You can always depend on pasta, add anything in there and it won’t let you down. Mixing beans into a pasta dish always makes a great way to add some protein for a meatless meal idea. Mascarpone is one of my favorite go-to ingredients to create a creamy, buttery sauce that turns into a cheesy silk once it’s tossed with pasta water and grated parmesan cheese. Don’t forget to use the pasta water!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound penne

• 1 shallot, diced

• 2 clove garlic, smashed

• Handful fresh basil leaves, plus one basil leaf stem

• Hot red pepper chili flakes, optional

• Olive oil

• 8oz mascarpone cheese

• 2 cups lima beans

• Reserved pasta water

• Salt and pepper

• ½ cup parmesan, plus more for garnish

Instructions:

1. Start boiling a pot of water for the pasta.

2. In the meantime, use a large saute pan to heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat, add the shallot, basil stem, garlic and chili flakes (about a teaspoon or more depending on how much spice you like). Be sure not to burn the garlic, add more olive oil if needed to cool the temperature as it sautes so it doesn’t burn, it will continue to infuse the oil with flavor. Let saute for about 2 minutes, until shallots become tender and aromatic. 

3. Raise heat to medium. Add lima beans, season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then stir to combine.(Pasta should be dropped in the pot of water by now, make sure to salt water, cook until al dente, and reserve about 1 cup of the starchy water before straining.)

4. Remove basil stem, add the mascarpone to the saute pan and use a ladle to add one scoop of the starchy pasta water over the mascarpone to help melt and create a sauce. Stir until creamy.

5. Strain pasta, add pasta to the saute pan, keep heat on low. Add ½ cup of parmesan cheese and about another ¼ cup of the pasta water. The pasta will finish cooking here for another minute, until the sauce thickens and becomes silky. Tear lots of fresh basil leaves over the pasta and stir to combine.

6. Serve hot, immediately. Garnish with fresh basil, parmesan and chili flakes.

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