Pasta e Fagioli is one of those dishes that perfectly captures the beauty of Italian home cooking. Creamy beans, tender pasta, good olive oil, and a handful of pantry staples come together to create something that’s simple, satisfying, and incredibly delicious.
My nonna made some version of this all the time growing up. It wasn’t fancy, and that was exactly the point. Beans, pasta, olive oil, garlic, whatever was in the pantry, transformed into a meal that felt comforting and nourishing every single time.
This version stays true to that spirit while leaning into convenience. Everything cooks in one pot, the pasta releases its starches directly into the broth, and the cannellini beans create a naturally creamy texture without any cream. A little anchovy adds depth, lemon zest brightens everything up, and dinner is on the table in less than 20 minutes.
❤️ Why You’ll Love One-Pot Pasta e Fagioli
- Pantry-friendly A handful of everyday staples come together into something incredibly satisfying.
- One-pot magic Everything cooks in a single pot, which means minimal cleanup.
- Naturally creamy The beans and pasta create a rich texture without any cream.
- Protein and fiber packed Cannellini beans make this hearty enough to stand on its own.
- Ready in under 20 minutes Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something comforting fast.
🍲 Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Anchovy fillets packed in oil
- Garlic
- Chili flakes
- Cannellini beans
- Water or light chicken stock
- Ditalini or lumache pasta
- Lemon zest
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Parmigiano
- Fresh parsley
👩🍳 How to Make One-Pot Pasta e Fagioli
- Build the flavor base. Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the anchovies and cook until they melt into the oil. Stir in the garlic and chili flakes and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the beans. Stir in the cannellini beans and season lightly with salt. Using the back of a spoon, mash about one-third of the beans directly in the pot to help create a naturally creamy texture.
- Pour in the liquid. Add the water or stock and bring everything to a boil.
- Cook the pasta. Add the pasta directly to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until just shy of al dente. Add additional water as needed throughout cooking to maintain a loose, brothy consistency.
- Finish the dish. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, Parmigiano, parsley, and a few generous cracks of black pepper.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and finish with more Parmigiano, fresh black pepper, a drizzle of good olive oil, and extra parsley.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Mash some of the beans, but leave most whole for the best texture.
- Keep the consistency slightly looser than you think it should be. The pasta will continue absorbing liquid as it sits.
- Ditalini is the traditional choice, but lumache works beautifully too.
- The anchovies won’t make the dish taste fishy, they simply add depth and umami.
- Add the lemon zest at the very end so it stays bright and fragrant.
🗒 Substitutions
- Swap cannellini beans for great northern beans or navy beans.
- Vegetable stock works beautifully if you’d like to keep the dish vegetarian, simply omit the anchovies.
- Any small pasta shape will work if you don’t have ditalini or lumache.
🧊 Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so don’t be surprised if it thickens considerably overnight. When reheating, simply add a splash of water or stock to loosen everything back up.
❓ FAQ
Absolutely. Skip the anchovies and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Not at all. The anchovies melt into the oil and simply add savory depth and umami.
Ditalini is the most traditional option, but lumache, small shells, or any other small pasta shape work well.
One-Pot Pasta e Fagioli
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2 anchovy fillets packed in oil
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, or to taste
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 to 5 cups water or light chicken stock, plus more as needed
- 8 ounces ditalini or lumache pasta
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Add the anchovies and cook until they dissolve into the oil.
- Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the cannellini beans and season lightly with salt.
- Mash about one-third of the beans directly in the pot.
- Pour in the water or stock and bring to a boil.
- Add the pasta and cook, stirring often, until just shy of al dente.
- Add additional water as needed to maintain a loose, brothy consistency.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, Parmigiano, parsley, and black pepper.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve with additional Parmigiano, olive oil, parsley, and black pepper.
