A vegetarian pantry dinner plus arugula and spinach this pasta with baby greens, beans and walnuts is a quick and easy 20-minute meal.
For my usual weeknight pasta, I like to keep things simple with spaghetti, even though, I admit, it can be a bit boring.
When I stick to my routine, I don’t add to my random noodle collection.
This is an ongoing problem for me because everyone in my family has a different noodle preferences that shift in phases.
I have a shelf of partial boxes of pasta—the result of buying specific shapes for single recipes.
They include penne, fusilli, rigatoni, farfalle, cavatappi and too many more to name.
Such odd amounts always end up not being enough to feed all of us—two adults and a three-year-old who is convinced pasta is its own food group.
Periodically, I like to spring clean my kitchen and use up my pasta odds and ends. I
t makes my husband cringe when I cook more than one shape in the same pot, but it just takes a little math.
He’s being way too much of a pasta purist when my efforts to avoid food waste are more important.
Even though it breaks every pasta rule, all you have to do when cooking multiple shapes in a single pot is to first start with the noodle that has the longest cook-time. Then work your way to the one that’s the quickest.
It’s very simple.
The last dish I made with multiple shapes was this pasta with baby greens, beans and walnuts.
While the pasta was cooking, I sautéed garlic in olive oil to infuse the flavor.
Once the pasta was finished, I transferred it to a big bowl and stirred in the garlic oil.
The heat of the noodles gently wilted the arugula and spinach. Then I folded in cannellini beans, toasted walnuts, Parmesan and lemon zest.
I love the adaptability of this pasta because you can adjust the amounts of greens, beans and noodles depending on your preference.
Also, feel free to sub in whole wheat, chickpea or quinoa pasta. Just stick to one type for the recipe.
PrintA vegetarian pantry dinner plus arugula and spinach this pasta with baby greens, beans and walnuts is a quick and easy 20-minute meal.
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