This green bean pasta recipe marries the essence of Italian cuisine with staple ingredients, offering a unique, easy pasta dish that's perfect for any weeknight dinner. Ready in under 30 minutes!
I love giving classic recipes a little of a Spice and Life spin, and this green bean pasta with pancetta is exactly that.
Have you tried our feta pasta with zucchini pasta sauce? How about our tomato and tuna pasta?
Just like those delicious pasta meals, also this one comes together in under half an hour and uses simple ingredients to deliver maximum taste.
Each mouthful will be an explosion of flavor! Think rich tomato sauce with al dente fresh green beans, savory pancetta, and aromatic basil. Oh, and if you sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese on top before eating, you have the perfect dinner in front of you!
💎 Why This Recipe Works
- This pasta with green beans is ready in under 30 minutes, making it a great midweek dinner idea!
- With red pepper flakes, canned tomatoes, and crispy pancetta, this pasta sauce turns a simple pasta dish into a delicious meal using simple steps and staple ingredients. Just like our spaghetti puttanesca!
🛒 Ingredients
- Green Beans: Fresh, fine green beans are the best options for this recipe! As you cook them by sauteeing them rather than boiling them, you want the typical crunch fresh vegetables can offer. Canned or frozen green beans won't offer the same result.
- Pasta: You can choose any dry pasta shape you like, although short pasta types suit this sauce best. My choice is usually penne pasta!
Be sure to check the recipe card for all the ingredients and steps you need—every detail counts!
♻️ Substitutions and Variations
- Pancetta: My first choice for cooking this pasta dish is Italian unsmoked pancetta. You could use bacon or turkey bacon, smoked pancetta, sausage, or cubed ham instead, but as they all have different flavor profiles and consistencies, the result will change but still be tasty.
- Vegetarian Option: Use mushrooms, canned white beans, or vegan pancetta instead.
- Garlic, Basil Leaves, Onion: Don't use dried, granules, or powder - go for the fresh ingredients. Feel free to use any color onion you like.
- Tomato: I used canned chopped tomato with its juice. If you are not a fan of cooked chunks of tomato, you can use plain tomato passata instead.
- Cheese: Sprinkle some fresh Parmesan cheese, Italian Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano, or Pecorino Romano cheese before enjoying!
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Green Bean Pasta
- Cook the diced pancetta until crisp and set aside. [Picture 1]
- Sautee the onions, then cook the green beans. [Picture 2]
- Add the tomatoes, basil leaves, and pancetta to the pan and cook. [Picture 3]
- Add the cooked pasta, and serve with basil and grated cheese. [Picture 4]
🙋♀️ People Also Ask [FAQs]
What type of tomatoes works best for the sauce?
I love diced canned tomatoes because they are convenient and consistent, ensuring my recipe turns out right every time. During tomato season, you can use fresh chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes instead - adjusting the cooking time!
How to store and reheat green bean pasta with pancetta?
This green bean and pancetta pasta tastes best when freshly prepared but can be stored. Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat it in a skillet over low-medium heat, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce, or microwave until heated through, mixing every 30 seconds. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
🍴 More Delicious Recipes to Try
🍽️ Recipe
Pancetta and Green Bean Pasta
Ingredients
- 150 g Dry Pasta
- 200 g Fresh Green Beans Washed and Trimmed
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 65 g Pancetta Cubed
- ½ White Onion Thinly Sliced
- 1 Garlic Clove Peeled and Chopped
- ½ Can Chopped Tomatoes 7oz or 200g
- 1/ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 10-15 Fresh Basil Leaves Washed
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat ½ teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until it starts to crisp about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the pancetta from the pan and set it aside.
- While you cook the pasta sauce, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- While the pasta cooks, add the rest of the oil to the pancetta pan and heat up once more. Add the thinly sliced onion, red pepper flakes, chopped garlic, salt, and black pepper. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Add the green beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender but still crisp, for about 5-6 minutes.
- Stir in the canned tomatoes, crispy pancetta, and basil leaves with the tender green beans. Cook on low-medium heat with a lid on for another 5-7 minutes until the mixture is heated through and the tomatoes are cooked. If the sauce seems too thick, add a bit of the cooking pasta water to loosen it.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the green bean and pancetta. Toss everything together until well combined. Adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve the green bean and pancetta pasta while still hot, sprinkled with grated cheese and chopped fresh basil. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage and Reheating: This green bean and pancetta pasta tastes best when freshly prepared but can be stored. Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat it in a skillet over low-medium heat, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce, or microwave until heated through, mixing every 30 seconds. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
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