Kale white bean pesto pasta

I love cannellini beans in my pasta. Obsessed with them really. My kids are going to be those weird kids that grow up thinking it’s normal to have beans in most pasta dishes. When I put beans in my pasta I basically excuse myself for eating 2 huge servings because I’m like, “there’s protein in here.”

Tonight’s takes:

Husband: “Obviously good. Also, you don’t need to put lemon in everything. Needs more pesto too.”

Helen (6 years old): “Delicious! I love it. I agree with Baba. A little more pesto please.”

Hector (3 1/2 years old): “Pretty good.”

What I used:

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 head curly kale

• 1 can cannellin beans

• 1 500g package gemelli pasta

• ~1/4 cup pesto

• juice from 1/2 lemon

• olive oil

• salt

What I did:

Got pots on. Water and salt on to boil. Olive oil in Le Crueset on medium-low heat.

Sliced four garlic cloves.

Added garlic to oil and slowly softened.

Washed kale.

Removed stems and sliced leaves.

By now water was boiling, added pasta to water.

Added kale to garlic. Added pinch of salt. Slowly softened.

Cooked pasta to 1 minute less than package instruction for al dente (8 minutes). Added pasta to kale and garlic. Added 1/2 cup pasta water. Le Crueset still on medium-low.

Added cannellini beans, including liquid from can.

Stirred and stirred to get starch going. Added another 1/2 cup pasta water because pasta was starting to look dry. Stirred for 2 mins total.

Once pasta started looking creamy, turned off the heat, added pesto.

Stirred to combine. Added lemon juice. Done!

Served with red pepper flakes.

Next time:

Even though PK asked for less lemon I’m going to still make it with lemon. The pesto and beans are so rich I love having a bit of acid to cut through it. Overall it was really good. I’d maybe add more kale to feel like I was getting my day’s worth of veggies from the dish. And a bit more pesto wouldn’t hurt.

😋😋😋

-Ellisa