Sun-dried Tomato and Cannellini Bean Pasta
We're big fans of healthy, hearty food that doesn’t take an age to make. That's why we LOVE this super easy plant-based pasta dish - it’s also really filling and a great twist on the traditional pure tomato sauce. Definitely one to stick in your recipe repertoire.
Serves
Ingredients
For the roasted tomatoes and garlic
<item-todo-done>150g cherry tomatoes - ideally on the vine<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> olive oil for roasting<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Salt & pepper<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 garlic cloves<item-todo-done>
For the caramelised onions
<item-todo-done>2 tsp sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> pinch of salt<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 red onions<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp olive oil<item-todo-done>
For the sauce
<item-todo-done>2 x 400g tins of cannellini beans<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Roasted tomatoes and garlic - per recipe<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> caramelised onions - per recipe<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp lemon juice - from half a lemon <item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp chilli flakes<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tbsp salt<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tsp balsamic vinegar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp oregano<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp pepper<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> water (to loosen)<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>8 sun-dried tomatoes<item-todo-done>
For the pasta
<item-todo-done>300g spaghetti<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil - from the jar<item-todo-done>
To serve
<item-todo-done> Handful of cherry tomatoes<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> balsamic glaze<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Handful of rocket<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Oven preheated to 180˚C, fan setting | Lined baking sheet or roasting tray | Frying pan | Food processor
**Roast the garlic and tomatoes **
- Lightly bash the unpeeled garlic cloves with the side of your knife
- Add to a roasting tray with the cherry tomatoes
- Drizzle over some olive oil and salt and pepper, and toss to coat
- Roast for 15 minutes, until the garlic has softened and the tomatoes have collapsed and are charring in places
**Caramelise the onions **
- Peel and finely dice the red onions
- Warm the olive oil in a frying pan
- Fry over a medium heat with a pinch of salt until soft (around 5 minutes)
- Sprinkle over the sugar and stir to coat
- Continue frying until caramelised and sticky, around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop it burning
- Set aside to cool to room temperature
Make the tomato bean sauce
- Drain and rinse the cannellini beans
- Juice the lemon
- Pop the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and the cherry tomatoes off their vines
- Add these and the remaining sauce ingredients in a food processor and whizz them up into a sauce, adding as much water as needed to get to a smooth pourable consistency
- Adjust seasoning to taste
Meanwhile, cook the pasta
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions
- Drain once cooked and toss in a drizzle of olive oil to stop the pasta sticking, and reserve some of the pasta cooking water
Assemble the pasta
- Pour the sun-dried tomato oil into a large pan and warm it up
- Pour the sauce into the pan and stir until it bubbles
- Loosen up the sauce with as much reserved pasta water as necessary to get a coating consistency
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir through to coat
- Plate up and serve immediately with a handful of cherry tomatoes, rocket and a drizzle of balsamic glaze