Photo: Leigh Loftus
In the winter, it’s easy to make dinner for a big group of friends. You pop a pot on the stove and make a big batch of lemon basil marinara sauce or kalamata olive marinara sauce with your favorite pasta and you call it a day. In the summer, if you don’t have a grill or outdoor space your options are fairly limited.Pasta is a cheap, easy way to feed a crowd but homemade sauces usually involve an open flame and when you have a dozen people in your apartment, the last thing you probably want is to be in the kitchen, sweating to the tune of a hot stove and oven.
Pesto is a perfect fix for summer entertaining because it’s simple, elegant and a little bit goes a long way – one batch will dress up to 2 pounds of pasta and if you don’t use it all, you can freeze individual 2-tablespoon portions in an ice cube tray for weeknight dinners.
This pesto is a little bit different than traditional pesto sauces that combine herbs, cheese and nuts for flavor. The base of this pesto is spinach and white beans, inspired by a dip recipe that I noticed in a magazine. It’s thicker than most pesto sauces, but also more filling and nutritious.
Photo: Leigh Loftus
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
- 2½ cups spinach
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ black pepper
- Cooked pasta of your choice
- In a food processor, combine the garlic oil, beans, spinach, dill, and lemon juice. Season with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and puree until smooth. Serve over your favorite cooked pasta. Makes about 10 servings.
- TIP: To freeze in individual servings, place two tablespoons of sauce in the compartments of an ice cube tray and defrost as needed.
52 Comments
Susan
August 5, 2011 at 4:20 pmThis sounds delicious, Maris, and I have some rampant basil in the garden right now!
betty
August 4, 2011 at 12:39 amthis looks delicous and healthy thanks for sharing :O)
shannon
August 3, 2011 at 6:40 pmthis is fabulous! some of my favorite flavors are hanging out here 🙂
Pesto, Barley & Edamame Salad
August 2, 2011 at 1:12 pm[…] kinda liked it that way. Though the spinach wasn’t in the original version, I am a big fan of adding spinach to pesto sauce. It has little impact on the flavor but adds to the nutritional […]
katelin
August 1, 2011 at 7:00 pmoh man, i need this in my life. this looks so simple, yet delicious! the best kind of sauce, haha.
lisa {smart food and fit}
August 1, 2011 at 10:40 amI like your pesto, it’s like a cross between a hummus and a pesto but much lower in calories and high in proten and fiber! My kind of recipe! Mmmm! 🙂
Nicole, RD
August 1, 2011 at 9:48 amNew to your blog and love it…I want to make it all! Can’t wait to gather more great recipes to try!!
Anne@frommysweetheart
July 31, 2011 at 5:29 pmMaris…I love the idea of a spinach pesto….and in getting away from traditional tomato sauces in general! This looks delish. (Love the beans, too!)
Tiffany
July 31, 2011 at 4:52 pmThis sounds really good! I am just know starting to like stuff with spinach in it. So I am interested and would love to try this!! Thanks for sharing!!
Aimee @ Clever muffin
July 31, 2011 at 4:39 pmLove the use of beans in this, a nice healthy meal on a hot night.
EA-The Spicy RD
July 31, 2011 at 10:11 amLove, love, love pesto and your version with beans looks fabulous! I will definitely have to try the ice cube trick-have a friend that does that too, but I’ve never tried it. Try and stay cool 🙂
Pudding Pie Lane
July 31, 2011 at 5:26 amThere’s nothing wrong with a good pasta sauce! Home made too, and yes that does look really nutritious!
T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types
July 31, 2011 at 5:10 amA great new take on pesto – and nice that you can keep most of the ingredients on hand for a last minute gathering.
Marina
July 31, 2011 at 2:54 amPasta is my favorite meal 🙂 It goes good with everything! 🙂
Sweet Artichoke
July 31, 2011 at 2:40 amWhat a delicious pesto! I really like the idea of using cannellini beans in it!
The Harried Cook
July 31, 2011 at 1:08 amOh this sounds excellent! I must try this one, Maris! I love it… I think I have all the ingredients right now… Maybe for lunch! Thanks for sharing 🙂
peachkins
July 30, 2011 at 7:34 pmmy three year old loves pesto. I have to try this recipe, let me see if she like it…thanks for sharing..
rebecca
July 30, 2011 at 6:26 pmwow very cool and inventive recipe and great for protein
Natalie
July 30, 2011 at 4:47 pmI make a basil bean puree with butterbeans that I love but I never thought of making it into a pasta sauce. Will give it a try next time with some rocket I think, thanks!!
Jenny at Baking Devils
July 30, 2011 at 4:01 pmPesto is one of my favourite sauces for pasta and I this variation looks fab! Thanks for sharing your great ideas! Jenny
Tara
July 30, 2011 at 2:33 pmPesto pasta is a favorite of mine! I haven’t had it in ages. i’ve never tried making it with beans though! Sounds like a delicious change.
Chutneyandspice
July 30, 2011 at 11:42 amSounds great, what a lovely take on a classic, and I love the fact it uses beans.
Geni
July 30, 2011 at 10:12 amI am wholeheartedly in LOVE with this recipe. I can’t wait to make this for my book club. My friends will go crazy! So glad you shared it.
5 Star Foodie
July 30, 2011 at 8:51 amAn excellent sauce – the combination of spinach and white beans sounds very tasty with pasta!
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen
July 30, 2011 at 8:48 amI love simple, hearty, healthy dishes like this. SO easy to whip up. Alot of bang for the effort. Thanks Maris! ♥- Katrina
Karen (Back Road Journal)
July 30, 2011 at 7:31 amWhat an interesting and delicious sounding pesto. I’ll be trying this recipe for sure.
Sylvia@bascooking
July 30, 2011 at 7:01 amPasta sauces are never too much. love your idea , looks delicious
Candace
July 30, 2011 at 6:19 amWhat a great way to use white beans! My husband is the pasta fan in the house and I like it okay…but it needs to have something other than the traditional sauce to make it interesting for me. This sauce will work beautifully for that. Love it!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
July 30, 2011 at 2:32 amThis is a much healthier version of pesto Maris yet I can see how it is still flavoursome!
Ruth
July 30, 2011 at 1:57 amYou can never have enough weeknight meals – and this is a great one!
Kocinera
July 30, 2011 at 12:42 amI love that this pesto has spinach and beans in it. Two of my favorite things! 😀 Sounds delish!
Baking Serendipity
July 29, 2011 at 8:47 pmThis sounds fantastic! I am loving all the sauce recipes. I could eat pasta every day in every season with options like this 🙂
yummychunklet
July 29, 2011 at 8:47 pmI love sauces! So versatile and adaptable. Great recipe!
Reeni
July 29, 2011 at 8:32 pmWhat a unique pesto! I love it.
melissa@IWasBornToCook
July 29, 2011 at 7:56 pmLove this variation! I’m thinking I can get away with this one since the beans are unnoticeable…Frank will never know! 🙂
bellini
July 29, 2011 at 7:39 pmNever thought to add beans inbto my pesto, that opens many new doors.
Ramona
July 29, 2011 at 7:01 pmExcellent combination and so healthy. Just stumbled across your blog. This gets bookmarked 🙂
Daryl (Mom)
July 29, 2011 at 6:37 pmThis may have to go on the list of things you will make me next time you are home.
Roz
July 29, 2011 at 5:42 pmHi Maris, ooooh…this looks delicous, healthy, economical and easy. In other words, a perfect dish!! Thanks as always for another stellar recipe. Have a great Friday!!!
Nelly Rodriguez
July 29, 2011 at 5:35 pmPerfect meal! Mmhmm…Pasta….
Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray
July 29, 2011 at 5:24 pmMmm, I love white bean anything! 🙂
Greg
July 29, 2011 at 4:59 pmWhat on earth is wrong with back to back pasta recipes. I love it!
Lisa from Lisas Yarns
July 29, 2011 at 4:49 pmHoly yum. That looks delish!! I usually take 1 day off each week from being dairy free – this might need to be my dairy vacation recipe one of these weeks!
Kathleen
July 29, 2011 at 4:25 pmLove this!
Kay
July 29, 2011 at 3:20 pmOh yum this sounds great!
Barbara
July 29, 2011 at 3:17 pmKeep the pasta sauces coming, Maris. Each one is different and delicious. I really like the bean and spinach mixture!
Junia
July 29, 2011 at 3:11 pmI love the idea of adding white beans! Good way to add in more fiber, protein, and make it creamier 🙂
Wendy
July 29, 2011 at 3:02 pmWhat a great idea to use the beans! I will definitely be making this soon.
natalie (the sweets life)
July 29, 2011 at 2:49 pmI love a unique pasta sauce–and anything that uses up basil is great in my book—my plant is out of control!
Laura @ SweetSavoryPlanet
July 29, 2011 at 2:40 pmWhite beans are truly one the most versatile beans. It makes a delicious snack or side dish and is so nutritious. Never actually put them in pesto but why the heck not!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
July 29, 2011 at 2:32 pmI love pesto sauce of any kind!
Erica
July 29, 2011 at 2:22 pmPesto is awesome. And I love using it on sandwiches as well! The white beans are a great add in.