If you've seen the viral Spaghetti alla Nerano making its way around the internet, you already know why people are obsessed with it.

Thinly sliced zucchini gets fried until golden, then somehow turns into this incredibly savory, creamy, almost cheesy sauce when combined with pasta, cheese, and the right amount of cooking liquid.

I wanted that same idea—but instead of pasta, we're using beans.

Enter: Chickpeas & Butter Beans alla Nerano.

This is not meant to be a traditional version of the Italian dish. It's a plant-based, bean-forward interpretation inspired by the flavor and technique behind Spaghetti alla Nerano.

Instead of spaghetti, I use a can of chickpeas and a can of creamy butter beans. The beans get simmered right in the pan with some of their liquid, vegetable bouillon, seasonings, and vegan cheese.

And then there's the zucchini.

You want to slice it thin and shallow-pan-fry it until golden. Don't rush this part. The browned zucchini is the heart of the recipe.

Once it hits the beans, some of those crispy edges soften into the sauce while other pieces remain intact. The combination gives you creamy beans, tender zucchini, crispy golden edges, and plenty of savory flavor.

It's simple, affordable, filling, and a really fun way to take the idea of a famous pasta dish and turn it into something completely different.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Difficulty: Easy
Diet: Vegan

Why You'll Love Chickpeas & Beans alla Nerano

• Inspired by the viral Spaghetti alla Nerano
• No pasta required
• Uses affordable pantry beans
• Crispy golden zucchini adds incredible texture
• Vegan and dairy-free
• Naturally high in fiber
• Creamy without heavy cream
• One-pan bean finishing method
• Great summer dinner
• Easy enough for a weeknight

What Is Spaghetti alla Nerano?

Spaghetti alla Nerano is a famous Italian pasta dish associated with Nerano on the Amalfi Coast.

The classic preparation centers around fried zucchini, spaghetti, and cheese. The zucchini is cooked until deeply golden and then combined with the pasta and cooking liquid to create a creamy, emulsified sauce.

That's the inspiration here.

We're taking that basic flavor concept and asking:

What if the pasta were beans?

The answer is surprisingly delicious.

The Formula

This recipe is really built around four components:

Crispy zucchini + creamy beans + savory cooking liquid + vegan cheese

The chickpeas provide structure and bite.

The butter beans provide creaminess.

The zucchini brings sweetness and caramelization.

The vegan cheese helps create that savory, cheesy finish.

And the bean liquid gives everything something to emulsify into.

Key Ingredients

Chickpeas

Chickpeas give the dish a firm, satisfying bite.

Use canned chickpeas for convenience and rinse them before adding them to the pan.

Butter Beans

Butter beans are the creamy counterpart to the chickpeas.

Their soft texture helps create a naturally luscious sauce as they simmer.

Zucchini

This is the star.

Slice it very thinly so it cooks quickly and develops plenty of golden edges.

Vegan Cheese

A vegan Parmesan or mozzarella-style cheese works beautifully. Nutritional yeast can also add cheesy, savory flavor.

Better Than Bouillon

A small amount of vegan vegetable Better Than Bouillon adds concentrated savory flavor to the bean broth.

Garlic

Garlic works especially well with the zucchini and cheese.

Olive Oil

Don't skimp here.

The zucchini needs enough oil to properly shallow-fry and brown.

How to Make Chickpeas & Butter Beans alla Nerano

Step 1: Slice the Zucchini

Slice the zucchini into very thin rounds.

Try to keep the slices relatively uniform so they cook at roughly the same rate.

You don't need a mandoline, although it can make this faster.

Pat the zucchini dry if it feels particularly wet.

Kitchen Technique: Thin zucchini slices brown faster because they have more surface area relative to their thickness.

Step 2: Shallow-Fry the Zucchini

Heat a generous layer of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the zucchini in batches.

Don't overcrowd the pan.

Cook until golden brown on both sides.

You're looking for browned edges and soft centers.

Transfer the cooked zucchini to a plate lined with paper towels or a rack.

Season lightly with salt.

Repeat until all of the zucchini is cooked.

Don't Skip This Step

This is where most of the flavor develops.

You could simply sauté the zucchini, but shallow-frying creates those deeply caramelized edges that make the finished dish taste so much more interesting.

Step 3: Build the Bean Base

Remove some excess oil from the pan if necessary, leaving enough to cook the garlic.

Add the garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant.

Be careful not to burn it.

Add the chickpeas and butter beans.

Season with garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.

Add the Better Than Bouillon.

Pour in some of the reserved bean liquid.

Add enough water to create a shallow, saucy environment.

Step 4: Simmer

Bring the beans to a gentle simmer.

Cook for about 5–8 minutes.

The butter beans will begin to soften slightly and release some starch into the liquid.

This is what helps create the creamy consistency.

Kitchen Technique: Don't drown the beans.

You want just enough liquid to create a sauce—not a soup.

Start with less and add more as needed.

Step 5: Add the Vegan Cheese

Reduce the heat.

Add the vegan cheese and nutritional yeast.

Stir gently.

The cheese should melt into the liquid and help create a creamy, savory sauce around the beans.

If the mixture becomes too thick, add another splash of bean liquid or water.

If it's too loose, let it simmer uncovered for another minute or two.

Step 6: Add the Zucchini

Add most of the crispy zucchini to the pan.

Fold gently so you don't completely break up the beans or zucchini.

Some of the zucchini will melt into the sauce.

Some should remain visible.

That's what we're after.

Step 7: Finish Like Nerano

Turn off the heat.

Add fresh basil.

Give everything a gentle toss.

Finish with more vegan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of good olive oil.

A squeeze of lemon is optional but excellent if you want to brighten the dish.

Taste and adjust.

The Most Important Technique: Control Your Liquid

Because we're replacing pasta with beans, we're not getting the same starch from pasta water.

That's why the bean liquid matters.

It gives you a starting point for the sauce and helps create a cohesive, creamy consistency.

Add it gradually.

You can always add more.

You can't easily remove it.

If your beans came in a particularly thick liquid, even better.

How to Get Really Crispy Zucchini

For the best zucchini:

Slice thin.

Use enough oil.

Don't overcrowd the pan.

Let it brown before flipping.

If you move the zucchini around constantly, it won't have enough uninterrupted contact with the skillet to develop that golden crust.

Think of the zucchini as if you're making tiny zucchini chips—but you want them tender inside.

Variations

Add Fresh Tomatoes

Throw in halved cherry tomatoes toward the end for sweetness and acidity.

Add Spinach

Fold in a couple handfuls of spinach at the end.

Make It Spicy

Add Calabrian chili paste, red pepper flakes, or fresh chili.

Add Lemon

A generous squeeze of lemon makes the beans taste lighter and brighter.

Add Basil

Fresh basil is especially good here.

Tear it rather than finely chopping it for a more rustic finish.

Add Vegan Parmesan

Finish with additional vegan Parmesan for a stronger cheesy flavor.

Make It Creamier

Mash a small portion of the butter beans directly into the sauce.

This creates extra body without adding cream.

Ingredient Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitute
Chickpeas	Cannellini beans
Butter beans	Great Northern beans
Zucchini	Yellow squash
Vegan cheese	Nutritional yeast
Better Than Bouillon	Vegetable stock
Fresh basil	Parsley
Lemon	White wine vinegar
Olive oil	Avocado oil

Frequently Asked Questions

What is alla Nerano?

Alla Nerano refers to the style of cooking associated with Spaghetti alla Nerano, a zucchini-based pasta dish from Nerano on the Amalfi Coast.

This recipe is a vegan bean-based interpretation inspired by those flavors and techniques.

Can I use fresh cooked beans?

Absolutely.

Just make sure they're tender before adding them to the recipe.

Do I have to use both chickpeas and butter beans?

No.

You can use two cans of one type of bean, but I really like the contrast between firm chickpeas and creamy butter beans.

Why do you fry the zucchini first?

Frying creates caramelization and concentrates the zucchini's flavor.

That browned zucchini is what gives this dish its signature depth.

Can I air-fry the zucchini?

Yes.

Toss thin zucchini slices with olive oil and air-fry until golden and crisp, then continue with the bean portion of the recipe.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Yes. The ingredients are naturally gluten-free as long as your vegan cheese and Better Than Bouillon are certified gluten-free.

Can I make this ahead?

The bean mixture can be made ahead, but the zucchini is best freshly cooked.

For leftovers, reheat gently and add fresh basil and olive oil before serving.

What to Serve With Beans alla Nerano

This dish is hearty enough to serve on its own, but it pairs beautifully with:

• Crusty sourdough
• Simple arugula salad
• Lemon-dressed greens
• Roasted vegetables
• Fresh tomato salad
• Grilled bread
• White wine
• A simple cucumber salad

For a summer dinner, I'd serve it with a very simple salad and plenty of crusty bread.

Meal Prep

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

The beans will thicken as they chill.

When reheating, add a splash of water or vegetable stock and stir gently until creamy again.

For the best texture, reserve a little of the crispy zucchini and add it after reheating.

Internal Links for Make Pure Thy Heart

This recipe fits naturally into your vegan bean recipes, zucchini recipes, Italian-inspired vegan recipes, and easy vegan dinner content clusters.

Consider linking to related recipes such as:

• Harissa Chickpeas & Rice — A quick pantry meal made with chickpeas, harissa, tomato paste, spinach, and rice.
• Smashed Chickpea Broccoli Stew — A hearty chickpea stew with broccoli, garam masala, berbere, spinach, basil, and lemon.
• Greek Spinach Rice — Lemony spinach rice with aromatics, olive oil, and herbs.
• Three Sisters Salad with Creamy Corn Dressing — A fresh summer combination of corn, squash, beans, herbs, and creamy corn dressing.
• Summer Bean & Tomato Salad — Beans, tomatoes, seared zucchini, avocado, fresh herbs, and a bright argan oil dressing.
• Vegan Bangers & Beans — Vegan sausages served over a savory miso tomato stew with zucchini, squash, spinach, and beans.

For internal-link SEO, connect this recipe using descriptive phrases such as easy vegan bean recipes, vegan zucchini recipes, quick vegan dinners, and summer vegan recipes.

Nutrition

Estimated per serving:

Calories: 445 kcal
Protein: 17 g
Carbohydrates: 46 g
Fat: 23 g
Fiber: 11 g
Sugar: 8 g
Sodium: 610 mg

Nutrition will vary depending on the vegan cheese, amount of olive oil, canned beans, and Better Than Bouillon used.

Final Thoughts

These Chickpeas & Butter Beans alla Nerano are my kind of internet-inspired cooking.

Take something everyone is talking about, understand why it works, and then make it your own.

The original inspiration is the viral Spaghetti alla Nerano, but here the pasta gets replaced with two of my favorite pantry staples: chickpeas and butter beans.

The trick is giving the zucchini the attention it deserves.

Get those thin slices golden and deeply browned. Let the beans simmer with their liquid and savory bouillon. Melt in the vegan cheese. Then fold everything together until the sauce becomes creamy and the zucchini starts becoming part of it.

Finish with basil, black pepper, lemon, and good olive oil.

You end up with something that is creamy, crispy, savory, summery, and completely plant-based.

And honestly, that's the best part about recipes like this: you don't need to be precious about them.

Use whatever beans you have.

Add tomatoes.

Throw in spinach.

Make it spicy.

Use yellow squash.

Add more cheese.

Turn it into a bowl with rice.

The technique is the recipe. The ingredients are where you get to play.