Beans, peas, spinach and cottage cheese. Six containers, Sunday to Friday.
Serves 6 · Active ~28 min · Total elapsed ~32 min
Nutrition (from source)
- Energy ~540–590 kcal per serve · ~3,240–3,540 kcal total
- Protein 24–27 g · Carbs 75–82 g · Fat 12–15 g
- Fibre 13–16 g · Saturated fat 3–4.5 g
Equipment
- Your deepest pan or pot — finished volume is around 4 litres, larger than the wording implies.
- A second pot for the pasta. Both burners run from minute 4.
Ingredients
Grouped by when they’re used.
- Before you start — 1 large brown onion, finely diced
- 0 min · base
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- The diced onion
- A pinch of salt
- 4 and 14 min · pasta pot
- 500 g pasta (penne, fusilli or shells)
- Salt for the water — well salted
- 9 min — 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 10 min · sauce
- 700 g passata or crushed tomatoes
- 1–2 tsp Italian herbs
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- Generous black pepper
- 19 min · seasoning
- 1–2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- Salt, gradually, to taste
- 20–22 min · add-ins
- 2 cans cannellini beans, drained
- 450–500 g frozen peas
- 1 bag baby spinach (~120–150 g)
- 24 min · creaminess
- 200 g cottage cheese
- 20–30 g parmesan, finely grated
- 1 cup reserved pasta water (taken at 23 min)
Before active cooking
- Dice the onion (~3 min)
Nothing else needs to be ready at zero.
Timeline
Legend
● act │ free ┃ stay at the pan
◆ go when true ◇ stop when true
🔪 prep, into a free window ✓ done
[+n] minutes to your next action, either lane
Right-hand lane is the pasta.
0 min ● OIL + ONION + PINCH SALT, medium
[+4] │ 8–10 min → soft, golden, savoury
│
│ 🔪 Mince garlic
│
4 min ├·······→ ● PASTA POT ON, salt well
[+5] │ │ ◆ to a rolling boil
│ │
│ 🔪 Measure herbs, chilli, pepper
│ │
9 min ● GARLIC │
┃ 1 min, don't let it colour
10 min ● PASSATA + HERBS + CHILLI + PEPPER
[+4] │ simmer 8–10 min
│ │
│ 🔪 Drain + rinse cannellini
│ │
14 min │ ● PASTA IN
[+5] │ │ ~9 min ◇ slightly underdone
│ │
│ 🔪 Grate parmesan
│ 🔪 Peas, spinach, cottage cheese out
│ │
19 min ● BALSAMIC · TASTE · SALT GRADUALLY
│ → until savoury and rounded
20 min ● BEANS + FROZEN PEAS
[+2] │ simmer 2–3 min
│ │
22 min ● SPINACH · stir once, let it wilt
│ ◆ cup by the sink
23 min │ ● RESERVE 1 CUP · DRAIN
│ ✓ PASTA — holds ~3 min
24 min ● LOW HEAT · COTTAGE CHEESE + PARMESAN
[+2] ┃ + splash pasta water · DO NOT BOIL
26 min └────────→ ● ADD PASTA · MIX
[+2] ┃ adjust salt, pepper, pasta water
28 min ✓ DONE
Storage and reheating
- Portion into 6 containers. Keeps Sunday to Friday in the fridge.
- Reheat with a small splash of water or milk.
- Optional after reheating: a squeeze of lemon, or a tiny drizzle of olive oil.
