Cannellini beans are packed with nutrients. They are rich in fibre, iron, calcium, and protein. They make for a great addition to soups, stews, salads, and pasta dishes. This plant-based pasta bake is great for the entire family. You can prep the sauce ahead of time and then use it to make the pasta bake on another day.

Ingredients

• 1 box (375 g) pasta of choice
• 2 cans cannellini beans (398 ml), well rinsed
• 1 small white onion, minced
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 1 cup mozzarella, grated
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3-4 fresh sage leaves
• 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided (1 tbsp. to coat baking dish)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

On medium heat in a pan, add olive oil and minced onion. Sauté until onions are softened (2–3 minutes). Add minced garlic and sage leaves, sauté for an additional minute.

Add rinsed beans and stir until the beans begin to absorb the oil, onion, and garlic mixture, as well as some salt and pepper to taste.

Add tomato sauce, cover, and simmer on low for 20–25 minutes. After 20 minutes, add baby spinach. Cook for additional 5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Remove sage leaves.

In a pot, boil water and cook pasta of choice following the box instructions. I recommend cooking approximately 375 g for this pasta bake, and slightly undercooking the pasta, as it will be baked. Once pasta is cooked, strain to remove water.

Preheat oven to 205 °C (400 °F) and coat an oven-safe baking dish with oil (I used an 8″-by-8″ dish). Add a layer of bean sauce to the bottom, add a layer of pasta, add some more sauce, and a layer of mozzarella cheese. Add more pasta, more sauce, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan. The parmesan cheese should be on the top.

Bake for 20–30 minutes or until warmed through.

Note: You can also make the bean sauce (steps 1–4 above) and use that over rice or in another way that you might enjoy.

Angela Wallace, MSc, RD

A registered dietitian with the College of Dietitians of Ontario, personal trainer, and family food expert who specializes in women and child nutrition and fitness, she loves helping families get healthy together.

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