Tomato Basil Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti or linguine
• 1 jar (24 oz) high-quality marinara sauce
• 1 can (15 oz) white beans, rinsed
• 0.5 cup fresh basil leaves
• Parmesan for serving

Method

1. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente.
2. While pasta cooks, warm the marinara sauce and white beans in a large skillet.
3. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and beans.
4. Stir in fresh basil leaves right before serving.
5. Top with plenty of parmesan.

The Story & Tips

Tomato Basil Pasta is a four-serving pantry dinner with spaghetti or linguine, marinara, white beans, fresh basil, and parmesan. The pasta cooks while the sauce and beans warm in a skillet, making the method straightforward when you need a meal with a short ingredient list.

Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente and warm the marinara with the white beans while it cooks. Heating the beans in the sauce before tossing them with the pasta lets them take on the tomato flavor. Stir in the basil right before serving so it stays fresh in the finished dish.

Top the pasta with parmesan and serve while warm with a simple seasonal side or fresh fruit. Refrigerate leftovers for up to three days and loosen them with pasta water when reheating. Chickpeas or cooked lentils can replace white beans, and penne or rigatoni can replace spaghetti or linguine.

Equipment

• Large skillet or sauté pan
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board

Substitutions

• spaghetti: Any pasta shape works! Penne or rigatoni are great for holding onto the sauce and beans.
• white beans: Use chickpeas or even cooked lentils for a different protein source.
• marinara sauce: Use a can of crushed tomatoes and add extra herbs (oregano, thyme) for a more scratch-made sauce.

Serving suggestions

• Serve while warm with a simple seasonal side or fresh fruit.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days; loosen with pasta water when reheating.