Best Ever One-Pot Lemon Herb Pasta with White Beans

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-06 · Updated 2026-04-06

A vibrant, protein-packed pasta dish with tender pasta, creamy white beans, and bright lemon-zest, all cooked in one pot. This Mediterranean-inspired one-pot recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 30 minutes, pairs pasta, cannellini beans, lemon for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 8 oz pasta
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

The chef’s knife we’d prep this with → Best Chef's Knives for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cook 8 oz pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 1 minute less than package instructions (about 7 minutes), then drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
2. Step 2: While pasta cooks, mince 3 cloves garlic and zest 1 lemon. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in the same pot over medium heat, add garlic and lemon zest, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed), 1 cup vegetable broth, 2 tsp fresh thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Simmer for 3 minutes to blend flavors.
4. Step 4: Stir in drained pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, tossing until sauce thickens and coats pasta (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese until melted, then serve immediately.