Heart-healthy recipe: Pasta fagioli

This vegan dish is super versatile. By controlling how much pasta water you add, it can be soup, thicker like a stew or a hearty pasta dish, especially if you substitute rotini or ziti for the ditalini. Finish with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese (making it vegetarian).

Pasta fagioli

Makes: 4-6 servings | Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil, for sautéing the onion and garlic
• ½ small white or yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼–½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 28-oz can plain tomato sauce
• ½ bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 14-oz cans northern white beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ lb ditalini pasta
• Grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast if desired

Preparation

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped onion along with a pinch of salt. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another minute or so, stirring constantly and taking care not to burn the garlic. Add the tomato sauce, parsley and beans. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking or scorching.
• While the sauce is cooking, cook the ditalini pasta in lightly salted boiling water.
• Once the pasta is al dente, drain and reserve 2-3 cups pasta water.
• When ready to serve, add pasta to the tomato and bean sauce and thin it with pasta water. Add ½ cup at a time, stir and add more to reach your desired consistency.

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 371 | total fat: 6 g | saturated fat: 1 g | sodium: 593 mg | cholesterol: 0 mg | total carbs: 66 g | fiber: 11 g | sugars: 6 g | protein: 17 g | potassium: 1,129 mg