Garlicky Spinach and White Bean Pasta Recipe
A simple bowl of garlicky spinach and white bean pasta gets a boost of flavor from a garlic oil made with a secret ingredient - anchovies! Trust me, it adds a delicious nutty and umami flavor. It’s an easy and budget friendly weeknight dinner!
I know this looks like a basic bowl of white bean pasta. But lurking below the surface is a secret ingredient that brings this garlicky spinach and white bean pasta recipe to new levels of deliciousness - anchovy garlic oil!
Stay with me on this one. If you’re not an anchovy fan, don’t hit that red dot on the left corner just yet. Admittedly, I’m one of those weirdos who likes the taste of anchovies right out of the tin. But if you’re in the 95% of the population that’s making a squinty, grossed out face right now reading that, I still think you’ll love this recipe.
When anchovies are cooked in olive oil or butter, they don’t taste anything like the briny, fishy, tinned anchovies you’re used to. Instead, they get a nutty, umami flavor as they melt into the fat. The garlic adds a bit of sweetness and more nuttiness as it gets golden and toasty in the oil. If you love pasta with a garlic and olive oil sauce (and who doesn’t?), anchovies are the upgrade you need in your life.
Anchovies and Omega-3 Fats
You might be surprised to learn that anchovies are a rich source of omega-3 fats. We often think about salmon or tuna, but anchovies also contain a hefty dose. Of course, most people don’t eat anchovies in the same portions as salmon or tuna, at least not in the US where we get those little briny tinned ones rather than the plump, fresh anchovies that are often served pan-fried and spritzed with lemon in Europe. Still, anchovies are definitely overlooked when it comes to nutrition.
Google the health benefits of omega-3 fats and you’re sure to get a long list of (some evidence-based, some not so much) benefits. What I think is actually more interesting than that is why certain fish are higher in omega-3s. While pretty much all fish will have some degree of omega-3 fat, cold water fish is more concentrated. That’s because omega-3 fatty acids are more fluid at cold temperatures, so the omega-3 fat that gets incorporated into their cell membranes helps the fish stay all slippery and wiggly in cold water. Fascinating, huh? So when we eat fish rich in omega-3 fat, those fats get incorporated into our cell membranes, where it seems to reduce inflammation, improve eye health, reduce the risk of heart disease, and plays a role in cognitive functioning.
Anyway, so omega-3 fats are awesome an all, but it’s also expensive to buy fresh salmon and tuna and trout, especially ones that are sustainably caught. That's where anchovies come in! I love to incorporate them into salad dressings, puttanesca pasta sauce, browned butter pasta sauce, bagna cauda (which is basically garlic-anchovy oil in this recipe), pizza, or to serve them drizzled with olive oil and vinegar as part of a tapas spread.
The anchovy-garlic oil in this white bean pasta recipe is really versatile. Here’s some other ideas for using it:
As a sauce for white pizza
Drizzled over roasted or grilled vegetables
Stirred into Greek yogurt to make a dip
Served over roasted chicken
With crusty bread for dipping
Since you’re making it, it would not be a bad idea to double it up and keep the extra garlic-anchovy oil in the fridge!
White or Whole Wheat Pasta?
I like to cook with both white and whole wheat pasta. There’s lots of fear around white pasta, and certainly whole wheat does have more fiber and nutrients in it, but that doesn’t mean white pasta is bad for you. Frankly, some types of pasta sauces, like creamy sauces, just don’t taste very good with whole wheat pasta. But in this garlicky spinach and white bean pasta recipe, the anchovy-garlic oil brings out the nuttiness of whole grain pasta. In general, garlic and olive oil sauces are my favorite to pair with whole grain pasta.
Garlicky Spinach and White Bean Pasta Recipe for an Easy Weeknight Meal!
This garlicky spinach and white bean pasta recipe is one of my favorite dinners to throw together on a busy weeknight. It takes hardly any time at all, less than 30 minutes from start to finish! The only thing you need to chop are the garlic cloves. With dried pasta, canned beans, tinned anchovies and a bag of spinach, it’s also a super budget friendly meal too.
If you use frozen spinach instead of fresh, you can also keep the ingredients for this garlicky spinach and white bean pasta recipe on hand for a pantry meal. Just defrost and squeeze out the liquid in the spinach first. Pantry meals help keep me sane and fed on busy weeknights!
Garlicky Spinach and White Bean Pasta Recipe Adaptions
I’m a big fan of using recipes a template - I hope you’ll get creative with all the recipes on my blog! Once you get used to a cooking technique, you can switch up a recipe without looking at the instructions. It’s a great way to keep things interesting without the pressure of finding new recipes. For this garlicky spinach and white bean pasta recipe, you could easily switch up the vegetable and use asparagus, kale, or zucchini. You might just want to cook them separately first, as they won’t wilt in the pasta the way fresh spinach does. You could also add black olives, sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers. If you have leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken on hand, you could also add that for extra protein. I’ve also served this recipe with dollops of pesto or tapenade. Another variation I like to make is this mushroom and white bean pasta recipe.
For more pasta inspiration, be sure to follow my pinterest boards Best Pasta Recipes and Vegetarian Pasta Recipes.
This garlicky spinach and white bean pasta recipe was originally posted May 2016. Recipe, images and text have been updated to give you the best possible content.
If you like this spinach and white bean pasta recipe, follow my simple pasta recipes Pinterest board for more cooking inspiration.
Garlicky Spinach and White Bean Pasta Recipe
Serves 4ish
Ingredients:
8 ounces whole grain penne
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 2-ounce tin of anchovies, drained and chopped
1 6-ounce bag baby spinach
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
Parmesan, crumbled feta or goat cheese, for serving
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on. Cook penne according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of starchy pasta water and place pasta back in the pot.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and red chili flakes. Cook about a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant and just starting to get a hint of color. Stir in the anchovies and cook, stirring constantly and breaking the anchovies down further with a spatula, until the anchovies have melted into the oil and it smells nutty.
Stir the garlic-anchovy sauce into the pot with the pasta. Turn on medium heat, add spinach, white beans and reserved pasta water, cover and cook until warmed through and spinach is wilted. The pasta and beans on the bottom of the pot will get nice and crispy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste (although it may be salted enough from the anchovies). Serve garnished with walnuts and cheese.
If you like this garlicky spinach and white bean pasta recipe, you might also like:
Easy Herbed Ricotta Fettuccine
Browned Butter Spaghetti with Roasted Cauliflower
Simple Mushroom White Bean Pasta
