Stanley Tucci’s Pasta Fagioli

When Stanley Tucci came on the Desert Island Dishes podcast a few years ago he told me about this amazing tomato and bean pasta dish that he cooks all the time. This is Stanley Tucci’s Pasta Fagioli. It’s not traditional and he adjusts it to his tastes and needs but it is so good. I now make it all the time and it’s so delicious.

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You may have heard Stanley talking about his slightly more famous Spaghetti alla Nerano, which he spoke in his series Searching For Italy. This pasta might be the less famous brother of Stanley’s pasta but it is super delicious and perhaps a bit more weeknight friendly. Originally a core recipe of la cucina povera, this pasta dish is cheap, filling and so delicious.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• It has a little of everything in one meal – beans with protein, greens for vitamins, pasta for carbs, and it is so delicious too.
• Simple to make, it just requires a little bubbling on the stove and a little blending before you have a perfect bowl of pasta.
• The recipe is customisable. You can swap in ingredients to use things up, or change things up depending on what you like most.

Ingredients:

Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!

Cavolo Nero: known as dinosaur or lacinato kale in the US, this is an Italian cabbage which is dark in colour. Hence the word “nero” which means black in Italian. It’s hearty and withstands heat (unlike spinach).

Cannellini beans: if you can, use good quality beans if you can as they make SUCH a difference but regular canned beans are also great, of course.

Marinara sauce: this is just tomato sauce with basil, garlic, salt etc. We like this one or to be honest, good quality passata works too.

Parmesan: if serving for strict vegetarians, make sure to check the package on your cheese and adjust as Parm is traditionally made with animal rennet which means it isn’t veggie friendly.

Substitutions and Variations

Onion: Use whatever colour onion you have. It would also work with a few shallots too. This is a great recipe for using things up so don’t be shy!

Cavolo nero: If you can’t find it, use kale or green cabbage even. I say kale is closest match though. You could also stir through spinach but it doesn’t hold as well, so only stir through spinach in the final minute or so.

Pasta: I like to also make this with other shapes. A short pasta works such as a penne or orecchiette is great. Or a really small shape like Tubetti looks cute and you could cook that right in the pan rather than boiling separately if you were feeling lazy.

Here’s how to make the famous Stanley Tucci’s Pasta Fagioli

Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.

ONE: Pour a glug of the oil into a pan and sauté the onion and garlic over medium-low heat until soft, around 7 minutes.

TWO: Add the beans, stock, and marinara to the pan with the onion and garlic and stir together. Cook over low heat.

THREE: At the same time, boil the cavolo nero in a small pot of salted water.

FOUR: When soft, strain it, add it to the bean mixture, and stir. Continue to cook on a low simmer with the lid askew for about 15 minutes.

FIVE: Remove half the mixture and add half to a blender. Puree it then set aside.

SIX: Place spaghetti in a large bowl – add about 1 cup of the bean mixture to the pasta along with 1 cup of the pureed mixture. Add some of the pasta water if it needs it. Stir, season and serve up!

Cooking Tips

Cook pasta separately: To avoid mushy pasta, I like to cook it separately and add it to the sauce afterwards. If you are using a small pasta like Tubetti, you could cook it right in the stock and it does work when you’re feeling like a lazy dinner but overall I would say that cooking separately is best. If you’re cooking this to prep ahead, only cook pasta for the portions that will be eaten that night. When you want more, I would cook more pasta and stir it in.

Season well: Since this is a simple dish with simple flavours, seasoning well is so key. Make sure to add salt and spices in layers – this means seasoning at each step. When the onions go in, when boiling the cavolo nero, when boiling the pasta, when adding the sauce. All need salt!