How to Cook Cannellini Beans to Perfection

This master cannellini beans recipe is a cheap and healthy way to make dried white beans that can be kept for a long time the star of your healthy meal prep and batch cooking plans.

To get the most out of your food budget and stay healthy, eating more beans is one of the best ideas. According to the famous Blue Zones philosophy, one of the best ways to live longer is to eat more beans. People who live over 100 years have made beans a main part of their diet. Beans! Who knew they held such power?! Only centuries of plant-based eaters from around the world, that’s who.

One easy way to add more plant-based, healthy protein to your diet is to open a can of beans. But making beans from scratch might be the tastiest. You can eat them by the spoonful on their own, mix them into salads like this Tuscan white bean and tuna salad, or make this creamy bean and sausage soup to bring comfort home.

This recipe is easy to follow. The beans are soaked overnight, and then they are cooked slowly on the stove without touching them. You can choose the texture you like best—beans with a bit of bite or beans that can be smashed and mashed—as well as how you want to flavor them—vegetarian or not (did I hear someone say “bacon”?)—when you cook with dried beans. This makes home-cooked beans a simple comfort food favorite.

While it might seem like an easy step to skip, cooking beans from scratch is a must. Once you try it, you’ll be reaching for a bag of dried beans instead of a can opener.

Cannellini beans are a versatile Italian white bean that can be used in a variety of dishes. When cooked properly, these mild, nutty beans become tender and creamy, making them an excellent addition to soups, stews, salads, and more. Learning how to cook cannellini beans from their dried state results in superior texture and flavor compared to canned beans.

With a simple overnight soak and a hands-off simmer on the stovetop or in the slow cooker, you can easily cook up a batch of cannellini beans ready to become the star of your next meal. Follow this step-by-step guide for tips on how to cook cannellini beans to creamy, toothsome perfection every time.

Benefits of Cooking Your Own Cannellini Beans

Cooking your own cannellini beans has many advantages over using canned beans

Superior flavor – Dried beans have a fresher, fuller bean taste.
Better texture – You can achieve the exact tenderness you prefer.
Cost savings – Dried beans are an inexpensive pantry staple
Customize seasoning – Flavor your beans while they cook.
Nutritious – Cooking your own preserves more nutrients.
Skip preservatives – No added sodium or preservatives like canned.
Long shelf life – Dried beans last for up to a year.

Tips for Cooking Cannellini Beans

Follow these simple tips for perfectly cooked cannellini beans:

Always sort and rinse dried beans to remove any debris.
Soak beans in water for 8 hours or up to overnight prior to cooking.
Discard soaking water and rinse beans before cooking.
Simmer beans gently over low heat; don’t boil.
Keep beans submerged in cooking liquid.
Cook beans until tender but not bursting.
Cool in their broth for best flavor and texture.

How to Cook Cannellini Beans on the Stovetop

Ingredients:

1 pound dried cannellini beans
Water for soaking
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt to taste

Instructions:

Rinse the beans and soak overnight in water.
Drain the beans; rinse well.
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add beans, broth, thyme, bay leaf and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and gently simmer for 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours until beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
Remove herb stems. Taste and season with more salt as desired.
Allow beans to cool in broth before using or storing.

How to Cook Cannellini Beans in a Slow Cooker

Cooking beans in a slow cooker couldn’t be easier!

Ingredients:

1 pound dried cannellini beans
Water for soaking
6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt to taste

Instructions:

Rinse beans and soak overnight in water. Drain beans and rinse.
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.
Remove herb stems. Taste and season with additional salt as needed.
Cool beans in broth before using or storing.

Flavor Variations

Jazz up your cannellini beans with different aromatics and seasonings:

Sauté pancetta, bacon or ham with the aromatics.
Add a Parmesan rind while simmering for extra flavor.
Season with red pepper flakes, ground cumin or smoked paprika.
Flavor with citrus zest or a splash of lemon juice.
Swap herbs like oregano, marjoram, parsley or basil.

Cooking Times for Cannellini Beans

Cannellini bean cooking times can vary based on the age and size of the beans. On average:

Soaked: 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours simmering
Unsoaked: 2 to 3 hours simmering
Pressure cooker: 25-30 minutes
Slow cooker: 7-8 hours on LOW

Check beans at minimum cooking times; they may need more time if still quite firm. Beans are done when creamy and tender but still hold their shape.

How to Tell When Cannellini Beans are Fully Cooked

Cannellini beans are ready when:

Beans are tender, creamy and can be mashed between fingers.
Skins are intact but “wrinkle” when squeezed.
Beans retain their oval shape without split sides.
Broth has thickened slightly from the starch released.
A bean tastes completely softened without any hard center when bitten into.
A bean can be blown on gently and the skin separates.

Storing and Freezing Cooked Cannellini Beans

Cooked cannellini beans will keep refrigerated in their broth for up to 5 days. For longer storage, beans can be frozen for up to 6 months.

To freeze:

Portion beans and broth into freezer bags or airtight containers.
Lay flat to freeze quickly.
Once frozen, beans can be stacked or stored upright.
Thaw beans still in broth in the refrigerator or microwave to prevent drying out.

What to Make with Cannellini Beans

Cannellini beans pair well in:

Hearty soups like minestrone, lentil and Italian wedding soup.
Salads like white bean salad and panzanella.
Sides like beans with escarole.
Spreads and dips like hummus and bean dip.
Pasta recipes like bean ragu or pasta e fagioli.
Vegetarian dishes like white bean burgers.

With their mild flavor and creamy texture, cannellini beans are endlessly versatile. Cook up a batch and start enjoying their goodness!

Frequency of Entities:

“cannellini beans” – 28
“cook” – 16
“broth” – 10
“soak” – 5
“tender” – 5
“season” – 4
“simmer” – 3
“stove” – 3
“aromatics” – 3
“texture” – 2
“flavor” – 2

how to cook cannellini beans

How to Cook Cannellini Beans

Sauté onion and garlic cloves in olive oil. Softening the onion and garlic in olive oil adds a richness to the cooking stock. The oil helps the beans become creamy as they cook. You can cook a quartered onion in the cooking liquid instead of a chopped one if you’d like. This will still give the beans flavor and make them easier to remove when they are done.

Add 2 inches cooking water plus 1 cup chicken stock to the beans. Cover the beans with water and chicken stock to be absorbed as the beans cook. Adding too much water will dilute the flavor of the stock. Use vegetable stock if keeping this dish vegetarian.

Simmer, but do not boil the beans continuously while cooking. It will be hard to eat dried beans if you try to speed up the cooking process by boiling them instead of cooking them slowly. Skim the cooking water with a small strainer as needed.

How to Store Cooked Beans

Cool and store the beans in their cooking broth for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Drain if desired. They don’t dry out because they stay soft on the inside but firm on the outside when you store them in their broth.

Soaking Cannellini Beans – Martha Stewart’s Cooking School – Martha Stewart

FAQ

Do cannellini beans have to be soaked before cooking?

How to prepare cannellini beans. Canned beans just need to be drained and rinsed, then they’re ready to use. For dried beans, soak them in lots of cold water for a minimum of 5 hours (they’ll expand, so make sure your bowl is big).

Do you need to cook canned cannellini beans?

They are already cooked. They can be eaten out of the can, but if you want them warm, put them in a pot on the stove just until the juices come to a boil. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon. You can also add the beans to jarred spaghetti sauce as you warm it to add heft to a quick pasta dish.

How long to boil dried cannellini beans?

Add 1 teaspoon salt, herb sprigs, bay leaf and the chili if using. Bring the water to a boil and cook the beans at a full boil for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer, give the beans a stir and partially cover the pan. Cook 1-3 hours, until the beans are uniformly plump and tender when you take a bite.

How do you cook cannellini beans without soaking them?

Bring cold water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over high heat. Add beans and salt, and return to a simmer; cover. Bake beans in the preheated oven until tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes, checking after 30 minutes to ensure beans are still covered with water. If necessary, add just enough water to cover.