Cannellini beans are similar to great Northern beans, another popular white bean, but cannellinis have creamier flesh than Northern beans and slightly thicker skins, which helps them keep their shape. You can use the dry beans in countless recipes; cook them and toss with tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil and garlic cloves for an incredible cannellini bean salad, or heat them in a pressure cooker with water, garlic and kale to enjoy a hearty soup sprinkled with parmesan cheese and olive oil and served with crusty bread.
Cannellini Beans Benefits
Cannellini beans are wonderfully nutritious. They’re fat free and an excellent source of fiber, folate, iron and magnesium. One 1/4 cup serving contains 11 grams of protein! Adding nutritious foods like dried cannellini beans to your diet may help control blood sugar levels; talk with your doctor.
These gourmet beans were originally cultivated in Argentina but eventually became popular in a number of Italian dishes‚ including minestrones, pasta e fa*gioli and bean salads, to name a few. Cannellini beans are excellent in soups, stews, chilis and puréed bean spreads or dips. Because they hold their shape better than other white beans, they are a favorite for ragouts and bean salads. See our website for recipes for a hearty Cannellini Bean Soup and a luscious Cannellini Herb Spread with garlic.
Sure, you could heat up canned cannellini beans, but it’s simple to cook dry cannellinis; just cover them with cold water and simmer for 60-90 minutes. You’ll have delicious, flavorful beans without all the excess sodium of canned beans.
