SUBSCRIBE: Get the latest recipes, tips & tricks in your inbox.

Cucina Casa M - Easy, Elegant Entertaining
View Full Menu
pasta with summer beans in a serving dish and pasta bowl

Pasta with Summer Beans

Perfectly cooked pasta combined with crisp summer beans, sweet cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil. This dish is so colorful, with all the red, white and green, reminds me of a tasty Italian flag. The pasta and vegetables are tossed with some of the starchy cooking liquid from the pasta and Pecorino-Romano cheese that creates a creamy, yet light sauce. I just adore good pasta and this one is a keeper. It perfect for a light lunch or a starter for dinner.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 40 mins

Ingredients
  

  • 2 T Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium or 2 Small Onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic crushed
  • 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 pound Dried Pasta
  • 1 pound Green, Yellow, or Purple Beans
  • ½ cup Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese plus more for serving
  • 1 cup Basil Leaves torn into bite size pieces
  • Salt & Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Trim the ends, and cut the beans into bite size pieces. Set aside. Cut the tomatoes in ½ and set aside.
    green beans and tomatoes on a cutting board
  • In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onions until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
    chopped onion being placed into a saute pan
  • Add the garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes more.
    adding garlic to the onion in the saute pan
  • Add the tomatoes and toss until warm, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
    adding the tomatoes to the onions and garlic
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook for half the cooking time instructed on the package, then add the beans and finish cooking the pasta as directed, until al dente.
    adding the green beans to the pasta and boiling water
  • Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
  • Toss the pasta with ½ cup of the cooking liquid, the onion mixture, basil, and the cheese toss until pasta is coated with sauce. If the mixtures seem a little dry, add a little more of the water.
    tossing the pasta with all of the ingredients
  • Season with salt and pepper. Spoon pasta into bowls and serve immediately. Serve with extra cheese.
    grinding pepper over the finished pasta dish

Notes

TIPS & TRICKS
-There has been lots of research that shows the benefits of peel/crushing garlic and letting it sit 10-15 minutes before cooking it. This allows the enzyme alliinase to release, before exposing it to the heat. Alliinase as many health benefits. So I try to get in the habit of peeling the garlic and just letting it sit while I prep the rest of the recipe.
– You can use any variety of beans that look good to you, or you can do a combination of all the 3 colors!
– If cherry tomatoes aren’t available, you can substitute chopped tomatoes.
– Try to buy pasta that is 100% durum wheat to get the maximum nutritional benefits. Any shape will work for this recipe. I like to use shapes that are about the same size as the beans, so it will all fit on the fork for the perfect bite! Penne, rigatoni, mostaccioli are perfect or you can break the tagliatelli or fettuccini noodles into smaller pieces.
– I like to buy a big wedge of cheese and grate it myself. You can do this easily in your food processor or blender. Just cut the cheese into small cubes and allow it to sit on your counter for 15-20 minutes to slightly soften, it makes it so much easier to grate. Store in glass or plastic containers until ready to use.
– You could add cooked chicken or shrimp to make this a heartier meal.