Creamy Tahini White Bean Veggie Pasta

Ingredients

• 12 Ounce standard wheat penne pasta - 12 (ounces)
• 15 Ounce canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained - 15 (ounces), rinsed and drained
• 3 Cup broccoli florets - 3 (cups)
• 1.5 Cup cherry tomatoes, halved - 1 1/2 (cups), halved
• 4 Cup baby spinach - 4 (cups)
• 0.5 Cup tahini - 1/2 (cup), Sesame paste used for the creamy sauce.
• 3 Tablespoon lemon juice - 3 (tablespoons)
• 2 Count garlic, minced - 2 (cloves), minced
• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil - 1 (tablespoon)
• 1 Teaspoon fine sea salt - 1 (teaspoon)
• 0.25 Teaspoon ground black pepper - 1/4 (teaspoon)

Instructions

1. Prep beans and vegetables

   1. *Rinse and drain the cannellini beans*, *halve the cherry tomatoes*, and *mince the garlic* before cooking.

2. Cook pasta and broccoli

   2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the penne, and cook until *2 minutes shy of al dente*; add the broccoli during the *last 3 minutes* of cooking.

3. Reserve water and drain

   3. Reserve *1 cup hot pasta water*, then drain the pasta and broccoli until *well drained*.

4. Whisk tahini sauce

   4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and *1/2 cup reserved pasta water* until the sauce is *smooth and creamy*.

5. Warm beans and vegetables

   5. Return the pasta and broccoli to the pot over low heat, then add the cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, and spinach; toss for *2 to 3 minutes* until the beans are warm and the spinach is *just wilted*.

6. Coat with sauce

   6. Pour in the tahini sauce and toss until the pasta is *evenly coated*; add more reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is *glossy and creamy*.