Cannellini beans make a wonderful addition to a variety of dishes. Not only are they hearty, nutritious, and flavorful, but they’re also quick and easy to cook. With cannellini beans, you can easily turn a dish from simple to spectacular. Today, I have17 awesome cannellini bean recipes for you to try. From soups and salads to pasta and toast, you’ll love these dishes. Oh, and I’ll tell you anything and everything you need to know about these fabulous Italian beans, too! Eager to learn? Keep on reading to find out more.
1. Penne with Tomatoes & White Beans
If you think white beans are boring, this recipe will change your mind. This pasta salad is bursting with so much flavor, color, and nutrition! Just imagine the combination of penne, spinach, olives, and cannellini beans in a perfectly seasoned tomato sauce. Then, top all of that with nutty Parmesan cheese! What a hearty yet refreshing meal.
2. 10-Minute White Bean Soup with Parmesan
Yes, you read that right. All it takes is 10 minutes to whip up this cozy soup! It’s the perfect soup to fill your tummy and warm your soul. This soup gives you creamy cannellini beans and spinach swimming in a thick tomato-based soup, topped with lots of parmesan cheese. Not only does it come together quickly, but it also only requires the most basic pantry ingredients. Simple, affordable, and delectable: it’s the perfect combination. Oh, and it’s vegetarian, too!
3. White Beans with Tomato and Garlic
In this day and age, it’s hard to find time to make such complicated dishes! And that’s why I just love recipes that are both simple and tasty. This white beans with tomato garlic recipe is just perfect. Complete with cannellini beans, tomatoes, garlic, and chicken broth, the flavors in this dish are spot on. And this one-pot dish comes together in just 20 to 30 minutes!
4. White Bean Ragout
If you can only cook one dish this week, let it be this ragout. This lovely beans and tomato stew is sweet, creamy, and just downright delicious. The combination of sweet tomatoes and white beans is stunning. The fresh herbs and balsamic vinegar add simple yet irresistible flavors to this superb dish. Whether you serve it as a main course with a side of toasted garlic bread, or as a side to grilled pork chops, you can’t go wrong. My only advice when making this ragout is to use dried beans. It takes a lot more time since you’ll have to soak the bean prior to cooking, but I’m telling you, the flavor and texture you’ll get is worth it.
5. Tuscan White Bean Pasta
Beans and pasta? Heck yeah! This Tuscan white bean pasta is creamy, hearty, and easy to make. Flavored with caramelized garlic and basil, this dish is truly mouthwatering. The combination of cannellini beans, tomatoes, spinach, and pasta makes this dish a complete meal. But you can also serve it with grilled chicken or turkey to make it even more satisfying. For the pasta, you can use linguine or fettuccine, but shorter noodles such as bowtie and penne work great as well.
6. 15-Minute Cannellini Bean Stew
Would you believe that it only takes 15 minutes to make such a tasty and healthy stew? Yup, I have tried it, and this cannellini bean stew stays true to its promise. The dish combines cannellini beans, dried tomatoes, and corn kernels, and is flavored with onion powder, garlic powder, sweet paprika, and tahini. Served on a bed of leafy greens, this stew is bursting with great flavors and textures.
7. Tuscan White Bean Soup
Tuscan bean soup is a hearty, comforting soup originating from Tuscany, Italy. It’s thick, creamy, and bursting with flavor from cannellini beans, carrots, garlic, onion, celery, and herbs. Bacon is also added for that meaty and smoky accent. This Tuscan soup has a wonderfully creamy and velvety consistency. It’s so delicious, thanks to the veggies, bacon, parmesan, and rosemary! It’s the perfect dish for the cold weather. What I also love about this soup is how it hits all the notes while also being super easy to make. Just 30 minutes and it’s ready to be devoured!
8. Mediterranean White Bean Soup
This rich and hearty soup is sure to satisfy your hunger. And oh, it’s vegan, too! It’s very easy to make, as well. Just toss all the ingredients together, let them simmer in a pot, and you’re done. Effortless yet exceptional – now that’s my kind of soup. I love gobbling up this soup during the cold winter nights. It satisfies my longing for a thick and warm bowl of soup without the guilt! Who says comfort food has to be sinful?
9. Slow Cooker Cannellini Bean Soup
Turn canned cannellini beans into a restaurant-quality soup by seasoning with fresh rosemary. Yup, that’s the secret to why this slow cooker cannellini bean soup is so out of this world terrific! There’s also the addition of crispy bacon and spicy olive oil! See, you need nothing fancy to make such fantastic soup. Just basic pantry ingredients will do!
10. Quick and Easy White Bean Salad
Don’t you just love how a combination of basic pantry ingredients makes the best-tasting dishes? This is exactly what this white bean salad is: simple, easy, and insanely delicious. All you need are some cannellini beans, red onions, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, and herbs and seasonings. You just toss them all together and voila, magic! You can enjoy it right away, but this salad tastes better the longer it chills in the fridge. It gives time for the beans to soak up the flavor of the other ingredients, giving you an even more delightful dish.
11. White Chicken Chili
Just because it has a different color doesn’t mean it won’t taste as good as regular chili! White chicken chili is bursting with so much flavor from cannellini beans, chicken, and that super creamy broth. Trust me, this riff on the classic chili is a sure hit. But of course, chili won’t taste nearly as good without the toppings, so feel free to add tortilla chips, guacamole, cheese, and sour cream to your white chili!
12. Easy White Bean Salad
Looking for an easy yet exciting salad for dinner? Well, look no further! This white bean salad is packed with Mediterranean flavors and comes together in just a few minutes. All you need are some canned beans, veggies, and fresh herbs. Toss them together and drizzle with a dressing made with lemon juice and olive oil, and it’s done! It’s super easy, affordable, and loaded with protein and nutrients that your body will love. You can keep it in the fridge overnight and trust that it will still keep its wonderful consistency and flavor the following day.
13. Quinoa and White Bean Fritters
These quinoa and white bean fritters are so good, even the kids will love them! If you’re having trouble forcing your kids to eat something nutritious, this dish is definitely for you. The combination of quinoa and cannellini beans makes it so good for the body, yet it’s so darn yummy, too! Serve these healthy fritters with tartar sauce or any creamy dip, and your kids will absolutely go crazy over them! They also make great sandwich fillings.
14. White Beans with Bacon
Take your simple pork and beans and elevate it into a whole other level with bacon. Why? Because bacon makes everything better, that’s why! This recipe combines hearty cannellini cooked in bacon fat and garlic and flavored with a ton of fresh herbs. Can you just imagine how aromatic and delicious that is? It’s so incredibly tasty, you can eat it on its own, but it also works as a fantastic side dish to any main!
15. Rosemary Garlic White Bean Soup
Done in eight easy steps, this rosemary garlic white bean soup is a must-try. This dish is the absolute proof that canned food can be easily transformed into a gourmet dish. All you need is to pair your canned cannellini with bold seasonings such as rosemary and garlic, and you’ll have a thick, drool-worthy soup. It tastes great as is, but it’s better topped with freshly grated Parmesan and croutons. Serve with a side of crusty toasted bread for a cozy dish.
16. Tuscan White Bean Skillet
Looking for something vegetarian for tonight? How about a warm, comforting white bean skillet complete with mushrooms and artichokes? Who says vegetarian dishes can’t be just as addictive as fatty and carb-loaded food? This skillet may be all veggie – beans, fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, onions, artichokes, and mushrooms – but it does not lack in flavor. Serve this irresistible skillet with toasted sourdough for the perfect appetizer!
17. The Best White Bean Soup
Nope, this isn’t an exaggeration. This recipe makes the best white bean soup ever! This soup is not only bursting with flavor but is also vegan and affordable. Oh, and it smells fantastic, too! All you need are a few veggies, white wine, rosemary, and of course, the star of the dish: canned cannellini beans. Just a few ingredients, and you’ll be able to make the thickest, healthiest, tastiest soup you’ve ever had in your life. It all comes together in just 20 minutes!
What Are Cannellini Beans?
Cannellini beans are a kind of white bean hailing from Italy. Because of the shape and color, they’re also sometimes referred to as white kidney beans. Cannellini beans have a tender, fluffy flesh and a nutty and earthy flavor when cooked. They keep their shape and texture, making them a fantastic ingredient to Minestrone and other soups and stews.
Are Cannellini Beans Good For You?
Most definitely! Cannellini beans are packed with fiber, protein, and micronutrients. They’re also fat- and cholesterol-free. So go ahead and consume cannellini beans on a regular basis for a healthier body!
Should I Use Canned or Dried Beans?
Dried cannellini beans are cheaper and have a much better flavor and texture, while the canned kind is a lot quicker and more convenient to work with. So it really boils down to your preference.
How Long Does it take to Cook Cannellini Beans?
Canned cannellini beans do not require cooking since they’re already cooked. All you need is to rinse and drain them. For dried cannellini, you’ll need to soak the beans in cold water for at least 5-6 hours (better if overnight). This process helps soften the beans, which makes cooking much faster. Drain and rinse the beans, then transfer them in a pot with water. Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat. Cook the beans for 30 to 50 minutes or until tender. If you have them on hand, I recommend adding some bay leaves and carrots, celery, and onion slices into the pot. They will add more flavor to the broth, which you can later use as a soup base.
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