Quinoa with Creamy Cannellini Beans & Sun-Dried Tomatoes
A warm bowl of quinoa topped with cannellini beans in a sauce that has no cream in it and does not need any. The secret is the bean liquid. Reduce it with mashed fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and a few spoonfuls of hummus, and it turns silky on its own.
One skillet, one pot, 15 minutes. 33g of protein and 21g of fiber from plants, with chili powder building a quiet warmth through the whole bowl.
A warm bowl of quinoa topped with cannellini beans in a sauce that has no cream in it and does not need any. The secret is the bean liquid. Reduce it with mashed fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and a few spoonfuls of hummus, and it turns silky on its own.
One skillet, one pot, 15 minutes. 33g of protein and 21g of fiber from plants, with chili powder building a quiet warmth through the whole bowl.
Ingredients
- quinoa 3 ounces
- cannellini beans 8 ounces
- garlic 1 clove
- tomatoes 2
- sun-dried tomatoes 5 pieces
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- chili powder 1 pinch
- hummus 3 tablespoons
- lemon juice 1 squeeze
- spinach 1 handful
Method
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Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions.
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Drain the beans and reserve the liquid.
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Finely chop the garlic, fresh tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes.
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Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic for 1 minute. Then add the fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and chili powder and cook for another minute.
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Add the liquid from the beans and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 3 minutes while mashing the fresh tomatoes with a spoon.
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Add the hummus and lemon juice and stir.
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Mix in the spinach and beans. Cook until the spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper.
Reserve every drop of the bean liquid when you drain the cannellini beans. It is the foundation of the sauce. Reducing it with the tomatoes and hummus is what creates the creamy consistency without adding cream or stock.
Behind this recipe
Can I use a different type of bean?
You can, but cannellini beans are the reason this sauce works the way it does. Their liquid is starchier than most beans, which is what gives the reduced sauce its creamy body without any dairy. Chickpeas or butter beans would be the closest alternatives. Kidney beans or black beans would change the texture and flavor significantly.
Is 33g of protein enough for a full meal?
For most people, yes. Research on protein distribution found that the body can use well beyond the old 30g-per-meal ceiling that circulated for years. Thirty-three grams of plant protein from quinoa and cannellini beans together provides a complete amino acid profile, since grains and legumes complement each other's amino acid gaps.
Read the full evidence reviewWhy use both fresh and sun-dried tomatoes?
They do different jobs. Fresh tomatoes break down when you mash them into the bean liquid, creating the wet base of the sauce. Sun-dried tomatoes hold their shape and add a concentrated, slightly sweet depth that fresh tomatoes cannot deliver on their own. Together they give you both body and intensity in a sauce that cooks in three minutes.
