Penne with fried lemons, white beans, and sun-dried tomatoes

In order to bring you the best organic produce, some ingredients may differ from those depicted.

Great for Entertaining

Penne with fried lemons, white beans, and sun-dried tomatoes

Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Lean & Clean

2 Servings, 580 Calories/Serving

30–40 Minutes

This elegant yet easy vegetarian and gluten-free pasta hits the high notes with tangy fried lemons, omega-3-rich walnuts, and balsamic vinegar.

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In your bag

1 bag serves 2 (2 bags serve 4)
Sunbasket is proud to source the organic ingredients indicated below. On the rare occasion we are unable to meet our organic promise, we'll put a note in your bag.
  • ¾ ounce sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
  • 5 ounces gluten-free quinoa penne
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 cup cooked white beans
  • 3 tablespoons walnuts
  • 3 or 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • ½ teaspoon red chile flakes (optional)
  • 3 ounces baby arugula
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Make It Leaner
Stretch this hearty pasta dish into 3 servings and you’ll slash 190 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving. The next day, enjoy the leftovers as a cold pasta salad for lunch or heat it up for a quick dinner.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 580, Protein: 17g (34% DV), Fiber: 12g (48% DV), Total Fat: 19g (29% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g (10% DV), Cholesterol: 0mg (0% DV), Sodium: 55mg (2% DV), Carbohydrates: 86g (29% DV), Total Sugars: 12g, Added Sugars: 0g (0% DV).
Contains: Tree Nuts

Sodium does not include pantry salt; for reference, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt per serving averages 240mg (10% DV).

Instructions

2-serving instructions (4-serving modifications in red)

Wash produce before use

1

Soak the sun-dried tomatoes

In a small bowl, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in very hot tap water until softened, 10 to 15 minutes.
While the sun-dried tomatoes soak, prepare the penne.

2

Cook the penne

Bring a medium sauce pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until tender, 8 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spider skimmer, transfer the penne to a colander; set aside ½ cup pasta cooking water and return the remaining water to a boil for the lemon slices.
While the water heats and the penne cooks, prepare the lemon slices.

3

Prep and cook the lemon

  • Zest the lemon and trim off the ends. Cut the lemon in half lengthwise, then crosswise into ¼-inch-thick half-moons. Discard any seeds. Set aside the zest for finishing the pasta.
Add the lemon slices to the boiling water and cook until they turn pale yellow, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spider skimmer, transfer the lemon slices to a paper-towel-lined plate and pat dry.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 to 2 teaspoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add the lemon slices, season with salt and ¼ teaspoon sugar, if using, and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Do not clean the pan.
While the lemon slices cook, start preparing the remaining ingredients.

4

Prep and cook the remaining ingredients; finish the pasta

  • Peel and thinly slice the yellow onion.
  • Rinse the white beans.
  • Drain the sun-dried tomatoes and discard the soaking liquid; coarsely chop the tomatoes.
  • Coarsely chop the walnuts.
  • Strip the parsley leaves from the stems; coarsely chop the leaves for garnish.
In the same pan used for the lemon, warm 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the white beans, lemon zest, and as many chile flakes as you like and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the penne and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water and toss to coat. Add more cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time if the sauce seems dry.
Remove from the heat and fold in the arugula and sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkle with the lemon slices and walnuts and gently toss to combine. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and 1 to 2 teaspoons oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve

Transfer the penne to individual bowls, garnish with the parsley, and serve.