White Bean Tomato Sauce for Pasta

A hearty sauce to serve over pasta. A perennial easy favorite of mine, and a great way to add protein to pasta meals. This comes from the Vegetarian Express Lane Cookbook by Sarah Fritschner. I typically make this w/o olives and parsley, but have tried it with up to a 1/4 cup parsley with delicious results. Can be vegan if cheese is omitted.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (15 ounce) can great northern beans or 1 (15 ounce) can  other white beans
• 1⁄4 cup black olives (optional)
• 1  cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Heat oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic.
3. Add tomatoes, parsley (optional) and oregano. Simmer at least 10 minutes, or until mixture has thickened considerably. The longer the simmer the better the taste.
4. Add white beans and olives (optional) and cook, stirring, to heat through.
5. Serve sauce over pasta and top with feta cheese.