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If you wonder what to do with cannellini beans, here you’ll find 20 scrumptious cannellini bean recipes to make super cozy soups, yummy salads, bruschetta, pastas, and dips!
Delicious, filling meals that you’ll be making again and again.
Today I’ve updated with new recipes this roundup that I originally published three years ago. Essentially, these are cannellini bean recipes that I cook for my family, so you can see how great these humble beans can be!
With their texture, hearty flavor, and an outstanding nutritional profile, cannellini beans are definitely one of the best cupboard staples you should always have on hand.
They’re economical, versatile, easily accessible, and best of all, they are sensational to make delicious, filling, protein-packed meals.
I love their creaminess and fluffy texture. They’re comforting but light at the same time. They’re also amazingly nutritious as they provide plenty of protein, fiber, iron and magnesium.
And they go with SO many different ingredients and flavors.
You can turn them into a warming soup, or a super quick salad in no time. But they are also great for dips, one-pot pasta recipes or you can simply enjoy them with crusty bread, garlic and extra virgin olive oil.
Cannellini beans truly can make the perfect midweek meal for the whole family.
Whether you’re a meat-lover or a vegetarian, I’m sure you’ll find in this roundup many cannellini bean recipes you’ll LOVE!
Enjoy. x
Cannellini Bean Soup
Rich, savory and wonderfully thick, this cannellini bean soup requires just a handful of pantry staples and makes the perfect feel-good meal when it's cold outside. It's healthy, comforting and tastes AMAZING.
Cannellini Bean Salad
This easy recipe combines tender cannellini beans with juicy tomatoes, savory olives, and refreshing parsley. All tossed in a fantastic homemade lemon garlic dressing. A simple yet flavorful salad ready in no time.
The best white bean soup
This wonderful, creamy white bean soup is a 5 star reader favourite with hundreds of reviews! The recipe features a few basic ingredients, canned cannellini beans, and fresh spinach. It's amazing.
Pasta with Cannellini Beans (1 pot)
This is a wonderful pasta recipe that uses cannellini beans, herbs and a simple favor base made with onion, garlic and olive oil. It's a terrific, nourishing family meal that you can make in one pot in less than 20 minutes.
Smoky Beans on Toast
Cannellini beans are also great for bruschetta! These little toasts are topped with fluffy beans cooked with smoked paprika, herbs, red pepper flakes, fresh garlic, and olive oil. Yum!
White bean soup
This is not an average bean soup, this is an awesome soup with big flavors. I cook it the way my mum used to, loaded with chili flakes, parsley, and garlic. Serve it with black pepper focaccia, and you’ll go back for seconds and thirds.
One-Pot White Bean Pasta
This lovely pasta with white beans is a hug hit at my house! The entire recipe starts and ends in the same pot and makes a wonderful family meal packed with fresh ingredients.
Beans and Bread, the Italian way!
Meet one of my favorite, no-frill, fresh-and-flavorful, speedy lunch: beans and bread. It requires just a few pantry staples, it’s ready in less than 10 minutes and tastes soooo good. It’s also vegan and makes a lovely quick lunch, snack or crowd-pleaser appetizer.
White Bean and Kale Soup
This is the kind of soup that warms you up. It's healthy, flavorsome and chock full of veggies, kale and protein-packed beans. Make a big batch, soup leftovers will taste delicious.
Mediterranean Bean Salad
This speedy salad is another favorite quick lunch at my house. It combines fluffy beans with crispy cucumbers, tomatoes, savory olives, red onions and aromatic oregano. You'll love every bite.
White Bean Dip
This white bean dip makes a delicious dreamy creamy dip or appetizer ready in minutes. It's smooth, garlicky, nicely spiced with cumin and coriander and lighten up with fresh parsley and bright lemon juice.
Tuscan Farro Soup with Beans and Kale
Photo Credit: gatheringdreams.com
This hearty Tuscan farro soup with cannellini beans and kale is the perfect cozy and comforting soup to warm you up this winter. It's healthy, full of protein, and delicious.
White Bean Tabbouleh Salad
Photo Credit: www.recipetineats.com
Lots of fresh parsley, hint of mint, dotted with tomato and cucumber, and that distinct lemony freshness makes this bean salad totally delicious and good for you.
Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Beans)
Photo Credit: cookieandkate.com
Lots of aromatics, crushed tomatoes, Tuscan kale, and pasta turn this cannellini bean recipe into a terrific meal that is filling, warm, and leftovers taste even better the next day.
Cannellini Beans and Greens
Photo Credit: www.loveandlemons.com
In this cannellini beans recipe, Swiss chard, olive oil, and a big squeeze of lemon juice transform the beans and their wondergul broth into a yummy, wholesome meal.
Tuscan White Bean Soup (Ribollita)
Photo Credit: jessicainthekitchen.com
Tuscan White Bean Soup aka Ribollita is hearty, creamy and SO cozy! It’s an easy soup to make, full of beans and veggies, a must for the holiday season.
Bean Soup
Photo Credit: www.recipetineats.com
Thick, rich, and flavorful, this bean soup is an amazing traditional Spanish bean soup topped with a pesto-like picada that really brings it home. Amazingly delicious.
Notes & FAQ’s
You can find either canned or dried cannellini at your local store. Dried cannellini provide more flavor and a better texture, but for convenience and zero prep time, canned cannellini beans should be a must-have staple in any pantry.
Are cannellini beans good for you?
Yes, they’re an excellent source of fiber and important micronutrients. Plus, they’re packed with protein and contain zero fat. Big bonus if you’re vegan or if you simply try to throw together a delicious meat-free meal from things readily to hand.
Better canned or dried beans?
Canned cannellini beans work fine in any recipe, but if you have the time, it’s worth the effort to make your own cooked beans at home, mostly because:
- They’re cheaper
- They taste better
- They freeze beautifully
- You can use the bean cooking water as a flavorsome broth
Recipe update: published in February 2020/updated in September 2023
How long does it take to cook cannellini beans?
To speed cooking time, dried cannellini should be soaked before cooking.
Soak them in lots of cold water from a minimum of 5-6 hours to overnight. Drain and rinse, then put them in a large pan, cover with water and bring to the boil, reduce the heat, and cook until tender (it might take from 30 to 50 minutes).
Plus, cooking a big batch of beans, and freezing the rest, will save you energy and money!
TIP: it’s a good idea to add a few bay leaves and pieces of vegetables such as carrots, celery or onion, into the cooking water. They will make the thick and nutrient bean broth delicious, which you can use to add flavor to soups and stews.
Do you have to cook canned cannellini beans?
NO, canned cannellini beans are so convenient and already cooked, that means they can be eaten without additional cooking. However, before using them in any recipe, drain and, if necessary, rinse them.
In conclusion, whether canned or dried, in soups or salads, in stews or on toasts, vegan or not, the hearty and creamy cannellini beans are just delicious!
Loved these cannellini bean recipes?
If you enjoyed this collection of recipes, check out these roundups featuring more healthy, amazing legumes:
- Bean recipes
- Lentil recipes
- Pea recipes
- Chickpea recipes
And if you enjoy one of these amazing cannellini bean recipes, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram. I would love to hear from you! x
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