White Bean, Tomato & Spinach Pasta

Canned white beans and tomatoes make the base of this pasta sauce, with frozen spinach added after it has been cooked according to its packet. The pasta cooks separately so its water level and cooking time can follow the shape you bought. Keep a little pasta water to help bring everything together at the end.

Recipe at a glance

• Approximate servings: 2 servings
• Preparation estimate: 10 minutes
• Cooking estimate: 20–25 minutes, with some steps overlapping; spinach packet instructions may take longer
• Total estimate: 30–35 minutes
• Equipment: scales, large pasta saucepan, 24 cm sauté pan or wide saucepan, small saucepan or microwave-safe container required by the spinach packet, sieve or colander, spoon and heatproof measuring jug; food thermometer for reheating

Ingredients

• 160 g dried short pasta, such as penne or fusilli
• Water for boiling pasta, in the amount recommended on its packet
• 150 g plain frozen chopped spinach, weighed frozen
• Water for the spinach, if its packet requires it
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, approximately 15 ml
• 2 garlic cloves, approximately 6 g, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 can chopped tomatoes, 400 g including juice
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 240 g canned cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Up to ¼ teaspoon fine salt, optional
• Up to 100 ml reserved pasta cooking water, added only as needed

Use plain beans and spinach. Weigh the beans after draining; the can’s total weight includes liquid.

Method

1. Get ready. Wash your hands and use clean equipment. Clean the tops of the cans before opening. Drain and rinse the beans. Put the pasta water on to boil. FDA kitchen and refrigeration guidance
2. Cook the spinach. In the separate saucepan or microwave-safe container, follow the frozen spinach packet’s complete cooking instructions, including any standing time. Drain excess liquid and separate compact clumps with a spoon. Do not assume frozen spinach is ready to eat without cooking. FoodSafety.gov guidance on frozen-food instructions
3. Start the sauce. Heat the oil in the sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant, without letting it brown. Add the tomatoes, their juice and the oregano. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Cook the pasta. While the sauce simmers, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to its packet, stirring occasionally. Before draining, carefully scoop out 100 ml of cooking water with the heatproof jug. Drain the pasta when it is cooked to your preferred texture.
5. Combine. Stir the beans and cooked spinach into the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring until heated through. Fold in the drained pasta and pepper. Add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce coats the pasta without collecting as a thin pool underneath. You may not need all 100 ml. Return to a gentle simmer, stir, then taste and add the optional salt gradually.
6. Serve. Divide between two bowls. If you are saving a portion, put it into a shallow container promptly rather than leaving it in the pan during the meal.

Cooling, storage and reheating

Cover leftovers and refrigerate promptly at 40°F/4°C or below. Use shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours, or one hour if the surroundings are above 90°F/32°C. Hot food does not need to reach room temperature first. FDA refrigeration guidance

Use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, or sooner if an ingredient’s storage instructions require it. Reheat a portion in a covered saucepan with a little water, stirring often, until it reaches 165°F/74°C throughout on a food thermometer. FDA leftover guidance and FoodSafety.gov temperature chart

Allergens and labels

Ordinary wheat pasta contains wheat; some pasta also contains egg. Check all packaged ingredients and any additions. Advisory allergen statements are voluntary under US rules, so their absence is not an allergy-safety guarantee. FDA allergy guidance

Put it in your meal plan

This is an option for a night when the cupboard and freezer supply most ingredients. Check your pasta shape’s cooking time before starting, and set out the extra spinach pan or microwave container. If saving a serving, choose its next use within the storage window.

Open Build My Meals and use this recipe as one of your chosen meals. Use the recipe quantities separately.

Sources and recipe notes

Published method comparison: Tuscan White Bean Pasta (Budget Bytes). Our two-serving version uses canned tomatoes and packet-cooked frozen spinach, with olive oil and no butter or Parmesan. Add pasta water only as needed. The instructions here are our own version; source ratings, nutrition values and timing claims do not describe it. Safety links support the handling advice. Times and servings are approximate; packet instructions and cooking endpoints take priority.