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This Simple White Bean Pasta is a comforting pasta dish made with just 5 simple pantry staples. Velvety, garlicky, and as easy as it gets!
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A Protein-Packed Vegan Pasta Recipe
Vegan pasta recipes are one of our favorite weeknight meals to make when we’re short on time, yet need something filling and delicious! Our 15-Minute One Pot Pasta has saved a dinner rut on more than one occasion. But sometimes we’re craving something a bit more rich and creamy.
This white bean pasta checks all the boxes. It’s easy to make during busy weeks, packed with plant-based protein (thank you white beans!), and is made with just 5 ingredients. And if we’re being honest, it’s easily one of the best ways to transform a can of white beans. So grab a couple cans along with your favorite pasta and let’s get cooking!
Looking for more white bean recipes? Check out these favorites: White Bean & Pumpkin Veggie Burgers, White Bean and Escarole Soup, and White Bean Pumpkin Seed Pesto!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pasta: You can make this easy pasta recipe with both regular and gluten-free pasta. You can even use our Homemade Vegan Pasta, if desired!
- White beans: Use any kind of creamy white beans of choice. Cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, or Navy beans are all delicious options.
- Broth: We used vegetable broth, but a vegan chicken broth would be great.
- Nutritional yeast: Adds a great cheesy flavor to the pasta sauce without any dairy. We love to use the brand Bragg’s.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves will be the most flavorful, but feel free to opt for a teaspoon of garlic powder if it’s what you have on hand.
- Nutmeg: This is optional, but adds a subtle warmth and sweetness that balances the savory, creamy flavors in the pasta sauce.
Equipment Needed
- Large soup pot
- Colander or fine mesh sieve
- High-speed blender
- Spatula or wooden spoon
How to Make White Bean Pasta
- Cook the pasta. Prepare your pasta of choice according to the package directions, or until al dente. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and set aside.
- Make the creamy pasta sauce. While the pasta cooks, prepare the white bean pasta sauce. In a high-speed blender, add the white beans, broth, nutritional yeast, garlic, and nutmeg, if using. Blend on high until completely smooth.
- Season the pasta sauce. Once the sauce has a smooth, creamy texture, taste and add salt and black pepper to taste, as needed.
- Combine the pasta and sauce. Once the pasta has cooked and has been well drained, return the cooked pasta to the pot and pour the creamy sauce overtop. Add in the reserved pasta water and mix everything together until well combined.
- Add toppings, as desired. We like to use cherry tomatoes, sprouts, and/or fresh herbs.
- Enjoy! Serve immediately while warm and creamy with your favorite pasta sides.
Serving Suggestions
This simple dish is best served as a hearty dinner or lunch and can be made with virtually any veggies and a sprinkle of Vegan Parmesan Cheese and red pepper flakes.
If you don’t enjoy fresh tomatoes, sprouts, or herbs like fresh basil or Italian parsley, don’t be afraid to switch it up. Creamy pasta goes great with broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and leafy greens like Tuscan kale, Swiss chard, or fresh spinach.
It’s also the perfect pair for simple side dish recipes, such as Vegan Garlic Bread or our Cheesy Gochujang Garlic Bread and a glass of white wine!
Recipe FAQs
Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, are not classified as a type of white beans. Instead, they are considered legumes. If you only have chickpeas on hand, we recommend turning it into a Homemade Hummus and making this One Pot Hummus Pasta! It’s another 5-Ingredient easy pasta recipe you’ll love.
This is personal preference, but most people love the mild flavor and extra creamy consistency of cannellini beans.
It won’t be as velvety and smooth as a high-speed blender, but it should work well enough! If you give it a try, let us know in the comment section below.
Storage Instructions
When stored in an airtight container, this pasta recipe will keep for 5-7 days in the fridge.
If you are making this recipe for meal prep, we recommend keeping the cooked pasta/veggies and white bean sauce in separate containers. Then, heat separately and toss to combine just before serving. This will help prevent the pasta from absorbing the creamy sauce as it sits.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
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Creamy White Bean Pasta Recipe
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Simple White Bean Pasta is a comforting pasta dish made with just 5 simple pantry staples. Velvety, garlicky, and as easy as it gets!
Ingredients
- 16-ounces pasta of choice
- 2 (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/4 cups warm vegetable broth, or as needed to blend
- 1/2–1/4 cup reserved pasta water
- 3/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves fresh garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder* (see notes)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1/16 teaspoon nutmeg
Equipment
- Large soup pot
- Colander or fine mesh sieve
- High-speed blender
- Spatula or wooden spoon
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Before draining reserve 1/2 cup of the water from the cooked pasta.
- In the meantime, prepare the sauce. In a high speed blender, add the white beans, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast and garlic along with the nutmeg if using. Blend everything together until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the pasta has cooked, drain it and add it back into the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix until well combined. Serve warm with your favorite toppings. We like to use cherry tomatoes, sprouts and/or fresh herbs.
Notes
- Garlic: If you would like the garlic in this recipe to be less intense, opt for garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for 5-7 days in the fridge.
- Meal Prep: We recommend keeping the cooked pasta/veggies and white bean sauce in separate containers. Then, heat separately and toss to combine just before serving. This will help prevent the pasta from absorbing the creamy sauce as it sits.
- Prep Time: 4 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Entree, Pasta
- Method: Blender
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This was incredible ! I made a few substitutions :
Only 1 can of beans ( what I had on hand )
Better than bullion *chicken* flavor for the stock
Roasted 1 zuchini with olive oil to throw in the blender for more veggies (toddler)
This is a great easy recipe!
It’s a perfect pantry recipe when you’re low on fresh ingredients too
If you add some tomato sauce and pasta water at the end it tastes like vodka sauce
I halved the recipe and it made more than enough
I used 1 can of cannellini beans and no stock – just enough water to get the blender going
I also added some cashew to the blender w/ the beans
I used garlic powder and dry basil
After I cooked the pasta al dente I added it to a pan w/ pasta water, the bean sauce, and a little tomato sauce
I tooked w/ vegan parmesan
So good!
Best “cheese” type sauce ever! Excellent recipe!
Delicious! Love the creaminess of the sauce. Will be making again!
I made this for my dinner tonight. Absolutely loved it! Thank you
Looks delicious! What high speed blender do you use? Thank you!
Vitamix! 🙂
Great recipes, but your links at the bottom are… confused. Street Corn link goes to the hummus, and the taco peanut should maybe be taco pasta? And is it street corn or sweet corn? I don’t mean to be a jerk, but if it was my site I’d want to know.
Thank you for sharing!! I have no idea how that happened but we will look into it
Could you please tell me which brand of nutritional yeast you use?
Yes! We use Bragg’s 🙂
I love this! Definitely going to make this soon!
I made this today for lunch as I am always looking for something easy and simple due to time restrictions. I was pleasantly surprised that it was oddly good LOL Thank you for sharing these delicious recipes. I look forward to trying more in the future. Wishing you many more blessings and much success!
How long will this keep in the fridge?
This is best served fresh but can keep in the fridge for 5-7 days. Just keep in mind that the pasta will absorb the sauce as it sits!