This easy cannellini beans recipe is a foolproof way to transform dried, shelf-stable white beans into a flavorful centerpiece for your meal prep and batch cooking goals.
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“These were so ridiculously good, omg. I made them to add to another recipe but couldn’t stop just chowing down on the beans.” -Jacqueline, FoodieCrush reader
This Is How I Cook Dried Cannellini Beans So They Turn Out Extra Creamy and Flavorful
Opening a can of beans is one of the easiest ways to get more plant-based, healthy protein in your diet — but cooking beans from scratch is so much tastier!
I’ve been making my own pinto beans and refried beans for years, and I’ve recently added cannellini beans to my roster of better-than-canned recipes. My easy recipe begins with an overnight soak of the beans and then a hands-off slow simmer on the stove, for a super simple cooking formula.
Cooking dried beans from scratch may seem fussy, but once you try this straightforward method you’ll find yourself passing over the can opener and reaching for a bag of dried white beans instead. The beans turn out so flavorful and tender, but never mushy.
Use these cannellini beans as a jumping-off point for different mix-and-match dishes to make meal prep and batch cooking super easy.
Enjoy!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Dried white cannellini beans — Mild and nutty with a meaty but tender and creamy texture, cannellini beans are sometimes called the white kidney bean due to their kidney shape.
- Olive oil — For sautéing our onion and garlic to flavor the beans.
- Onion — Helps impart a nice savory flavor to these brothy beans.
- Garlic — Along with the onion, garlic mingles with the olive oil, adding richness to the cooking stock.
- Bouquet garni — A fancy way of saying a bundle bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, and parsley, tied up with kitchen twine.
- Chicken stock (use vegetarian stock if preferred) — A rich, aromatic stock or broth that imparts so much flavor to the beans.
- Kosher salt — Season with kosher salt as you go. Adding kosher salt to the beans as they cook helps them slowly absorb the flavor.
Heidi’s Tip: This master recipe for dry white beans works for just about any type of bean, so feel free to substitute Great Northern, flageolets, garbanzo, or pinto beans.
How to Cook Cannellini Beans
- Soak the dried beans overnight. Some cooks always soak their beans, and some don’t bother. Soaking the beans first rehydrates the beans to ensure they cook evenly and quickly, and it works for me every time. Some also believe soaking the beans before cooking relieves the beans of the sugars and breaks down the fiber that causes gas, bloating, and farting. Toots to that!
Heidi’s Tip: Presoaked beans can be drained and frozen in a freezer-safe ziplock bag.
- Sauté onion and garlic cloves in olive oil. Softening the onion and garlic in olive oil adds richness to the cooking stock. The oil helps the beans become creamy as they cook. If preferred, cook a quartered onion in the cooking liquid to still get the flavor but make it easier to fish out of the beans once done cooking.
- Add 2 inches of cooking water plus 1 cup of 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. Trying to rush the cooking process by boiling dried beans rather than cooking at a slow simmer will cause the beans to split and fall apart. Skim the cooking water with a small strainer as needed.
Heidi’s Tip: Regardless of how you cook them or what you cook them with, the only thing that may hinder your cooked bean success is using old beans. Choose beans from a store that has regular turnover. If you have beans in your pantry, soak them, then cook them and cook them now.
More Bean Broth Flavor Enhancers
- Mix in a little roasted garlic
- Sauté chopped bacon or pancetta with the onions and garlic
- Instead of yellow onion, try shallots or red onion
- Sprinkle in red pepper flakes for a bit of heat
- Toss the rind of a Parmesan cheese wedge into the simmering beans to flavor and thicken the broth
- Add a dash of soy sauce or amino acids for another layer of umami
- Or, simmer smashed anchovy paste with the stock
- Add a little diced tomato or tomato paste
- Mix with basil pesto or cherry tomato pesto
What to Make With Your Cannellini Beans
- Spoon cannellini beans on garlic-rubbed toasted sourdough bread
- Arugula Salad With Pesto Shrimp, Parmesan, and White Beans
- Creamy Bean Soup With Sausage
- The Best Minestrone Soup Recipe
- Mediterranean White Bean and Tuna Salad Toasts
- Tuscan Tuna And White Bean Salad
- Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean And Sausage Soup
- One-Pot White Bean Stew
- Mediterranean Shrimp Salad with White Beans
- White Bean Chicken Chili
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Cannellini Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried cannellini beans
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ yellow onion , chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , peeled and smashed
- 4-6 cups water
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 bouquet garni (I used a bay leaf and sprigs of thyme, parsley, rosemary, or marjoram)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Soak the beans overnight. Place the beans in a large bowl or pot. Pick out shriveled or discolored beans and discard them. Cover with 3 inches of cold water, then set on the counter uncovered for 8-24 hours (there's no need to refrigerate beans as they soak). Before cooking, discard the soaking water and rinse beans thoroughly in cold water.
- Sauté the aromatics. In a large, heavy bottom pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and the onions soften.
- Cook the cannellini beans. Add the cannellini beans, fresh water, and the chicken stock. Add more water as needed to cover the beans by 3 inches. Add the bouquet garni or herbs on their stems with the kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Skim off the foam and discard. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a gentle simmer for about 2 hours. Add more water if needed to keep the beans submerged.
- Season, if needed. Once the beans are cooked to your desired tenderness, remove them from the heat and discard the bouquet garni (or herb stems). Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
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Beth
I have made this recipe with navy beans several times. It is the BEST way to cook beans. I use homemade vegetable broth and I don’t soak the beans sine they are small. Glad I found your recipes and website.
I’m so glad you did too Beth! It really is a great base recipe for cooking any type of bean. Thanks for the comment and the 5 stars.
Berni
I followed the recipe exactly using dry pinto beans and they are delicious. I tied up herbs which added so much flavor, and the addition of olive oil is genius… thank you!
Awesome news Berni. Thanks for the comment!
Berni
Simmer the beans uncovered, yes?
Yes Berni, uncovered.
Debbie - MountainMama
I made these today with Great Northern Beans – soaked them overnight with a tbs of kosher salt. Drained and rinsed today and followed this recipe – AMAZING!!!!!!! Had them for lunch spooned over a toasted piece of crusty bread with butter and a sprinkle of sea salt flakes, what a treat!
Sounds absolutely perfect Debbie. Sea salt is a great finisher!
Cheryl
I love the idea of freezing soaked beans for later use. How long is it safe to freeze?
Hayley
Hi Cheryl! They should keep in the freezer for about 6 months.
Adrienne
Can you make this in instapot. How would I do that?
Yes, you could make them in the Instant Pot. Soak the beans then drain and rinse well. Return the beans to the pot with 3 cups of water, or enough to fully cover the beans. Cook the beans on high for 10 minutes, then naturally release for 10 minutes, before finishing with a quick pressure release. Drain any liquid left in the pot, and serve.
Lee
Excellent, delicious recipe. Freezing soaked beans is something I hadn’t ever thought of, and I don’t like to use canned, so, perfect!
I’m glad you enjoyed Lee!
Gil
Delicious with blanched curly endive[Chicorée Frisée] and a dash of lemon oil, served with toasted crunchy italian bread.
Yum.
I’m glad you enjoyed Gil!
Jacqueline
These were so ridiculously good, omg. I made them to add to another recipe but couldn’t stop just chowing down on the beans. Thank you!!
Sabrina
I love cannellini beans but for some reason always default to pintos, or black beans, but cannellini beans work better with a lot of savory dishes and also like your flavor enhancer ideas too, thank you!