Ingredients:

  • 1 pound (450g) dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)
  • Water for cooking pasta
  • Salt for pasta water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (15-ounce/425g) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable broth
  • ½ cup (120ml) unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped (about 4 cups chopped)
  • ½ cup (80g) sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed, drained and chopped
  • Fresh basil leaves, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, or until fragrant (but not browned!).
  3. In a blender or food processor, combine the cannellini beans, vegetable broth, almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, oregano, and red pepper flakes (if using). Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add the chopped kale and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until wilted. Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute.
  5. Pour the creamy white bean sauce into the skillet with the kale and sun-dried tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavours to meld.
  6. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat, adding a little of the reserved pasta water if needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
  7. Garnish with fresh basil leaves (if using) and serve immediately.