Penne Pasta with Cannellini Beans and Escarole

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 head escarole, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound penne pasta
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the cannellini beans, tomatoes, water, escarole, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to the package instructions.
4. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the saucepan with the sauce. Cook for 1 minute to heat the sauce and pasta. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Interesting Facts

• Cannellini beans are a type of white beans, also known as white kidney beans.
• Escarole is a variety of endive, with a mild flavor and tender texture.
• Parmesan cheese is a type of hard Italian cheese made from cow's milk.