This hearty vegetarian pasta recipe balances rich, bitter, and tangy flavors in a way you’ve never seen.
Broccoli rabe, a pungent green related to cabbage and turnips, is an ideal foil for the warm, rich sauce and toasted beans in this dish. Broccoli rabe can be bitter, but the acid in both lemon and tomatoes does wonders to help cut through the less pleasant aspect of its distinct flavor. If it’s still too bitter for your taste, try adding a bit more salt to tame it.
Makes
4 servings
Total Time
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Ingredients
COOK:
HEAT:
Test Kitchen Approved
Test Kitchen Tip
Orecchiette [oh-rayk-kee-EHT-teh] means “little ears.” This pasta has a thick, chewy texture. You can substitute any small pasta.
Instructions
Cook orecchiette in a pot of boiling salted water according to package directions, adding broccoli rabe during last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup cooking water.
Heat oil in a medium skillet, add beans, and cook over medium-high to toast, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, wine, garlic, anchovy paste, pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper; cover and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in orecchiette and greens; add pasta water until sauce reaches desired consistency. Squeeze lemon over each serving and top with Pecorino-Romano.
Use a good-quality olive oil to toast the cannellini beans — the beans will absorb the flavor of the oil.
Test Kitchen Approved
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 393
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 13%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 6mg 2%
Sodium 610mg 25%
% Daily Value*
Carbs 54g 18%
Fiber 7g 28%
Protein 16g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
