Makes 8 servings
Orecchiette is a pasta shape that lends itself well to a simple sauce like the one made here. You can choose to serve this family style or as a side dish to a serving of grilled, marinated chicken.
[ingredients title="Ingredients"]
- 1 lb orecchiette pasta
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
- 2 (10-ounce bags) baby spinach, stems removed
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
[/ingredients]
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Add the cannellini beans, vegetable broth, crushed red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until sauce simmers and thickens slightly, about 15 minutes.
- Cook the pasta until tender to the bite, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Just before draining pasta, stir the spinach into the pasta pot until it wilts. Drain the pasta and spinach and return them to pot. Add the sauce and mix well.
- Serve in large pasta bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese.
