This delicious white bean recipe with garlic, Parmesan, and cherry tomatoes only requires two cans of cannellini beans, and it can be prepared in 15 minutes or less. Serve it as a side dish or as a quick meatless dinner with your favorite crusty bread.
Ingredients for these easy cannellini beans
By adding flavor to a can of beans, this recipe for cannelini beans achieves its magic. Of course, you can cook your own on the stovetop. (Follow the instructions in White Beans on Toast. However, this recipe is intended to be a quick fix for weeknights, requiring little thought. Here’s what you need for this recipe:
HOW TO COOK CANNELLINI BEANS IN THE OVEN
Just make the dish as directed below, BUT cook your bacon in a skillet first, then add the cooked bacon and bacon fat to the remaining ingredients. Pour those ingredients into a 1-quart baking dish that is the right size and has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Heat at 350 for 20-30 minutes.
The recipe can be scaled up to feed however many people you desire. The recipe as written feeds 2 people. Don’t forget to add more bacon and spices to account for the extra people you want to feed.
Can I make this recipe from dry white beans instead of canned?
You can make this white beans recipe from scratch if you have the time and need a way to use up the dried white beans that have been sitting in your pantry for what seems like forever.
One 15-ounce can of beans is approximately equal to three-quarters of a cup of dry white beans. Consequently, begin by adding 1 12 cups of dry beans to a large bowl. Add water to the top (the beans should be covered by about 3 inches of water). Allow them to soak for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight!
The beans should be thoroughly drained and rinsed before being added to a large stovetop pot. Cover with water once more and bring to a boil. 2 teaspoons of kosher salt should be added, and the heat should be turned down to medium. Let the beans simmer uncovered. When the beans are tender but not mushy, they are ready. This can take 2 to 3 hours. As the beans cook, keep an eye on them and add water if they seem dry. When the white beans are done cooking, continue with the recipe as directed in step one!