Cannellini beans were banned from Italian tables until 1533—nobles thought white beans caused nightmares and madness.
Braised Cannellini Beans in Cherry Tomato Sauce
Dive into a delightful bowl of braised cannellini beans simmered in a luscious cherry tomato sauce, bursting with flavor! This quick and easy dish is ideal for scooping up with your favorite crusty bread, making every bite a delicious experience. Get ready to savor the harmonious blend of creamy beans and sweet tomatoes!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- Basil
- 2 punnets of cherry tomatoes, I used yellow and red
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 a red onion
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- Soft (vegan) cheese like ricotta, stracciatella, mozzarellaoptional
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 2 tins of cannellini beans
📦Other(1)
- Pine nutsoptional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Dice the onion and slice the garlic. Halve the tomatoes.
- 2
Heat oil in a large pan and fry off the onion for 5 minutes.
- 3
Add the garlic and as soon as it starts to color add the tomatoes.
- 4
Once they start to break down add just a little splash of water to keep it juicy.
- 5
When they are nice and saucy, blend until roughly smooth.
- 6
Drain the cannellini beans and add them in.
- 7
Simmer for a couple of minutes and then serve with olive oil, basil, pine nuts, and cheese if using. Serve hot with good crusty bread.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soak dried cannellini beans for 12-24 hours in salted water (1 tablespoon salt per quart) to reduce cooking time by 25% and prevent bursting during braising.ingredient12-24 hours, 1 tbsp salt per quart
- ✓Cook cherry tomatoes at medium heat (275-300°F) for 8-12 minutes until their cell walls break down and release maximum lycopene and natural sugars.technique275-300°F, 8-12 minutes
- ✓Add garlic only after onions are translucent because garlic burns at 280°F while onions caramelize at 320°F, preventing bitter flavors in your base.timing280°F garlic burn point
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup of bean cooking liquid before draining to add starch and body to your sauce, creating better cohesion between beans and tomatoes.technique1/2 cup reserved liquid
- ✓Finish with cold extra virgin olive oil off the heat to preserve volatile compounds and add fruity notes that would be lost at temperatures above 160°F.timingBelow 160°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Cannellini beans were banned from Italian tables until 1533—nobles thought white beans caused nightmares and madness.
Braised Cannellini Beans in Cherry Tomato Sauce
Dive into a delightful bowl of braised cannellini beans simmered in a luscious cherry tomato sauce, bursting with flavor! This quick and easy dish is ideal for scooping up with your favorite crusty bread, making every bite a delicious experience. Get ready to savor the harmonious blend of creamy beans and sweet tomatoes!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- Basil
- 2 punnets of cherry tomatoes, I used yellow and red
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 a red onion
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- Soft (vegan) cheese like ricotta, stracciatella, mozzarellaoptional
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 2 tins of cannellini beans
📦Other(1)
- Pine nutsoptional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Dice the onion and slice the garlic. Halve the tomatoes.
- 2
Heat oil in a large pan and fry off the onion for 5 minutes.
- 3
Add the garlic and as soon as it starts to color add the tomatoes.
- 4
Once they start to break down add just a little splash of water to keep it juicy.
- 5
When they are nice and saucy, blend until roughly smooth.
- 6
Drain the cannellini beans and add them in.
- 7
Simmer for a couple of minutes and then serve with olive oil, basil, pine nuts, and cheese if using. Serve hot with good crusty bread.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soak dried cannellini beans for 12-24 hours in salted water (1 tablespoon salt per quart) to reduce cooking time by 25% and prevent bursting during braising.ingredient12-24 hours, 1 tbsp salt per quart
- ✓Cook cherry tomatoes at medium heat (275-300°F) for 8-12 minutes until their cell walls break down and release maximum lycopene and natural sugars.technique275-300°F, 8-12 minutes
- ✓Add garlic only after onions are translucent because garlic burns at 280°F while onions caramelize at 320°F, preventing bitter flavors in your base.timing280°F garlic burn point
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup of bean cooking liquid before draining to add starch and body to your sauce, creating better cohesion between beans and tomatoes.technique1/2 cup reserved liquid
- ✓Finish with cold extra virgin olive oil off the heat to preserve volatile compounds and add fruity notes that would be lost at temperatures above 160°F.timingBelow 160°F