This white bean scampi served over whole-wheat linguine provides a high-fiber, vegetarian alternative to shrimp scampi.
White Bean Scampi with Linguine
This vegetarian entrée channels all the flavors of a classic shrimp scampi but leans on mild, creamy cannellini beans, a naturally fat-free protein packed with fiber to keep you fuller longer. White wine and fresh lemon juice bring brightness, while cherry tomatoes and spinach lend pops of color. For more scampi recipes, try my Shrimp Scampi Zoodles, Grilled Shrimp Scampi Skewers, and Shrimp Scampi Foil Packets.
Vegetarian Scampi Ingredients
- Pasta: Boil whole-wheat linguine in salted water. If you don’t have linguine, sub angel hair or spaghetti.
- Garlic: Sauté the garlic with black pepper and chili flakes in olive oil.
- Wine: Choose a good-quality dry white wine, like pinot grigio or chardonnay. If you prefer scampi with no wine, omit it and use chicken or
vegetable broth. - Tomatoes: Halve 10 ounces of cherry tomatoes.
- Spinach: Eight ounces of spinach may look like a lot, but it will cook down.
- Beans: Drain and rinse two cans of cannellini beans. Swap them for another type of white bean, like Great Northern or Navy beans, if you want.
- Lemon Juice squeezed from one lemon.
- Butter: Stirring just a tablespoon of butter in at the end enhances the flavor without adding a ton of extra fat.
- Garnishes: Sprinkle with chopped parsley and grated parmesan.
How to Make Cannellini Scampi
- Cook the Pasta: Boil salted water and add the pasta. Cook it for a minute less than the package instructs, reserve a half cup of pasta water, and then drain the noodles.
- Garlic: In the same pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat, and cook the garlic, red pepper flakes, and black pepper until fragrant.
- Scampi Sauce: Pour in the wine, bring it to a simmer, and reduce the liquid until it’s more or less the consistency of heavy cream.
- Vegetables: Add the tomatoes and cook them for a minute or two. Throw in the spinach a handful at a time, stir until it wilts, and then continue with the remaining spinach.
- Add the Pasta: Add the linguine and pasta water, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, occasionally stirring, until the liquid thickens and incorporates.
- Beans: Decrease the heat to medium, pour in the beans and lemon juice, and cook for a minute.
- Serve: Remove the pot from the heat, mix in the butter, and garnish with parsley and parmesan.
What to Serve with Cannellini Bean Scampi
This vegetarian scampi is filling enough to be a meal on its own since it has protein from the beans and plenty of veggies. If you want to serve it with something, go with a big green salad or roasted vegetables.
How to Freeze Vegetarian Scampi
This cannellini scampi will last refrigerated for up to five days, and you can freeze it for up to three months in food storage containers. Thaw the dish in the fridge the day before eating and reheat it in the microwave until warm.
More Vegetarian Pasta Recipes You’ll Love:
- Balsamic Roasted Veggies and White Bean Pasta
- Angel Hair Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes
- Pasta with Asparagus
- Grilled Vegetable Orzo Pasta Salad
- Cheesy Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies
Your comments are helpful! If you’ve tried this healthy White Bean Scampi recipe or any other on Skinnytaste, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. And if you took a photo of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can reshare it on my Stories!
White Bean Scampi with Linguine
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat linguine, I love Delallo
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup dry white wine, or broth
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 10-ounce container, halved
- 8 ounce bag baby spinach
- 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans or navy beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup lemon juice, about 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or vegan butter
- ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Finely grated Parmesan or vegan parmesan, optional for serving
Instructions
- Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta about 1 minute less than the package instructions, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- In the same pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the garlic, red pepper flakes, and black pepper until fragrant, 1 minute,
- Pour in the wine, add the salt and bring to a simmer. Let the liquid reduce thickened.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just enough time to warm them through without letting them soften.
- Add the spinach, a big handful at a time, and stir just until it wilts before adding more, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked pasta with the reserved pasta water. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens and incorporates, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Decrease the heat to medium. Add the beans and lemon juice and cook for another minute to warm through.
- Remove from the heat and finish with the butter, stirring until melted.
- Serve right away, garnished with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan.
