Winter Garden Protein Pasta (Printable)
A filling pasta dish featuring winter vegetables and a rich, herbed creamy sauce with protein.
# List of ingredients:
→ Pasta
01 - 10.5 oz high-protein pasta (e.g., chickpea or lentil pasta)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
03 - 1 cup Brussels sprouts, halved
04 - 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
05 - 1 cup kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Protein and Sauce
08 - 1 can (14 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
09 - 5.3 oz low-fat ricotta cheese
10 - 3.4 fl oz vegetable broth
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1 tsp dried oregano
15 - ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
17 - 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
18 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the high-protein pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then set pasta aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add red onion and garlic; cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add broccoli florets, Brussels sprouts, and sliced carrot to the skillet. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Stir in kale and cook for an additional 2 minutes until wilted.
05 - Add cannellini beans, dried thyme, dried oregano, and chili flakes if using. Pour in vegetable broth and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in ricotta cheese and lemon juice until the sauce is creamy. Add reserved pasta water as needed to adjust consistency.
07 - Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
08 - Plate the pasta and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's one of those rare dishes where protein doesn't feel like an afterthought, so you actually stay full past 8 PM.
- The cannellini beans create a creamy sauce without cream, which means less guilt and more actual flavor.
- Winter vegetables taste better when they're browned slightly and tumbled in herbs—this dish gets that part right.
02 -
- Reserve that pasta water before you drain—it's starch gold, and it transforms a dry mixture into something silky.
- Don't cook kale for long or it turns into something sad and bitter; add it last and let the residual heat do the work.
- Ricotta can seize and turn grainy if the heat is too high, so keep things gentle and keep stirring slowly once it goes in.
03 -
- Toast your pumpkin seeds in advance and store them in an airtight jar—they stay golden and crispy for days, and you'll find yourself sprinkling them on everything.
- Make the full recipe even if serving just yourself; the leftovers are somehow even better the next day when the flavors have settled into each other.