Creamy hidden-bean pasta sauce recipe

Name: Creamy hidden-bean pasta sauce
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 2 x 400g tins chopped or plum tomatoes; 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 200ml soya milk alternative; 450g penne; 1 tsp crushed chillies (optional); 30g pack fresh basil, leaves picked and most finely chopped

Created by The Tesco Recipes team

Just a handful of ingredients create chef Derek Sarno’s super-creamy tomato pasta sauce, spiked with fresh basil and chilli. This vegan dish is made extra-creamy with blended cannellini beans.

See method

Serves 6
5 mins to prepare and 35 mins to cook
388 calories / serving

Shop your ingredients

Tesco Olive Oil 250Ml
2 tbsp olive oil
£3.10
£12.40/litre
Tesco Garlic 4 Pack
Aldi Price Match
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
£0.87
£0.22/each
Grower's Harvest Chopped Tomatoes 400G
Aldi Price Match
2 x 400g tins chopped or plum tomatoes
£0.43
£1.08/kg
Tesco Cannellini Beans Water 400G
Aldi Price Match
400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
£0.45
£1.83/kg DR.WT
The Grower's Harvest Soya Drink Unsweetened 1L
Aldi Price Match
200ml soya milk alternative
£0.79
£0.79/litre
Hearty Food Co. Penne Pasta 500G
Aldi Price Match
450g penne
£0.41
£0.82/kg
Tesco Crushed Chillies 28G
Any 4 for 3 Clubcard Price - Cheapest Product Free - Selected Cooking Ingredients
Offer valid for delivery from 29/09/2026 until 26/10/2026
1 tsp crushed chillies (optional)
£1.00
£35.71/kg
Tesco Fresh Cut Basil 30G
Aldi Price Match
30g pack fresh basil, leaves picked and most finely chopped
£0.50
£16.67/kg

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a low heat and fry the garlic for 5 mins until softened; be careful not to let it burn. Stir through the tomatoes, increase the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-25 mins, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by about half. Meanwhile, blitz the cannellini beans and soya milk-alternative with a handheld blender (or in a blender) on the highest speed until smooth.
Cook the pasta to pack instructions. Drain, reserving a mug of pasta water.
Stir the smooth bean mixture through the tomato sauce and reduce the heat to low. Warm through for 5 mins, stirring frequently – don’t let it boil or the sauce may split. Stir through the crushed chillies, if using, and the chopped basil; season to taste. For a completely smooth sauce, use a handheld blender to blitz the sauce inside the pan (off the heat).
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir well to coat. Add 1-2 tbsp pasta water if needed to loosen, then top with the remaining basil leaves to serve.

Make ahead: The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead; store in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on the hob or in the microwave, without boiling, until piping hot.