For a hearty yet healthy meal, beans can be used as a lower-fat replacement for ground beef in this classic Italian dish.
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels
Ingredients
1 14-ounce can vegetarian beans
2 tablespoons oil (olive, canola, vegetable)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
8 ounces pasta
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Mash 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl with a fork.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic and bay leaf; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
Add tomatoes and their juices, 2 tablespoons parsley and the mashed beans. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes.
Add the remaining whole beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water until just tender, about 9 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.
Discard the bay leaf and top the pasta with the sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining parsley.
Source: Jackie Schulz