Cannellini Bean Recipes

Staff Picks

Greek Layer Dip

Serve this zesty Mediterranean spin on traditional seven-layer dip with pita chips for a delightful party starter.

Vegetable-Bean Soup

This time of year is filled with fancy fare, so we all need a change of pace during the week. This simple soup is tasty, and extremely gratifying.

Spaghetti and Eggplant "Meatballs"

Spaghetti and meatballs has multigenerational appeal, even when it goes vegetarian. A blend of eggplant and white beans provides the protein. Cheese, garlic, and oregano are the familiar-flavor agents; breadcrumbs and egg bind them together. A quick trip under the broiler browns the tops and sides, then plunk!—into the gravy they go.

Cannellini Bean Soup

A dietary staple in Italian cuisine, cannellini beans bring tremendous flavor to this soup. Make it a day ahead of time -- it will taste even better when you're ready to eat it.From the book "Lucinda's Rustic Italian Kitchen," by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Wiley).

Cannellini-Bean and Greens Stew

Half of the beans are mashed while the rest are left whole, giving this hearty one-pot stew a wonderfully chunky texture. Toasted ciabatta flavored with sage and garlic makes the perfect accompaniment.

Classic Minestrone

This beloved Italian soup isn't just hearty and healthy -- it's really flexible. Minestrone typically includes lots of leafy greens, other veggies, and beans. Which to choose? You're only limited by the contents of your refrigerator and pantry.

Kale and White Bean Soup

Mash the beans, and use them to thicken the broth; leave some whole for added texture.

Garlicky Beans

Instead of broiling the garlic, you can also char cloves one at a time over the flame of a gas stove, holding and turning with tongs, until blackened and blistering, about 30 seconds to 1 minute each. The beans make a delectable side for Shrimp and Clams a la Plancha.

Kale, White Bean, and Farro Soup

Cannellini beans provide protein and fiber in this fragrant, steaming broth with Kale, White Bean, and Farro Soup. It's loaded with vegetables, grains, and herbs.

Speedy "Baked" Beans

Serve these with Tangy Coleslaw alongside our Baked Corn Dogs.

White Beans with Salt Pork

This white beans recipe is from Fabio Trabocchi's cookbook, "Cucina of Le Marche," and goes wonderfully with his Grilled Pork Chops.

Herbed Spaghetti with Tomatoes and White Beans

Parsley and lightly cooked tomatoes add brightness to this classic Italian pairing of pasta and white beans.

Inspiration and Ideas

Vegan Main Dish Recipes

This collection of satisfying vegan main dishes includes stir-fries, curries, stews, chili, salads, burgers, and even pizza. These recipes eliminate meat, eggs, dairy, and all other animal products while embracing the goodness of fresh vegetables, whole grains, tofu, beans, nuts, and spices.

Grilled Vegetables and White-Bean Fattoush

Grilled peppers and red onion are combined with briny feta and herb-coated cannellini beans in this take on a Lebanese fattoush salad. Pita chips and a generous drizzle of red-wine vinaigrette bring crunch and brightness.

Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese and Arugula

Beans and Greens

Creamy Broccoli-White Bean Soup

Salmon with White Beans

Cavolo Nero and Cannellini Bean Soup

Asolid Tuscan-style soupincludes an Italian variety of kale, cavolo nero, that has crinkly leavesand a near-spicy bite (look for the greenat farmers' markets or gourmet groceries);the dish gets significant protein fromcannellini beans.

All Cannellini Bean Recipes

Stewed White Beans with Tomatoes and Rosemary

If the stew is made in advance, be sure to remove the rosemary sprig and let the beans cool before refrigerating. It should be reheated gently over medium-low heat.

Broccoli Rabe and White-Bean Soup

Vegetables are the secret to making this soup sing -- sauteed garlic, onions, and mushrooms create a savory base, and broccoli rabe and parsley add verve. This recipe is from Lya Christie of Franklin, New York.

Lamb and Bulgur Stew with White Beans

Sausage and Bean Casserole

This is not your basic pork and beans but a quick version of a classic French dish.

Mashed White Beans

Take familiar techniques, like mashing, and apply them in new ways for this delicious side.

Stewed Collard Greens and White Beans

Cannellini beans are full of fiber and protein. Collards, rich in vitamins A and K and calcium, are in the cancer-fighting cruciferous family. Parmesan rind -- don't toss it! -- lends an incredibly rich flavor. (No bacon required.) Use leftovers to make a Collard Greens and White Beans Quesadilla.

Skirt Steak with Warm Bean Salad

A quick sear on flavorful skirt steak and a fast sautee of colorful veggies is all it takes to put a satisfying dinner on the table in 20 minutes.

Turkey and White-Bean Chili

Get all the flavor of a slow-simmered chili in less than half the time with this speedy, family-friendly recipe. It's packed with ground turkey, jalapeño peppers, ground cumin, and tomato paste.

Herbed Bean Salad

The flavors in this simple salad get better as the beans marinate and soak up the dressing.

Pasta e Fagioli

Our version of pasta and cannellini beans is thick, like a stew. To thin it, use a little extra broth.

White-Bean Salad with Zucchini and Parmesan

White beans add protein while chopped zucchini adds crunch to this delicious vegetarian salad from Allison Jeffries of Bethesda, Maryland.

Sea Bass with Kale and Cannellini Beans

Any flaky white fish, like hake or cod, can be substituted for sea bass.

Tomato, Basil, and White-Bean Salad

Summery white-bean salad with tomatoes and basil stands in for more predictable side dishes.

Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes

Roasting sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack allows their skins to become extra-crisp. For a variation, try pale-fleshed Japanese sweet potatoes, which have a richer flavor and are in season in November.

White Bean Dip

A simple, creamy bean dip and a cocktail turn any late-afternoon gathering into happy hour.

White-Bean-Stuffed Portobellos

This hearty meatless dinner's leftover ingredients make for a delicious lunch tomorrow. (Try our Spinach and Mushroom Salad with White-Bean Toasts.)

Pork Chops with White Beans

These pork chops are bathed in a chicken-broth-based sauce and given a fiber boost with the cannellini beans.

Pot of Beans

These pantry staples are versatile, healthful, and delicious. Count on them for simple, satisfying meals.

Chicken-Sausage and Bean Casserole with Sage

In this recipe from reader Robert Estep of East Haddam, Connecticut, sage-infused olive oil complements the beans and sausage, and the fried leaves make the crunchy breadcrumb topping even crunchier.

White Bean and Mushroom Ragout

This ragout is meant to be a side dish, but it can be served with a green salad for a light lunch.

White Bean Salad

The herbs in this dish can be changed to best complement whatever your main course is; try mint if served with lamb, dill with fish, and basil with roast chicken.From the book "Mad Hungry," by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Artisan Books).

Cannellini and Kale Soup

Thyme, garlic, and a bay leaf are simmered in water to create a flavorful broth that's low in calories. Frying garlic creates crunchy chips and a tasty oil to drizzle on top. Pureed cannellini beans give this soup a velvety texture, canceling out the need for heavy cream.

Kale, White Bean, and Sweet Potato Soup

For a vegetarian version of this soup, substitute Homemade Vegetable Stock for the chicken stock.

Vegetable Saute

Chopped eggplant and mushrooms give a rich flavor and meaty texture to this Mediterranean-style vegetable dish. Serve it with some steamed or boiled rice for a well-balanced meal.

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