Pasta e Fagioli
Published in chef David Nayfeld’s cookbook, Dad, What’s for Dinner?, this recipe for pasta e fagioli is sure to please kids and adults alike. “Pasta (pasta) with beans (fagioli) is found throughout Italy, with immense variation region to region, town to town,” explains Nayfeld, the executive chef and co-owner of Che Fico, an Italian-inspired taverna in San Francisco. The same reasons the dish is popular in Italy are why it’s popular at his house. The ingredients are affordable and rich in protein, the process is astonishingly easy, and the end result is delicious.
The chef thinks pasta e fagioli is perfect for anytime you need a little comfort because the creaminess of the beans instantly soothes. It’s also a wonderful dish to serve on Father’s Day. “This recipe calls for more lemon juice than seems sane, but trust me,” Nayfeld says. “The acidity of the lemon gives each bite a brightness and lightness, cutting through the richness of the beans, the pancetta and the Parmesan.”
Ingredients:
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to finish
- 1 lb. (455 g) thick-cut pancetta, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes (2 tightly packed cups)
- 1/4 cup (3/4 oz./20 g) garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 5 medium onions, diced
- 5 medium carrots, diced
- 6 celery stalks, diced
- Thinly sliced peel and juice of 2 lemons (1/4 cup/2 fl. oz./60 ml)
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked
- 2 cans (each 14 oz./400 g) butter beans, undrained
- 1 lb. (455 g) conchiglie or similar shaped pasta shells
- 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley (2 oz./65 g), leaves picked and chopped
- 2 cups (8 oz./225 g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, adding about 1/2 cup (2 1/4 oz./70 g) salt to the water until it’s salty like the sea.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil for about 1 minute. Add the pancetta and cook until it starts to brown and become crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir consistently until it becomes fragrant. Add the onions and sweat them for 1 minute. Add the carrots and celery and cook for about 4 minutes. Add the lemon peel, rosemary, thyme and beans and their liquid and cook for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir to avoid sticking. Cover the pot until the water returns to a rapid boil. Cook the pasta for 1 or 2 minutes shy of al dente according to the package directions. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the pasta out of the water and add it to the beans and vegetables. Reserve 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) of the pasta water.
Increase the heat under the pasta and beans to high. Add the reserved pasta water, the lemon juice, parsley and 1 Tbs. salt. Cook the pasta over high heat for 2 minutes. Add a splash of olive oil to finish.
Remove from the heat and add the Parmesan. Stir the pasta constantly for 1 minute. This will thicken the pasta and create the sauce. Serve immediately and finish the top of each portion with more Parmesan. Serves 4 to 6.
Adapted from Dad, What’s for Dinner? by David Nayfeld and Joshua David Stein (Knopf, 2025)
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