Lemony White Bean Pasta (30 Minute Dinner!)

My white bean pasta is super satisfying, incredibly flavorful, and can be ready in a flash! Made with tender linguine, cannellini beans, fresh basil, and cherry tomatoes drenched in a garlicy, lemony sauce, this easy dish will become your new favorite weeknight dinner. This one can be on the table in about thirty minutes!

White wooden surface set with pot and bowl of White Bean Pasta.

I have a super secret hack that I often use when I want to make my meals more satisfying: throw in a can of beans! Seriously, it works with so many dishes. I do it with all kinds of recipes on this site that don’t actually call for beans. I’ll add beans to my tofu tacos, vegan fried rice (weird, but good!), green bean curry, and mushroom risotto, just to name a few. I also LOVE adding beans to pasta.

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I’m really sorry I never told you about this trick. But I’m making up for it today, with this super easy, really scrumptious white bean pasta recipe. This dish is kind of like a hybrid of my cherry tomato pasta and my spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino, but with a can of white beans thrown in. It’s satisfying, delicious, and ridiculously easy to whip up.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Below you’ll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.

Dried linguine pasta. I like this recipe with linguine, but the pasta shape isn’t really crucial, so use another one if you prefer.
Olive oil. We’re using quite a bit of olive oil, so go for the good stuff. Make sure it’s extra-virgin, and don’t even bother trying to substitute another type of oil.
Garlic.
Red pepper flakes. These will add some heat, so feel free to skip them if you’re not into that.
Cannellini beans. Got a can of some other type of white bean you’d like to use? Be my guest. Butter beans, chickpeas, navy beans, and great northern beans are all fine!
Cherry tomatoes. You’ll only need a few of these, to add some juice and tangy flavor to the sauce. Use extra if you want!
Salt and pepper.
Fresh basil. Dried basil won’t cut it. Use fresh!
Lemon juice. Make sure it’s freshly squeezed, for the best possible flavor. You’re going to need a lemon for the zest anyway, so no excuses.
Lemon zest. See? Told ya.

How It’s Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

Step 1: Boil your pasta according to the package directions, but only cook it until it reaches the al dente stage. Save about a cup of the pasta cooking water when you drain it — you’ll be using this later.

Minced garlic cooking in olive oil in a pot with a wooden spoon.

Step 2: Heat your olive oil in a pot, then add minced garlic. Slowly cook the garlic over medium-low heat, until it begins to brown.

Minced garlic and red pepper flakes cooking in olive oil.

Step 3: Add some red pepper flakes to the pot and briefly sauté them with the garlic.

White beans and cherry tomatoes simmering in a pot.

Step 4: Stir in the beans, cherry tomatoes, salt, and about a half cup of that pasta cooking water you saved. Raise the heat a bit and let the mixture simmer for a few minutes.

White beans, linguine pasta, and cherry tomatoes being stirred together with a pair of tongs.

Step 5: Add the cooked pasta and toss everything using tongs. Cook the pasta in the sauce briefly — just long enough to heat it back up and soften it slightly.

Basil being stirred into a pot of White Bean Pasta.

Step 6: Stir in the basil, lemon juice and lemon zest. You can also add additional salt, if you’d like, and some black pepper.

Pot of White Bean Pasta with a wooden spoon and blue napkin on the side.

Your white bean pasta is ready! I like to top mine with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan cheese, but it’s also delicious on it’s own.

Leftovers & Storage

Leftover white bean pasta will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about three days. It can be reheated in a hot skillet with a few splashes of water, or you can place it in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a wet paper towel, and zap it in one to two minute increments, stirring in between.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this recipe be made gluten-free?

Yep! Just use your favorite gluten-free pasta.

Why do I need to use the pasta cooking water in the sauce? Will plain water work?

The pasta cooking water will contain a little bit of starch from the pasta, and this will help give your sauce a nice texture and bond it with the pasta. Regular water will work fine if you forget to save some of the water before draining your pasta.

Is this dish spicy?

Yes, it’s a bit on the spicy side, thanks to the inclusion of crushed red pepper flakes. Feel free to reduce the amount or omit them entirely for a milder dish.

Bowl of White Bean Pasta with a blue pot in the background.

Variations

Creamy white bean pasta. For an extra creamy version of this dish, try adding a half cup of full-fat coconut milk or vegan heavy cream alternative in step five.
Add protein. For extra protein, try adding some sautéed seitan or baked tofu, such as my lemon herb baked tofu or Italian baked tofu.
Pesto white bean pasta. Finish the dish by adding a few tablespoons of vegan pesto.
Add veggies. Add some sautéed veggies, such as mushrooms, spinach, broccoli rabe, asparagus, or kale.

More Easy Pasta Recipes

Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!

Bowl of White Bean Pasta with fork and spoon.

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Lemony White Bean Pasta

My white bean pasta is super satisfying, incredibly flavorful, and can be ready in a flash! Made with tender linguine, cannellini beans, fresh basil, and cherry tomatoes drenched in a garlicy, lemony sauce, this easy dish will become your new favorite weeknight dinner. This one can be on the table in about thirty minutes!

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Ingredients

10 ounces dried linguine pasta
¼ cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste — use less for a milder dish)
1 (15.5 ounce/439 gram) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspooon lemon zest
Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, until al dente. Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the rest into a colander when the pasta has finished cooking.
Add the olive oil to a large skillet and place it over medium-low heat. Give the oil a minute or two to heat up. Once it starts to shimmer, add the garlic. Cook the garlic for about five minutes, until it turns golden brown, stirring often to prevent it from burning.
Add the red pepper flakes to the skillet, and sauté them with the garlic for about thirty seconds, stirring constantly.
Add the cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, and one teaspoon of salt, then add a half cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir everything up, raise the heat to medium, and bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for five minutes, adding more of the pasta cooking water if it gets too dry.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss everything using a pair of tongs to combine the ingredients. You can add more of the pasta cooking water at any point, if needed. Cook everything for about one minute, or until the pasta is hot and as tender as you like it.
Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the basil, lemon juice, and zest. Season the pasta with more salt, if needed, and black pepper to taste.
Divide onto plates and serve.

Nutrition

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