Instant Pot Cannelini Beans with Penne, Baby Kale, and Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Beat the heat and the time required to cook dried beans on the stove by using your Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker to get the job done in a fraction of the time! Instant Pot Cannelini Beans with Penne, Baby Kale, and Slow Roasted Tomatoes uses those fiber and nutrient-rich beans in a super quick and easy pasta dish perfect for busy weeknights!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill, but the content and opinions are my own. I have enthusiastically used their products for years!

Instant Pot. Electric Pressure Cooker. Same. Thing. Whew! I had to get that “off my chest!”

One of the VERY Best things a pressure cooker does is dried beans. I promise. I don’t have to remember to soak overnight, or do a rapid “soak” (boil for 2 minutes and soak for 60). I put the beans in the pressure cooker, and 15-35 minutes later, my beans are done. The texture and flavor is far superior to canned, and always my choice when possible. I make 2-3 cups of dried beans, and freeze unused beans in zip bags.

You probably know by now that I am a fan of Bob’s Red Mill Products? Yes? I love their products for many reasons, but the biggies for me are:

• The quality is amazing. Their products are all natural, whole, and minimally processed. LOVE.
• I can trust their labels. If it says “gluten free,” I know it’s gluten free. The “USDA Organic” label means its really organic. The clear packaging allows me to see what I’m buying!
• It’s employee-owned, and Bob has a relationship with his farmers. It’s important to know that our food doesn’t just come from the grocery store IMHO!

Until I discovered Bob’s Red Mill Dried Cannelini Beans, I had to settle for canned. Rinse. Drain. Rinse some more. The goo that comes on canned beans is not appealing to me. Additionally, the texture of canned beans is just not the same! Make a larger batch and freeze the extra!

My Instant Pot Cannelini Beans with Penne, Arugula, and Slow Roasted Tomatoes starts with? Bob’s Red Mill Cannelini Beans cooked in an electric pressure cooker… and ends with this lovely pasta dish! Once the beans are cooked, it’s ready in 15-20 minutes. Doesn’t that bring a smile to your face?

Feature Ingredient: Cannelini Beans

So, I use cannelini beans a lot… think Tuscan Fish with Cannelini Beans, Tomatoes, and Spinach and Spanish Fish With Chard, Cannelini, & Tomatoes. They’re not an exotic ingredient. Rather, they’re just humble beans. And we love them!

Often referred to as “white kidney beans,” they’re larger and “meatier” than navy or northern beans. Cannelini are actually an Italian white bean, and I’d really not agree that they’re “white kidney beans.”

They’re awesome in stews (of course), but comfortable in pastas and salads as well. I’d probably say cannelini are my favorite beans. If you cannot find them, by all means substitute another white bean!

Instant Pot Cannelini Beans with Penne, Baby Kale, and Slow Roasted Tomatoes

I’m going to assume you’ll start with cannelini beans cooked in a pressure cooker. Pretty please? You’ll need slow-roasted tomatoes (substitute sun-dried if you must), some fresh baby greens, penne (I like Barilla’s Veggie Rotini), and some ingredients from your well-stocked pantry.

You’ll sauté up some red or sweet onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper, in some olive oil. Add in some fennel seed that’s been crushed with a pestle, then de-glaze with dry sherry (or marsala). Finish with some broth/stock, slow-roasted tomatoes, baby kale or other greens, fresh oregano and cooked penne.

Lastly, you need to garnish with additional fresh herbs, and a generous amount of freshly-grated parm (go for the parmagiano reggiano if you can!). It’s simple, delicious, nutritious. And perfect for #MeatlessMonday.

Yield: 6 cups

Instant Pot Cannelini Beans

Print

Make short work of your dried cannelini beans with your Instant Pot or pressure cooker. You'll have beans with better texture and flavor than canned, and in a fraction of the time with stove top! No need to pre-soak!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• water
• 2 cups cannelini beans, (see notes)

Instructions

1. Rinse and sort beans. Add them to the pressure cooker, then add water to the fill line for your cooker (no more than half full!).
2. Lock lid in place. If using electric: Use "manual" setting for 30 minutes. If using stovetop: Bring to high pressure, and cook 30 minutes.
3. Do a natural release. Rinse and drain the beans.
4. The Instant Pot Cannelini Beans with Penne, Arugula, and Slow-Roasted Tomatoes requires 2 cups of beans. 2 cups dried beans equals about 4-5 cups of cooked beans. This is enough for a second meal. Place the remaining beans in a zip bag and freeze for future use.

Notes

For more on cooking times for dried beans, see this post. 

I NEVER pre-soak anymore. I've done dried beans with and without a pre-soak in both stovetop and electric pressure cookers, and I prefer the texture and flavor of un-soaked beans. 

Respect the "fill line" on your pressure cooker. Beans expand. That means you probably better not fill above 1/2. My stovetop model doesn't have a line, but with beans, I stay under half full (beans and water). You need about 3-4 cups of water per cup of beans. I always just cover my beans to the fill line or half full.

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Yield: 4 servings

Instant Pot Cannelini Beans with Penne, Arugula, and Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Print

Beat the heat and the time required to cook dried beans on the stove by using your Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker to get the job done in a fraction of the time! Instant Pot Cannelini Beans with Penne, Arugula, and Slow Roasted Tomatoes uses those fiber and nutrient-rich beans in a super quick and easy pasta dish perfect for busy weeknights!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salt, (see notes)
• 8 ounces penne, I like Barilla Veggie Penne
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, red or sweet preferable
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed (mortar and pestle)
• 1/3 cup dry sherry or marsala
• 1/2 cup broth/stock, more or less
• 2 cups cooked cannelini beans
• 3/4 cup slow-roasted tomatoes, coarse chop
• 6 cups baby kale (spinach, arugula), more or less
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, finely chopped (see notes)
• sea salt/fresh ground pepper
• parmesan, for grating (optional)

Instructions

1. Put water on to boil (add salt) for pasta. Cook according to package to al dente.
2. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper to a heavy saute pan (I like my cast iron skillet).
3. Saute until the onions are soft, and getting just a hint of color. Add the crushed fennel seeds, and de-glaze with sherry or marsala.
4. Add the broth or stock, cooked cannelini beans, and slow-roasted tomatoes. Simmer to combine flavors about 5 minutes.
5. Add baby kale (or other baby greens), finely chopped oregano, and penne. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve with grated parmesan (optional).

Notes

I use a generous palm full of salt in my pasta water. It sounds like a lot, but it's your only chance to season the pasta. For more on salting pasta, see How to Properly Salt Your Pasta Water.

If you have to substitute dried oregano leaves, add in with the broth/stock.

Macronutrients (approximation from MyFitnessPal.com): 483 calories; 19 g protein; 76 g carbohydrates; 10 g fat. Note: Stats use Barilla Veggie Pasta.

Obviously parmesan is not vegan. You can substitute a vegan cheese or omit entirely!

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 483

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