Any beans will work in this stew-like sauce, if cannellini are not your game. I particularly love the nutty bravado of garbanzos (chickpeas) as well. Start preparing the sauce about 30 minutes before serving.

Hearty Vegetable Sauce
- Cooking and Prep: 30 m
- Serves: 6
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Contains:
Ingredients (9)
Main ingredients
Start Cooking
Prepare the Vegetable Sauce
Makes about 3 cups
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Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil appears to shimmer, stir-fry the garlic and pistachios until the garlic is lightly brown and the nuts are fragrant, one to two minutes.
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Pour in the tomatoes, including the juices, and the beans. Stir once or twice. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally. Pile in the spinach, cover the saucepan, and allow the greens to wilt in the rising steam, without stirring, about five minutes.
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Stir in the salt, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes. Lower the heat to allow the sauce to simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes.
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Serve with gnocchi and freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Credits
Excerpted from Smashed, Mashed, Boiled, and Baked—and Fried, Too! by Raghavan Iyer (Workman Publishing). Copyright © 2016.
Photograph by Jenna Grunfeld for Kosher.com.