Broccoli and red beans in a miso-thickened sauce turn this pasta dish into a sturdy weeknight dinner that fuses Italian and Asian flavors in a way that shouldn't work quite as well as it does. It comes together entirely in one skillet while the pasta water is boiling in a separate pot.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Small red beans. Kidney beans work well, but adzuki beans are especially good here if you can find them — they cook faster than most other beans and have a naturally sweet, mild flavor.
- Miso. Mellow white miso keeps the sauce light, but any miso you have on hand will work — just adjust the amount to taste, since darker misos are considerably more assertive.
- Broccoli. Cut into bite-sized pieces so it cooks evenly and stays bright green and tender-crisp.
- Fresh ginger. Adds warmth that ties the Italian and Asian flavors together — freshly grated makes a real difference over the dried version, which tastes flatter and more one-dimensional.
- Garlic. Rounds out the savory base of the sauce alongside the miso and ginger.
Variations
- Add tofu. Cubed baked or pan-fried tofu makes this even more filling and adds another layer of texture.
- Swap the vegetable. Cauliflower or green beans work well in place of broccoli.
- Make it spicier. Add extra red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili oil at the end.
- Try a different bean. Black beans or chickpeas both work nicely in this sauce.
- Add a splash of rice vinegar. A little acidity at the end brightens the whole dish and balances the richness of the miso.
Tips for the Best Pasta with Red Beans and Broccoli
- Don't overcook the broccoli. It should stay tender-crisp and bright green — keep an eye on it once it hits the pan, since it can go from perfect to mushy quickly.
- Whisk the miso mixture smooth first. This prevents lumps and helps the sauce thicken evenly rather than leaving little pockets of concentrated miso.
- Cook the pasta just to al dente. It will finish absorbing a little sauce once stirred in, so slightly underdone is safer than overdone.
- Taste before adding more miso. Miso brands vary quite a bit in saltiness and intensity, so start conservative.
- Save a little pasta water. A splash helps loosen the sauce if it thickens too much before everything is combined.
Make Ahead & Storage
This dish is best fresh, since the pasta continues to absorb the sauce as it sits. Leftovers keep for about 2 days in the fridge — reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce back up.
How to Serve
Serve hot, straight from the skillet, with extra red pepper flakes on the side for anyone who likes more heat.
Recipe
Pasta with Red Beans and Broccoli
A hearty pasta dish featuring broccoli and red beans in a miso-thickened sauce, fusing Italian and Asian flavors into a sturdy, everyday dinner.
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Servings:
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spiral pasta rotini or rotelle
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion quartered and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 good-sized broccoli crowns cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 large ripe tomatoes diced
- 1 ½ to 2 cups cooked small red or kidney beans or one 15- to 16-ounce can, drained and rinsed
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
- 2 to 3 tablespoons miso or to taste; mellow white miso works well
- 1 ½ tablespoons arrowroot or organic cornstarch
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
- freshly ground pepper and/or dried hot red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente, then drain.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the onion over medium heat until golden.
- Add the garlic and broccoli. Saute, covered, until the broccoli turns bright green, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, beans, and ginger. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender-crisp. Don't let it overcook.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, arrowroot or cornstarch, and warm water until smooth. Pour into the skillet along with the sesame oil.
- Simmer gently until the miso mixture has thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Stir in the pasta, season with pepper and/or red pepper flakes to taste, and serve.
Notes
You can use any kind of small red bean here, but adzuki beans are especially good. They're less common canned, but cook faster than most other bean varieties.
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Marcie says
I really liked this but my kids weren't crazy about the flavor. What would you do to sweeten the sauce a little?
Nava says
Marcie, sorry your question went under my radar .... sorry your kids didn't like this. You could literally sweeten the flavor with agave nectar. Depending on how old your kids are, you might deconstruct dishes like this that have a lot of elements — for example, serve the pasta with a bit of Earth Balance, and on the side, the beans seasoned with these salty and sweet and pungent flavors, and finally the broccoli with just a pinch of salt and a splash of olive oil. Until they were a certain age, my kids liked things kind of separate on the plate!