After a long day of work, I often crave a meal that feels warm, grounding, and quietly satisfying. For me, comfort almost always looks like a bowl of pasta — something you can sink into without thinking too hard. Pasta is endlessly comforting, forgiving, and somehow always tastes even better the next day.
When I grow tired of heavy red sauces or rich cream-based pastas, I lean toward something simpler. I want the pasta to absorb flavour rather than be smothered by it — olive oil infused with garlic, a little heat, something briny or bright. The kind of dish that feels cozy, but still light enough to crave again.
This is my take on a quick and easy weekday pasta that delivers big flavour with very little effort. It’s versatile, endlessly adaptable, and genuinely delicious. The whole idea behind this dish is to layer ingredients that create as much umami richness as possible.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Serves
4
Ingredients
- Radiatore- Pasta of your choice (something that holds sauce well)
- 1 can of cannelloni beans ( can substitute with creamy bean)
- 3 to 4 shallots chopped
- 1 jar of green olives, roughly chopped
- 1 bottle of Capers
- 3 tbsp of stewed tomatoes ( from a can)
- Generous drizzle of good-quality olive oil ( to finish the dish)
- Italian herbs ( a tsp or more )
- dried parsley ( optional)
- Harissa paste for depth and warmth
- chilli flakes or chilli oil ( to taste) – need a little heat
- Zest and juice of a lemon for brightness
- Fresh parsley to finish
Steps
1
Finely chop 3–4 shallots and gently sauté them in a pan with a little butter and olive oil until soft and fragrant. Stir in a pinch of Italian seasoning and some dried parsley ( optional), letting the herbs bloom in the warm oil, then add harissa a little at a time, tasting as you go, until the mixture reaches just the right level of heat and aroma.
2
Once the shallots and harissa are fragrant, stir in about three tablespoons of capers (or more, if you like a bolder briny kick). Add a handful of olives, halved, and toss them in the pan to warm and release their flavour. Finally, spoon in just two or three tablespoons of tomatoes and let everything cook gently until it melds together into a glossy, flavourful mix.
3
Open a can of cannellini beans and stir them into the pan, letting them warm and soak up all the flavours. Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice for brightness, adding a fresh, vibrant note that ties the dish together. All the ingredients are cooked so you do not need to cook them mainly heating them on low flame and building flavour.
4
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously until it tastes like the sea, and cook the pasta until al dente.
5
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Add the drained pasta straight into the sauce with a few tablespoons of pasta water and toss to combine. While still hot, grate over a sharp cheese (I used cheddar) and mix until glossy and melted, then adjust with more lemon if needed. Finish with freshly minced parsley, serve immediately, and top with a few extra green olives.
This is one of my favourite pasta recipes. It’s easy and very versatile. You can add a good chilli oil to it onto enhance the umami flavour or you can.
Some tips:
- Its light on the sauce so you want to add as much flavour as you can. Do not add too much tomatoes. Recommend a canned chopped tomatoes in sauce. Just a little to pull all the sauce together. You don’t want a thick tomato sauce.
- If you are not a fan of olive you can sub with something that is as salty.
- Adding protein such as canned tuna or sausage or shrimp also an option
Serve it up, dig in, and don’t forget to share your version with heavenlytable — I’d love to see how you make it your own. Save it for later, pass it on to someone who loves a good pasta moment, and come back for more easy, flavour-packed recipes.
This is an easy recipe, the more it sits the better it tastes and get meal for a weeknight where you want something comforting and hearty but you do not want to be in the kitchen long. You can either add protein to this dish or serve it beside some chicken breast or pork lion. Try this out and let me know what you think!