5 Ingredient Gluten Free White Bean Pesto Pasta
5 Ingredient Gluten Free White Bean Pesto Pasta! It comes together in about 15 minutes. The more I thought about it, I realized that we cook this in our house almost once a week so if it’s become such a staple for us, maybe it will for you too! Of course it you want to jazz it up a bit, you could make homemade pesto. But let’s be real, most of the time, I’m reaching for the trusty store-bought jar. The Costco Kirkland brand pesto is so flavorful and I have yet to find a different store-bought brand that beats it.
Now the real star of the show might be the white cannellini beans. Prior to learning about my celiac disease, I don’t think I had ever cooked with white beans. Then when I found out my iron was incredibly low— actually the lowest my doctor had ever seen (which later led to my celiac diagnosis), I knew I had to start adding protein sources where I could. I saw a celiac specialized dietitian who really helped with adding protein sources and healing post diagnosis which aided my transition to gf life tremendously as well.
Now let’s get into it. Start with broiling the cherry tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt for a quick 5 ish minutes. While those babies work their magic, boil the pasta water. Once the pasta is cooking, gently warm up the pesto with the white beans. After the pasta is cooked, toss everything all together. That’s it!
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients
any gluten free short pasta- I like bowties or penne best
2 pints cherry tomatoes
pesto
1 can white cannellini beans
fresh Parmesan
fresh lemon (optional)
The cherry tomatoes turn into these extra sweet flavor bombs from the broiling process. The white beans balance out the sweetness and the fresh Parmesan adds a layer of cheesy goodness. As for gluten free pasta, I usually use Jovial as it’s my favorite by far but I love Banza chickpea as well which adds even more protein (25g)!
Ways to shake it up:
Add grilled chicken, artichokes, spinach, or asparagus. Yum!
5 Ingredient Gluten Free White Bean Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 340 g box of gluten free pasta (bowties, penne, fusilli, whichever you like)
- 300 ml of pesto (Costco's Kirkland pesto is our favorite. It's in the refrigerated section so it's so fresh-- we use half a jar but homemade or a different brand is fine!)
- 2 pints/ 900 g cherry tomatoes
- 540 ml can white cannellini beans
- fresh Parmesan (grated to taste at the end)
- 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon (optional)
- pinch of salt
- drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
- Set oven to high broil. In a broiler pan, drizzle the cherry tomatoes with olive and oil and a pinch of salt. Broil for about 5 minutes or until slightly bursting. Check often when broiling.
- Bring a large pot to boil. Salt your pasta water and cook according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, lightly heat your beans and pesto in a pan. You don't want the pesto to become too hot or it will cause the oil to separate. Once warmed, add your cooked pasta and cherry tomatoes. Stir and top with freshly grated Parmesan and lemon. Done!
Notes
Lots of easy modifications here-- add grilled chicken, artichokes, asparagus, or spinach!
If the oil becomes too separated from overheating the pesto (or if you like it less oily), feel free to drain off the excess liquid from your pesto sauce.