre and protein content, but also make the sauce silky and rich. Add seeds on top for extra crunch, healthy fats, and even more fibre.
Creamy Kale & Bean Pasta with Garlic and Lemon
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 3 oz / 90g whole-wheat pasta
- 3½ oz / 100g kale, stalks removed and thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp Boosting Bouillon (page 264)
- 1 (14-oz / 400g) can cannellini beans, with their liquid
- Salt and black pepper
Top-ups:
- Sauerkraut
- Seed Mix Sprinkle
- Swap: Nutritional yeast or Parmesan can be used in place of Boosting Bouillon.
Directions:
- Bring two saucepans of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to one and cook for 8–10 minutes, until al dente.
- In the second saucepan, blanch the kale and garlic for 3 minutes. Drain, then transfer to a blender.
- Add the lemon juice and Boosting Bouillon to the blender.
- Drain the cannellini beans over a bowl to catch the liquid. Add a quarter of the beans and some of the reserved liquid to the blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it—reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan.
- Add the remaining beans, the reserved cooking water, and the blended sauce. Mix well and heat through for about a minute. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
