Simple Cannellini Beans

February 20, 2026

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These straightforward cannellini beans come collectively in simply 5 minutes with a handful of pantry staples! It’s the short, protein-packed aspect dish you’ll make on repeat for lunches and weeknight dinners.

Right here’s a trick that I believe all dwelling cooks ought to know: my 5 minute cannellini beans recipe! It’s a lifesaver for weeknight cooking, or the proper resolution for including plant-based protein to a meal.

You’ll be amazed on the taste you may get out of 1 can of beans in just some minutes. Throw it collectively in a skillet with a number of spices and it tastes prefer it’s been simmering all day. The primary time Alex whipped these up for me, I couldn’t consider that it tastes so scrumptious in such a brief timeframe. I like including these to easy dinners to make them extra filling!

5 Star Reader Evaluations

“With the cabinet nearly naked, I used to be on the lookout for a recipe for beans and got here throughout yours…it’s a easy delight! Thanks.” -Laura B.

“This was so good! I did the beans over linguine… with Parmesan… it’s a keeper! Thanks!” -Jeannie F.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Actually 5 minutes, begin to end. Drain, season, warmth: and also you’re finished!
Pantry-friendly. A can of cannellini beans, olive oil, and a seasoning mix it’s possible you’ll already personal. After all, you may add chives just like the photographs too!
Filled with plant-based protein. Every serving has quantity of protein and fiber, making this a satisfying and filling aspect dish.

Components You’ll Want

The magic of this cannelini beans recipe comes from infusing taste right into a can of beans. After all, you may cook dinner your individual on the stovetop. (Comply with the directions in White Beans on Toast.) However this recipe is designed to be a fast and easy repair for weeknights: the place you barely should assume. Right here’s what you want for this recipe:

1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans: Drain and rinse earlier than utilizing. You may truly use any canned white beans with this recipe
Olive oil: A heart-healthy oil used for cooking
Herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning: Each work nicely: extra on this under!
Recent chives: Provides brightness and a pop of inexperienced; use a pinch of onion powder in the event you don’t have them available
Kosher salt and black pepper: To season to style

Selecting Your Seasoning Mix

There are two totally different seasoning blends that completely praise the buttery, creamy taste of cannellini beans. One is utilized in French delicacies, and one in Italian. Each are straightforward to search out at most grocery shops.

Herbes de Provence: This mix is a bunch of herbs that develop within the Provence area in France, like savory, marjoram, rosemary, lavender, and thyme. It provides a herby taste with a refined floral nuance that’s extremely distinctive. When you can’t discover it, use Italian seasoning or strive selfmade herbes de Provence.
Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning has an analogous vibe but it surely’s made with widespread Italian herbs. It’s a mix of oregano, basil, thyme, sage and rosemary. It’s straightforward to search out at grocery shops, however you may as well make selfmade Italian seasoning.

Highlight on Cannellini Beans

Cannellini beans (pronounced Can-a-leen-ee) are an Italian white bean that’s oval formed, with a creamy texture and gentle taste. They’re one of many best white beans to search out canned on the grocery, together with Nice Northern beans.

What’s the distinction between cannellini and Nice Northern beans? Cannellini are bigger, with a creamier coloration; Nice Northern are smaller and whiter.

The way to Make Cannellini Beans

There’s actually no approach required to this cannellini beans recipe: it’s all in regards to the flavorings! Right here’s what you’ll do:

Drain and rinse the canned beans. That is normal for utilizing canned beans in recipes.
Warmth the olive oil in a skillet.
Add the beans and seasonings, and cook dinner about 2 minutes till heated. Recent chives add massive contemporary taste to this recipe and a fantastic vivid inexperienced coloration. When you don’t have them available, use a pinch of onion powder.

Take one style and also you’ll be amazed by the quantity of taste that may be coaxed out of a easy can of beans and 5 minutes. Take this idea and use it if you’re hangry and want a wholesome, protein packed snack or aspect dish.

Methods to Serve Them

One other factor I like about this cannellini beans recipe is that it’s extremely versatile. It really works as a aspect dish, hearty snack or perhaps a wholesome plant-based dinner. Listed here are a number of methods to serve it:

Good with pasta. It’s laborious to discover a filling vegetarian or vegan aspect dish for pasta. This one goes completely with Baked Rigatoni Pasta, White Sauce Pasta, Roasted Cauliflower Pasta, Pasta Primavera, Roasted Eggplant Pasta, and Pasta with White Wine Sauce.
Nice with seafood. It’s additionally nice with fish or shellfish, like Pesto Salmon or Good Grilled Salmon, Grilled Salmon in Foil, Grilled Tilapia, Pan Fried Cod, Baked Cod, or Broiled Shrimp.
Make a quick bowl meal. That is what we do for fast weeknight dinners. Throw it in a bowl with different uncooked or cooked veggies, scrambled tofu, leftover rice or quinoa, and so forth.

Why You Ought to Eat Extra Beans

Beans are top-of-the-line meals you may eat: particularly in the event you eat a vegetarian or vegan food regimen! They’re filled with plant-based protein, very shelf steady, and straightforward to make in scrumptious recipes. Right here’s why to eat extra beans:

They’re the most affordable supply of protein on this planet. They’re the one meals that’s each categorized as a protein and vegetable by the USDA.
They’ve might make it easier to reside longer: the record of well being advantages if beans is lengthy: they’re nutrient-dense, wealthy in most cancers combating antioxidants and hearty-healthy fiber. Guess the widespread aspect in Blue Zone food regimen nations the place individuals reside the longest on this planet? All of them eat 1 cup of beans per day.
They’re planet-friendly. Beans could also be key to feeding the Earth’s rising inhabitants: they take much less of a toll on the local weather than animal proteins.

Storage Suggestions

Leftovers retailer nicely in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. To reheat, heat in a small skillet over medium-low warmth with a drizzle of olive oil, for about 2 minutes.

I don’t advocate freezing this recipe, since canned beans can grow to be mushy after freezing and thawing.

Dietary Notes

This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Steadily Requested Questions

What are cannellini beans?

Cannellini beans are a big Italian white bean with a creamy texture and gentle, barely nutty taste. They’re one of many best white beans to search out canned and are utilized in Italian and Mediterranean cooking.

What’s the distinction between cannellini beans and Nice Northern beans?

They’re intently associated and might be swapped 1:1 in most recipes. The primary variations are dimension and coloration: cannellini beans are bigger with a barely creamier hue, whereas Nice Northern beans are smaller and a brighter white.

Can I exploit dried cannellini beans as a substitute of canned?

Sure! Dried beans have a scrumptious taste and a barely firmer texture. You’ll have to cook dinner them first earlier than utilizing them on this skillet recipe. Substitute about 1½ cups of cooked beans for the 15-ounce can. Go to The way to Prepare dinner Beans.

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