Spaghetti with White Bean Sauce

This is a hearty, filling pasta sauce. I like it because it isn't tomato-based.

Spaghetti with White Bean Sauce

1 Tablespoon Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red onion, very finely chopped
1 red pepper, cut into ¼ inch dice
3 stalks celery, cut into ¼ inch dice
1 can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Vegetable broth
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ tsp hot pepper flakes (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper
8 to 10 ounces spaghetti

1 to 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or Romano)

1. Prepare the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the garlic, onion, bell pepper and celery and cook over medium heat until soft, but not brown, about 4 minutes.
2. Stir in the white beans and cook for 1 minute. Add the vegetable broth, half the parsley, the pepper flakes (if using), and salt and pepper to taste. The sauce should be highly seasoned. Simmer until the beans are quite soft. Coarsely mash half the beans with a fork.
(Here’s what I do: Take half the beans and a little liquid and mash them in the food processor before I add them to the sauce. Add all the beans together as the recipe says. No need to mash with a fork.)
3. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot in 4 quarts rapidly boiling salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
4. Meanwhile, bring the sauce to a boil. Transfer the spaghetti and bean sauce to a large shallow bowl and mix well. Sprinkle the spaghetti with the remaining parsley and serve at once with freshly grated cheese on top.

Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a main course.

Sometimes I use 2 cans of beans, and add more water so the sauce doesn’t get too thick. This way you can serve 4 hungry people and usually have some left over. This sauce keeps well and reheats nicely in the microwave.

From High-Flavor, Low-Fat Vegetarian Cooking by Steven Raichlen