Brown Butter Bean and Kale Pasta

The pantry is truly your friend for this easy and comforting meal.

Do you take stock of your pantry on a regular basis?  You know, check and see if anything is missing, like canned tomatoes of all sorts, beans, fish like tuna or sardines, condiments, dried pastas etc.  I think the pantry is one of those parts of the house that gets neglected.  Probably once a season is the least we could do, in giving it the needed attention.  Especially when we are trying to keep the grocery budget to a reasonable cost. Check out my Pantry Staples post for a comprehensive list of how to stock the staples, which ones will give you the most bang for your buck, and the most versatility.  

This Brown Butter Bean and Kale Pasta is one of those meals that can be made with pantry staples, and a few fresh ingredients that are easy to source all year round. 

What Will You Need to Make This Dish?

First the Pantry Staples

Pasta: I am showing it with spaghetti, but pretty well any shape will work! If you are in the mood for shells or rotini, go for it, which is especially good if feeding little ones.  Usually 2 oz of dry per person is good.

Cannellini Beans: Feel free to swap these out for chickpeas or even White Northern Beans. Rinse and drain.

Chilli Flakes:  Use as much or little as you and your family desire.  Or add just the minimum to the butter, and more can be added later on.  Of course salt and pepper are also part of the recipe.

Dairy: You will need Butter and fresh Parmesan cheese.  Feel free to use Grana Padano, or Pecorino-Romano if that is what you have on hand.  Freshly grated is always best, as the pre-shredded kind is usually coated in some sort of starch etc to keep it from clumping but which will inhibit melting.

Fresh ingredients you will need are chopped kale, minced garlic, and pancetta. And yes, the pancetta is totally optional, or could be replaced with bacon.

What Makes This Pasta Dish Special?

I’ll tell you, it’s the brown butter!  It’s such a game changer for flavour intensity, even to the most simple of dishes.  In this case, it is only a matter of letting the butter melt and foam, and then adding the garlic, chilli flakes and chopped kale to it, and letting them crisp up gently as the butter goes through the stages of browning. While I usually do this with fresh sage leaves, the kale works beautifully in this setting. If you want more information on the ease of browning butter, check out this link.

Once the butter has achieved that wondrous fragrant, nutty aroma, the skillet can be removed from the heat and the remaining ingredients, namely the cooked and drained pasta, the beans and the shredded or grated cheese. Toss everything in the butter, adding some saved pasta water to help create a velvety sauce.

Serve with extra cheese and chilli flakes.  And here is when the pancetta shows up.  Chop and sauté the pancetta ahead of time, draining it on paper towel.  Then you can store it in a container in the fridge.  I often prepare up to a cup’s worth, to be used in dishes throughout the next week or so.  This saves time and washing up dishes, since you are only dirtying up the skillet once.

Final Thought and Substitutions

This dish comes together quickly, so it is a life saver on a busy night.  The prep work includes sautéing the pancetta and storing it, as well as grating the fresh cheese.  You can even chop the kale and store it in a sealed container first thing in the morning or night before.  All that is really left is mincing the garlic, and draining the can of beans.  This can easily be done while the pasta is cooking.

Feel free to replace the crispy pancetta confetti with toasted chopped hazelnuts, turning it into a great vegetarian meal.  Feel free to replace the kale with Swiss chard, regular or baby spinach. If you decide to use baby spinach, it will only need to be added at the very end with the beans, pasta and cheese, to wilt, it really doesn’t require any cooking. 

Don’t skimp on the pasta water, it really is liquid gold.  You don’t want the finished dish to be stiff or dry, adding the pasta water and allowing it to be absorbed into the cheese and pasta will help create a silky finish to the dish.  If you find the dish rich, a squeeze of fresh lemon is always your friend here!

Meals that make the most of our pantry, some of my most favourite meals.  They can be full of flavour, but still easy and nutritious.

If you like this recipe, you will also want to check out my Roasted Cauliflower, Pancetta and Sage Pasta, Pasta with Kale, Lentils and Caramelized Onions, and Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Yogurt Sauce.

If you make this Brown Butter Bean and Kale Pasta, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.

5 from 2 votes

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Brown Butter Bean and Kale Pasta

An easy, delicious and nutritious pantry based meal is minutes away with this dish. The joy of nutty brown butter adds flavour to the gently cooked kale and garlic, with white beans, your pasta of choice and a cloud of grated cheese to round out the dish.

Course Main Course

Cuisine North American

Keyword brown butter, kale, pasta, white beans

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 8 oz spaghetti see Notes
• 4 oz or 1/2 cup, butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, feel free to use three if they are small
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, based on your preference
• 2 cups chopped Lacinato Kale, packed, see Notes
• 2 oz or 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated, plus more for finishing, see Notes
• 1 large 19 oz or 540 mL can white Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed. Ideally you want around 2 cups worth.
• 2 tbsp chopped sautéed pancetta or bacon, see Notes
• fresh squeezed lemon, optional

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions, minus one minute to achieve al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of pasta water before draining the pasta. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the butter. Swirl the pan to allow the butter melt coating the pan skillet evenly. Decrease the heat to low, and stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and kale. Continue letting the butter brown, until the butter foams, smells nutty, and turns a golden-brown colour. The kale will have softened and started to crisp on the edges in the best way possible.
3. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in 3/4 cup of reserved pasta water. Place the pasta, white beans, and parmesan cheese into the skillet.
4. Using tongs or wooden spoon if that is all you have, gently toss the ingredients until the cheese has completely melted. If necessary, add pasta water, one or two tablespoons at a time, if the pasta seems dry.

5. Serve with pancetta confetti, and more grated cheese sprinkled on top, if desired. If you want to brighten this rich creamy dish, a fresh squeeze of lemon is just the thing.

6. See blog post for more details.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to use any shape of pasta that you like. Usually 2 oz of dry pasta is good per person. If serving children, smaller easier to manage shapes may be better.
Lacinato kale is the easiest and most tender kale to use in this setting. You can replace this with swiss chard or even spinach. But if you are using baby spinach, you will not need to cook it in the butter, it will wilt enough if added with the beans and pasta.
Feel free to use any hard melting cheese of your choice. Fresh grated is best.
For the crispy Pancetta Confetti, simply chop 3 oz or 85 grams of pancetta and place it in a skillet with a tsp or so of olive oil. Sauté over medium heat till crisped, browned and cooked through. Drain on paper towel and store in a sealed container till needed.
Feel free to replace the pancetta with chopped toasted hazelnuts for a vegetarian option.