White Bean Pasta (Lemony, Garlicky, Full of Greens)

This white bean pasta is made with a silky sauce of shallots, garlic, cannellini beans and lemon—finished with arugula, herbs, and pine nuts for brightness and crunch. 

I love mixing beans into pasta dishes. They add texture and richness, and turn it into a complete protein—so I don’t feel obligated to serve meat (though it does go so well with this lemony herb crusted salmon).

This is a super simple pasta with sweet shallots, creamy cannellini beans, lemon, and plenty of peppery arugula and parsley. I like to add just a bit of anchovy to the sauce for depth and balance—but of course, you can skip them. And while it might not look like a full meal at first glance, trust me: half a box of orecchiette (8 oz) plus two cans of beans makes a lot! It hits the perfect balance of pasta and veggies. 

This is a flexible, weeknight-friendly recipe that gives you that little something extra without much extra work. Use what’s in your pantry, lean on seasonal produce, and make it your own.

I especially love serving this with something cool and crunchy, like a shaved fennel salad. And if you have the bandwidth, source delicate heirloom cannellini beans (like the Marcella from Rancho Gordo) and cook a full pound—use half in this pasta, and save the rest for a kale white bean salad or tuna white bean salad later in the week.

making this white bean pasta:

more recipe tips:

• Add crumbled hot Italian sausage, oil-packed tuna, or chopped rotisserie chicken to make it heartier.
• Swap in your favorite bitter greens—this pasta is great with blanched kale, spinach, or escarole.
• Stir in Calabrian chile paste if you’re as obsessed as I am, or keep the heat simple with crushed red pepper.
• Use high-quality anchovies (packed in oil), finely chopped and melted into the olive oil. Skip the paste—it’s usually too fishy. Great anchovies add a subtle, savory depth that plays perfectly with the lemon, parsley, and arugula.

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