Go Back
One Pot Lemon Zucchini Pasta with White Beans: natural food photography of finished lemon zucchini pasta with white beans…

One Pot Lemon Zucchini Pasta with White Beans

Short pasta cooks with garlic and broth in one pot, creating a light sauce without cream. Browned zucchini, white beans, lemon, Parmesan, and parsley finish the dish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 2 zucchini medium; about 1 pound total, cut into 1/2-inch half-moons
  • 1 yellow onion small, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 12 ounces dry short pasta such as rotini or shells
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup water plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 can cannellini beans 15-ounce can; drained and rinsed
  • 1 lemon for 1 teaspoon finely grated zest and 2 tablespoons juice
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan finely grated; plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

Method
 

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini in an even layer and leave it alone for 3 minutes, then turn the pieces and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. You want a few brown spots, not zucchini that's soft all the way through. Transfer it to a plate.
  2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the onion looks translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until you can smell it. Don't let it brown; burnt garlic will make the sauce bitter.
  3. Add the dry pasta, broth, water, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir well, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring the liquid to a steady boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to maintain an active simmer.
  4. Cook uncovered for 10 to 13 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes so the pasta doesn't stick. Start checking a piece at 10 minutes. The pasta should be tender with a little bite, and there should still be a small amount of glossy liquid in the pot. If it looks dry before the pasta is done, add water 1/4 cup at a time.
  5. Stir in the beans and reserved zucchini. Cook for 2 minutes, until they're hot. Turn off the heat, then stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, and parsley. Let the pasta stand for 2 minutes. The sauce should cling to the pasta rather than pool at the bottom; add a splash of warm water if it tightens up too much. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed.

Notes

Use a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or deep, wide pot. Choose short pasta with a package cook time around 10 to 12 minutes, and stir often along the bottom of the pot. Add Parmesan with the heat off and lemon at the end. Serve soon after cooking; the pasta absorbs the sauce as it sits.