Pasta with Creamy Vegan Sauce and Kale

| Yield: 2-3 servings | Time: 20 minutes |

Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 sprigs rosemary or thyme

1 (15.5-oz.) can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed

12 oz. pasta of choice

1/2 bunch of leafy kale

1 lemon, juice and zest

2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste

Optional topping: Parmesan or vegan Parmesan

Preparation

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta liquid.

Combine 2 tablespoons oil and sliced garlic in pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until oil around garlic is bubbling vigorously and garlic is beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Firmly crush rosemary or thyme in your hand to bruise; add to pot along with beans and kale and stir to coat. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are just beginning to take on color, about 3 minutes.

Add reserved pasta cooking liquid to pot with beans (make sure to keep heat on medium so that the liquid doesn’t evaporate too quickly). Using a wooden spoon, gently mash about three-quarters of beans into a creamy sauce.

Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer pasta to pot with beans. Increase heat to medium-high, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and bring to a simmer, stirring gently until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes. Finely grate in about one-quarter of zest from lemon, then cut lemon in half. Squeeze in juice from 1 lemon half and add parsley; mix well to combine. Add red pepper flakes.

Divide pasta among bowls. Drizzle with oil, season with black pepper, and salt to taste.