Creamy Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Cannellini Beans & Spinach

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving about ½ cup pasta water before draining.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat, add garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
3. Add cannellini beans and broth.
4. Mash about one-third of the beans with the back of a spoon to create a naturally creamy sauce.
5. Add spinach and tomatoes, if using, and cook until the spinach wilts.
6. Add pasta, parmesan, lemon zest and Italian seasoning.
7. Toss everything together adding reserved pasta water as needed until creamy.
8. Finish with lemon juice and black pepper.

Substitutes: 

• Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta
• Dairy-free: omit Parmesan or use a dairy-free Parmesan alternative
• Lactose intolerance: Parmesan is naturally low in lactose, but tolerance varies
• Vegetarian: use vegetable broth
• Low sodium: use no-salt-added beans, low-sodium broth, and reduce Parmesan as needed.