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World's Best Penne Florentine

VegetarianCasseroleItalian

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

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About

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!

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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.

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