The World’s Best Penne Florentine earns its title by being both the tastiest and the healthiest! This is a completely vegan take on the classic dish, and it certainly doesn’t taste vegan! It uses the creaminess of homemade cashew butter to achieve a rich, tangy, inviting sauce! And that sauce enhances everything, from the garden freshness of the spinach to the tenderness of the whole-wheat pasta to the crunch of the breadcrumbs. World’s Best Penne Florentine is a warm and exciting example of just how good home-cooking can be!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried multigrain or whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1 3/4 cups water, divided
- 1 (15-16-ounce) can Great Northern beans, navy beans, or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup soft whole-wheat breadcrumbs
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions.
Step 3 –Drain the pasta and return it to the hot pot.
Step 4 –Add the spinach to the pasta and toss to combine.
Step 5 –Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish.
Step 6 –In a small saucepan combine the broth, the onion, and the garlic.
Step 7 –Bring the broth mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 8 –Transfer the saucepan from the heat.
Step 9 –Place the cashews in a food processor, cover, and process until they are finely ground.
Step 10 –Add 1/2 of the water to the cashews and blend until it is smooth.
Step 11 –Add the broth mixture, the beans, the lemon juice, the mustard, the salt, and the pepper to the cashew mixture, cover, and process until it is smooth.
Step 12 –Transfer the cashew mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the remaining water.
Step 13 –Taste the cashew mixture for flavor and seasoning.
Step 14 –Stir the cashew mixture into the pasta mixture in the casserole dish.
Step 15 –Sprinkle the top of the Florentine with the breadcrumbs.
Step 16 –Bake until the breadcrumbs are toasted, about 30 minutes.
Step 17 –Let the bake stand for 10 minutes.
Step 18 –Serve.
