Pasta e Fagioli Recipe (Italian Bean Pasta)
This pasta e fagioli recipe combines cannellini beans, rigatoni, garlic, sage, rosemary, olive oil, and a little unsmoked bacon cooked together in one pot. The beans simmer to build body, then the pasta finishes in the same pot so the sauce turns naturally creamy. Simple ingredients, clear how-to steps, and an easy weeknight-friendly method.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
Step-by-Step Method
Build the flavor base
Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the diced bacon and cook for 3–4 minutes until it starts to render. Stir in garlic, sage, and rosemary and cook for 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
Simmer the beans
Add the cannellini beans. If the pot looks dry, splash in some hot water. Simmer for 10–15 minutes; for a creamier texture, mash a small spoonful of beans and stir it back in.
Cook the pasta in the same pot
Tip in the rigatoni. As it cooks, add hot water a little at a time and stir so it doesn’t stick. Cook for about 10–12 minutes, until al dente.
Finish and serve
Remove the rosemary sprig. Taste and add salt only if needed (bacon can be salty). Adjust with a final splash of water if you want it more brothy, then serve hot.