Cannellini Beans (Canned)
Cannellini beans are large, creamy white kidney-shaped beans central to Italian cooking, sold canned and ready to use in soups, salads, and simple braises.
How to buy
Check cans for dents, bulging, or rust, and shake gently to confirm the beans move loosely rather than clumping together. Low-sodium versions are common if you'd rather season the dish yourself.
How to store
Unopened cans keep in the pantry well past a year if undamaged. Once opened, drain and rinse, then store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days, or freeze for a couple of months.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Mild, nutty, and slightly sweet, with a creamier flavor than kidney beans and less assertive than most other beans, which is why they pair so well with olive oil, garlic, and herbs.
- Texture
- Soft and buttery but still holding their shape, cannellini beans are larger and creamier than navy or great northern beans, and break down easily if simmered too long or mashed.
- Aroma
- Mild and faintly nutty, taking on garlic, rosemary, and sage especially well in classic Italian preparations.
How to prepare
- Mashed for bruschetta — Mashed roughly with olive oil and garlic and spread on toasted bread.
- Simmered with tomato — Cooked gently in tomato sauce with sage or rosemary until the beans soften further.
- Tossed into salads — Used cold with vinaigrette, tuna, or vegetables for a quick protein-rich salad.
- Blended into dip — Pureed with olive oil, lemon, and garlic into a smooth, mild spread.
Classic dishes
American
- White bean chicken chili — A lighter-colored chili built on cannellini beans, shredded chicken, and green chiles.
Italian
- Pasta e fagioli — A thick Italian soup-stew of cannellini beans and short pasta in a garlicky tomato broth.
- Minestrone — A vegetable-forward soup that often leans on cannellini beans for body and protein.
- Insalata di tonno e fagioli — A simple Tuscan salad of cannellini beans, tuna, red onion, and olive oil.
- Zuppa di fagioli — A rustic Tuscan white bean soup finished with good olive oil and black pepper.
- White bean bruschetta — Mashed cannellini beans spread over grilled bread and topped with herbs.
- Fagioli all'uccelletto — Cannellini beans gently simmered in tomato, garlic, and sage.
- White bean and escarole soup — An Italian-American soup of cannellini beans and bitter greens in a light garlic broth.
- Fagioli e cotiche — A hearty Southern Italian dish of cannellini beans simmered with pork skin.
- Cannellini and rosemary mash — Cannellini beans mashed with olive oil and rosemary as a simple side dish.
- Pasta fasul — An Italian-American comfort dish of beans and pasta in a thick, tomato-tinted broth.
- White bean soup with pancetta — Cannellini beans simmered with pancetta, garlic, and sage until thick and savory.
French
- Cassoulet — A slow-baked casserole of white beans with duck, sausage, and pork, often made with cannellini.
Mediterranean
- Cannellini bean dip — A smooth, lemony spread of blended cannellini beans, olive oil, and garlic.
Greek
- Greek-style white bean and tomato stew — A Greek-leaning variation of fasolada made with cannellini beans and olive oil.
Substitutions
- White Beans — Essentially the same bean family, so this is a near one-to-one swap.
- Kidney Beans (Canned) — Firmer and more assertive in flavor, with a noticeably darker color than cannellini beans.