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The Island's Favourite Pairing

June 04, 2026

The Island's Favourite Pairing

A terrace overlooking the sea, hot sun and a family lunch with a plate of pasta with beans and mussels immediately creates a Mediterranean atmosphere. This recipe has to be tried at least once. The secret of its flavour lies in the perfect combination of two ingredients: haricot beans, delicate and fleshy, blend perfectly with the intense and tasty flavour of fresh mussels. 

Rumour has it that pasta and beans has been one of the most typical of rustic dishes since the Middle Ages. Over time, the introduction of mussels has lent the recipe a new lease of life, transforming it into a seafood pasta dish with an astounding flavour that is now adored in Campania and beyond. 

The ideal pasta type is mixed, which is cooked directly in the pan with the sauce, as is typical in Neapolitan cuisine. This technique not only renders the pasta creamy and irresistible, but also makes it easy to prepare. 

Pasta with beans and mussels conjures up lazy Sundays, home cooking and tradition. A tasty and fragrant recipe that warms the heart and brings all the best of the sea and the land to the table. 

Skill level: medium

Preparation: 30minutes

Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Portions: 4

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Ingredients

  • 700 g of fresh mussels
  • 250 g of pre-cooked haricot beans
  • 180 g of short, mixed pasta
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 small bunches of parsley
  • 2 small pieces of chilli pepper
  • 1 l of vegetable broth
  • 4 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper  

How to prepare pasta with beans and mussels 

The first step in preparing pasta with beans and mussels is to carefully clean the mussels, scraping the shells with a metal brush to remove the beard and any incrustations. Rinse them repeatedly in cold water to remove all traces of sand. Place the mussels in a large pan with a clove of garlic and a small bunch of parsley and leave them to open over high heat. 

When they are open, turn off the heat and set aside 1/4 of the mussels in their shells for a garnish, and then shell the remaining mussels. Sieve the liquid released by the mussels and set it aside. In a casserole pan, flavour the cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quarters according to size, for a few minutes with extra-virgin olive oil, a whole clove of garlic, the pieces of chilli pepper and the leaves from the bunch of parsley. Season with salt and pepper. 

Add the pre-cooked beans and the sieved liquid from the mussels and cook for a few minutes over medium heat. When the liquid comes to the boil, pour the pasta directly into the casserole pan. Add a generous amount of vegetable broth to completely cover the pasta and continue to cook, stirring often. If necessary, add a little more broth, bearing in mind that the final dish should be dense in consistency. 

Just a couple of minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the shelled mussels and stir well. Turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave it to rest for one minute. Serve the pasta with beans and mussels with a drizzle of cold oil and garnish with the remaining mussels in their shells. 

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Curated by cucchiaio.it - ©Editoriale Domus S.p.A.

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