White Beans & Broccoli Rabe alla Vodka
White Beans & Broccoli Rabe alla Vodka. Pasta alla vodka is a classic…but vodka sauce is just as good when you pair it with hearty white beans and some greens. This dish is one of those warm your bones feel good dishes especially when it’s super cold out like today. Creamy vodka sauce filled with cannellini beans and broccoli rabe topped with Parmesan cheese and served with crusty bread for dunking. It’s the perfect cozy bowl for a cold spring Monday !!
Yesterday was cold, but today is even colder. And I am really not about this weather especially when I thought winter weather was officially a thing of the past. But good thing we have this cozy, comfy, hearty bowl of beans and greens alla vodka to keep us warm today…honestly it’s the only thing getting me through this day.
So you all know and hopefully love a good pasta alla vodka dish. I know it is certainly a classic and a staple in our house. But have you ever tried vodka sauce with beans and dark leafy greens? Because this creamy, classic sauce for pasta also just so happens to pair perfectly with hearty beans and greens as well.
You can get creative with the beans and greens, but tonight we’ve chosen cannellini beans and broccoli rabe. But chickpeas are also a great option for the beans. And kale or Swiss chard would also be perfect for the greens. Whatever you choose, this combo of flavors is to die for. Top it all with some shaved parmesan and serve it all up with crusty bread to soak up all that sauce.
It’s been a super uneventful Monday. Aside from the fact that this weather is just totally weird. It’s sunny, it’s cloudy, it’s windy, it’s snowing, it’s cold? I don’t think this weather knows what it wants to do, but I am definitely not enjoying it. But like I said, at least we have this cozy bowl of goodness tonight to make this weather seem a little less depressing !!
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion; chopped
2 garlic cloves; chopped
salt
1/4 cup vodka
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
2 cups vegetable broth
1 bunch broccoli rabe
1/2 cup heavy cream
grated Parmesan for serving
Directions
Blanch the broccoli rabe in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Sprinkle with salt. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the vodka and tomato paste. Cook another 3 - 4 minutes. Add the cannellini beans, vegetable broth, and reserved broccoli rabe. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cream. Stir to combine.
Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve topped with Parmesan and alongside crusty bread.
