Lemon-Herb White Bean Pasta with Crispy Garlic
A bright, protein-packed pasta dish featuring tender spaghetti, creamy white beans, and a fragrant garlic-lemon sauce that. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 25 minutes, pairs spaghetti, cannellini beans, extra virgin olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 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
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 1 can (15 oz), drained and rinsed cannellini beans
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves, thinly sliced garlic
- 1, zest and juice lemon
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 12 oz spaghetti and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente, then drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, sautéing for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden — do not brown the garlic.
- Step 3: Add the drained cannellini beans, 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, 1 tbsp lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper to the skillet. Simmer for 3 minutes, mashing some beans to thicken the sauce slightly until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Step 4: Toss the drained spaghetti into the skillet with the bean sauce, adding 2 tbsp reserved pasta water if needed to loosen. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped parsley and cook for 1 minute until everything is heated through.









