Our Best May Recipes
Stanley Tucci Gave Us The Secret To Creamy Pasta Sauce—And You Probably Already Have It In Your Pantry
Get the recipe for "Stanley Tucci's Greatest Dish in the World."
Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
If there's anything we can trust, it's Stanley Tucci's instincts for creating tasty pasta dishes. And when we heard about his latest pasta dish that uses a secret ingredient to create a luscious, thick sauce, we had to try it for ourselves. Here's what we thought and what we'd do differently.
The Secret Ingredient to Stanley Tucci's Cream-Less Creamy PastaIt's no secret that many great pasta sauces use reserved pasta water to help emulsify and thicken a sauce. That is a reliable method, but so is Tucci's secret ingredient, beans. That's right, this social media share—dubbed "Stanley Tucci's Greatest Dish in the World" by Desert Island Dishes—utilizes creamy, smooth cannellini beans to thicken the sauce. It's a great idea and we know, because we put it to the test.
How to Make Stanley Tucci's White Bean PastaTucci (via this interview) claims this dish is something he enjoys having for lunch. He first cooks onions and garlic in olive oil until fragrant and softened. Then he adds beans, chicken broth, and tomatoes and lets it all simmer. Next up, he adds kale or Swiss chard and once it's softened, he pulls out a bit of the mixture and transfers it to a blender to purée. Once it's smooth, he adds that back to the skillet, adds a bit of pasta water and Parmesan cheese, and "long pasta." After portioning it all into bowls, he garnishes it with a little olive oil and some more Parmesan.
The video that accompanies the interview with Tucci shows the steps we describe here, but Tucci's verbal description of the dish doesn't exactly match. Like, what are these tomatoes? The video shows what looks like canned crushed tomatoes, but Tucci says "they're cooked…." Since it's not clear what he uses, I chose canned, crushed tomatoes to keep things easy. As for blending, he doesn't specify if he purées the dish before or after adding the kale. I tried it both ways and preferred the recipe when puréed without the kale. It's more appealing visually and I like the texture the kale adds to the dish. But it tastes the same either way, so it's up to you when you'd like to blend.
Story continues
Notes about Making Tucci's PastaCream supreme: In order to get the mixture smooth and creamy, use a high-speed blender. And be careful. Pureeing hot liquid can be a tricky thing, so vent the top to allow steam to escape.
Pasta shape: A "long pasta" as Tucci calls it is a good choice for this recipe, but most shapes would be fine. Short pasta such as farfalle or penne would be a great option.
Personalize: Like any dish, experiment and adjust to fit your tastes. We've added crushed red pepper and basil for additional flavor. You could also substitute fire-roasted tomatoes for plain crushed tomatoes or even add a few more cloves of garlic. You could also swap in spinach for the kale.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 cups stemmed, chopped lacinato kale
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
12 ounces dried spaghetti
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided, plus extra for serving
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh basil, torn, optional
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add beans, broth, and tomatoes. Mix well and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of sauce to a blender and carefully blend until smooth.
Return blended portion back to saucepan along with kale and crushed red pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti to al dente following package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
Add 1/4 cup of pasta water to the saucepan along with 1/4 cup cheese and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked pasta and toss with sauce. Thin with additional reserved pasta water, as needed. Garnish with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and basil. Serves four.
Cannellini Beans With Rosemary
Ingredients 1 and 1/2 pounds dried cannellini beans2 fresh or dried bay leaves6 whole rosemary sprigs2 teaspoons coarse sea salt1/4 cup Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions Place the beans in a medium-size bowl and pour in enough cool water to cover by 4 inches. Soak the beans in a cool place for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain the beans and place them into a medium-size saucepan. Cover generously with cold water and add the bay leaves. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the beans are tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from heat. (The water should have reduced and now be level with the beans; if there is too much, drain off excess.) Stir in the rosemary, salt, and olive oil and allow to steep for 30 minutes. (Published 2000)
Cannellini With Sage, Tomato And Sausage
Democracy Dies in Darkness
clock icon50 minscourse iconMain Course Start CookingThis simple bean dish is full of wintry flavors. Sage pairs especially well with the fennel in Italian sausage, but parsley or rosemary would work here, too. Use homemade cannellini for the best flavor — though of course canned beans make this a pantry-friendly recipe.
This recipe is featured in the Eat Voraciously newsletter. Sign up here.
Adapted from "Via Carota" by Jody Williams and Rita Sodi with Anna Kovel (Knopf, 2022).
Story continues below advertisement
Advertisement
Ingredients measuring cupServings: 4 (makes 7 cups)
DirectionsTime Icon Active: 20 minsTotal: 50 mins
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Heat a large, ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil shimmers, crumble the sausage into the pan. Add the garlic and sage, and cook, stirring and breaking up the sausage, until the sausage is browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stir up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan and decrease the heat to medium. Cook until the sauce thickens and turns glossy, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the beans, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are crispy and browned. Drizzle with the olive oil, if desired, and serve with bread on the side for dipping.
Story continues below advertisement
Advertisement
Nutritional FactsPer serving (1 3/4 cups beans, 1 piece bread)
382
76 g
13 mg
13 g
20 g
27 g
3 g
680 mg
15 g
This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian's or nutritionist's advice.
Adapted from "Via Carota" by Jody Williams and Rita Sodi with Anna Kovel (Knopf, 2022).
Tested by G. Daniela Galarza
Comments
Gift this articleGift Article
Comments
Post a Comment