Pasta with White Beans and Kale is a flavorful budget friendly dinner that's loaded with protein. This vegan pasta recipe cooks in about 30 minutes and is also one of my favorite cheap vegan meals to make!
Dinner on a Budget
This white bean pasta with kale is easy to make but also nutritious so it's a great bang for the buck.
About 7 or 8 years ago, Newark, NJ mayor, Cory Booker, took on a food stamp challenge to spend under $30 for his weekly food intake. The average monthly food stamp benefit back then was only about $133 per person in New Jersey. It went up a little and when I last checked it was about $200 per person. That is still pretty tough for most of us to live on, wouldn't you say?
When I heard about this challenge, it made me think about the meals I would prepare if I was in that situation. This budget friendly dinner of pasta with beans would definitely be one of them. A great benefit of this meal is that it's quick and easy to make and the ingredients can be purchased almost anywhere. Cheap family meals don't have to come from a box.
Read more about how I grocery shop for my family on a budget.
White Bean Pasta Budget Meal Cost Breakdown
I updated the costs of this vegan pasta recipe to present day prices and it is still a good cheap dinner.
Here is the breakdown of my cost to feed 4 to 6 people:
- 16 ounces dried pasta $1.50
- 15 ounce can of white beans $1.00
- 28 ounce can of diced or crushed tomatoes $2.00
- 3 cups of kale (or other greens) $2.00
The total came to $6.50 for a dinner meal fit for a small family. I make this meal at home often and if you buy the ingredients on sale, the meal can be as low as $4.00.
Pantry Ingredients and Substitutions
- pasta
- olive oil
- garlic
- canned tomatoes
- fresh kale
- dried spices
- white beans
- salt and pepper
- grated cheese (OPTIONAL)
I know not everyone has the luxuries of a well-stocked pantry like I do. But this recipe can be adapted to whatever you have on hand.
- Use Canola oil or butter ( not vegan) instead of olive oil
- Use spices you have on hand such as onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, dried basil, or dried oregano to add flavor to the pasta with white beans and kale. Keep a jar of chopped garlic in your fridge if you can. It's cheap, lasts a while and can flavor many dishes.
- Any greens such as spinach or escarole could be substituted for the kale. Look for greens that are on sale. A bag or box of frozen spinach works too. I also keep blanched broccoli in my freezer which is a great addition to the pasta.
- Really any dried pasta noodle will be tasty. I like to use bow ties or penne.
- For the beans, look for Cannellini or white kidney beans. You can also substitute red kidney beans, great northern or Navy beans.
- If you would like to use fresh tomatoes instead of canned, you can chop up a few tomatoes and saute them with garlic. Or you could also air fry tomatoes and add them to this pasta recipe. Tomatoes are typically inexpensive especially the plum variety.
This meal contains pasta, vegetables and beans for protein. It is a great vegan choice and if you wanted to add meat to it, you could also add a few links of sliced sausage or chicken to make it even heartier. Or serve it with a simple tossed salad for more nutrition.
How To Make This Cheap Vegan Meal
While this vegan pasta recipe is a budget friendly dinner and healthy, it also is super easy to make. Anytime, I can get a meal on the table in under 30 minutes, I am happy.
Here are the simple steps:
- Boil pasta. Drain and keep warm.
- Saute garlic in olive oil; add crushed tomatoes, kale, beans and seasoning.
- Add drained pasta with a bit of pasta water to the tomato, kale and bean mixture. Season the pan of pasta.
- Mix together well. Serve with grated cheese if desired.
Helping Your Local Food Pantry
During the holiday season we are often reminded to help those less fortunate. During the rest of the year it is easy to forget that there are so many families struggling to make ends meet and get enough food on their table. I challenge you to make a meal like this for your family but then donate a few bucks or some canned goods to your local food pantry.
Here are some places that could always use our help:
Food Bank of South Jersey
Community Food Bank of NJ
Share Our Strength
Feeding America
Whether you are struggling to pay bills or not, everyone loves a quick nutritious meal. What are some of your favorite cheap family dinners? Links in the comment box are always welcome.
More Budget Friendly Dinners:
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese (Easy 5-Ingredient Recipe!)
- Air Fryer Chicken Legs - The Best Crispy Drumsticks out there!
- Baked Eggplant Parmesan Rounds
- Smoky Sausage Vegetable Soup
- Hamburger Steak with Onions and Gravy from Kylee Cooks
RECIPE
Pasta With White Beans and Kale
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta
- 2 TBS olive oil
- 1 TBS chopped garlic
- 3 cups kale torn in pieces
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes I used ones flavored with basil
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 can 15 ounces small white beans, rinsed and drained
- salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Italian cheese if desired
Instructions
- Cook pasta ala dente in a large pot of water according to package directions. Drain and keep warm but make sure to reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
- In the meantime, heat oil on medium heat in a large frying pan . Add garlic and kale. Cook for about 5 minutes or until kale starts to wilt.
- Add tomatoes, onion powder, and basil. Sir, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes.
- Add beans, cooked pasta and reserved pasta water. Stir well and simmer for a few minutes or until sauce thickens and sticks to pasta.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cheese if desired.
Nutrition
First Published February 2013; Updated March 2021
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debbie
Pinning and making! Thanks Lisa!
Biz
Your dish is the perfect example of how to eat healthy on a budget - love it! Did you hear about a food pantry in Winnepeg that decided to shut its doors because it attracted poor people? So crazy!
manu
This looks really delicious. I love the mixture of ingredients you have used and I love how you show the prices of the ingredients. very smart!
Danielle
Delicious sounding and looking! I love beans but John not so much...I feel like I could get him to eat it if I added pasta and kale (2 of his favorite things) 🙂
Kate
I have penne with kale on the menu for this week - but without the beans!
Ramona
I like kale. This sounds interesting.
Pam
Healthy, hearty, and delicious.
teresa
what a great cause. it's nice to know that it's still possible to eat nutritiously and deliciously on a budget!
Katrina
Mmm, that looks good. I want some. Not sure the rest of the fam would eat it. (Doesn't stop me from making it.)
Aggie
It's always a good idea to really think about food costs, this is definitely a great meal for your buck like you said. I love this Lisa! Greens, beans & pasta are a favorite of mine.
patsy
Great weeknight recipe idea! And you are so right... even more so after the holidays we need to remember that people are struggling every day to feed their families.
Mary@One Perfect Bite
This would fit nicely into SNAP challenge menus. It sounds delicious and provides significant nutrition for families that have limited food budgets. I hope your week is off to a good start. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary
Tawcan
Yea another way to use kale. My wife and I are always looking for recipes that utilize kale. Thanks for the recipe.
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective
Oh my goodness! I could eat this everyday. 🙂
Mahy
I've started to make pasta with beans just recently but I am so much in love with this combo! Can't wait to try your recipe!
Tara
Such an easy and delicious pasta dish! Love all those flavors, especially with the addition of the kale. Yum!
Lindsay
I so appreciate this budget friendly meal - I've been working to cut down my grocery bill. Adding this to the menu plan!
Carrie Robinson
I just love easy dinner recipes like this! And bonus points for being budget friendly too. 🙂
Michelle
Easy and yummy, and I love that there's some extra protein and veggies in it
Kathy
We loved this. We used vegan Parmesan since my daughter is vegan ( just raw cashews, garlic powder, salt and nutritional yeast whirled in the blender). Yummy and healthy. Would also be good with spinach.
lisa
Great idea!
Natasha
Absolutely delicious. I added some red pepper flakes with the garlic, and also 3 large cloves of garlic. My young adults are multiple helpings as did I! Thanks!
lisa
Thank you Natasha and glad you enjoyed!
Nancy
I’ll try this but sub spinach for kale since that’s what I have on hand. Yum! It would freeze well too!