Ditch The Noodles And Make Your Favorite Pasta Dish With Beans Instead

Pasta is one of the most versatile, fulfilling, and delicious dinner options. There are countless pasta shapes to try with your favorite sauce or toppings making the options seemingly limitless. But what if we told you there's a way to get your pasta fix with fewer carbs and more protein? You can actually swap out pasta with beans in any dish you can think of, making a fantastic, nutrient-dense dish.

You may be skeptical, but don't diss it until you try it! Beans alla vodka are all the rage on TikTok and here's the thing — you can make this swap with any pasta sauce you can dream of. Tomato sauce? Sure. Pesto? Delicious. Carbonara? Yep. Cacio e pepe? You bet. You can also make the dish as simple or complex as you'd like, whether you prefer to build your sauce from scratch and start with dry beans or pop open a can of beans and a jar of pasta sauce. If you're somewhere in between, you can level up your jarred pasta sauce by adding a nice aromatic base to it.

The bean you choose is up to you! Just be sure to use a can without any significant seasoning so the beans blend perfectly with the scrumptious flavors of the sauce you're working with. We'd recommend white beans, cannellini beans, butter beans, or great northern beans. Anything that has a nice, creamy texture would work great!

Beans are extremely underrated, especially in the U.S., where we eat far fewer of them than our friends in the U.K., but we're here to tell you: It's time to fully embrace them. Beans are a great alternative to meat and dairy in most recipes. They're packed with B vitamins, calcium, potassium, and zinc. And let's not forget how fiber-rich they are, which keeps you full for longer and helps keep everything regular, if you know what we mean. If beans become a staple in your daily diet, they're also known to lower blood pressure and blood sugar. 

Most beans are also low in fat and calories, which is a fantastic combination for anyone wanting to be more health-conscious. And they're full of protein! In fact, one cup of cooked black beans gives you over half of the recommended daily amount of protein for adults. Not to mention, they're cheap, and easy to find in most grocery stores, especially if they're canned! Just make sure you're not making common mistakes with canned beans, like not rinsing them or overcooking them.