Best 7 Cooking White Beans Recipes

EASY WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Drain and rinse the beans.
• Heat the butter or olive oil over medium-low heat in a small skillet. Add the beans and seasoning. Heat until just warm, about 2 minutes.

BASIC WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Soak the beans. Rinse the dried beans in water and put them in a large bowl. Cover with at least 4 times their volume of water and leave to soak overnight.
• Drain and rinse the beans and put them into a pot with a heavy lid. Add just enough cold water to cover them.
• Add the rosemary, garlic, and a drizzle of olive oil. Bring the beans to a boil, then cover and simmer them gently for 20 to 30 minutes or until the beans are tender but not mushy. The cooking time will depend on the size and age of the beans. Smaller and newer beans will require a shorter cooking time, so check on them after 20 minutes.

MARINATED WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Combine the garlic and olive oil in a small skillet and set over low heat. Cook until the garlic begins to slowly sizzle, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes (don't let the garlic brown as it will become bitter). Increase the heat to medium and add the capers, lemon zest, rosemary, red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and return to a sizzle. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
• Combine the beans, tomato and parsley in a medium serving bowl. Drizzle the warm garlic oil over and toss well. Season with salt as desired.

WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Cook coarse-chopped slab bacon in olive oil just until fat is rendered. Add chopped onion and fresh thyme; cook until onions are soft, then add cooked white beans and enough stock to moisten. Cook until flavors blend and stock is reduced (it shouldn't be soupy). Garnish: Parsley.

SMOKY WHITE BEANS & HAM

Steps:

• Rinse and sort beans; soak according to package directions., Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. Transfer beans to a 6-qt. slow cooker. Add ham hocks. Stir in onion, broth, water and seasonings. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until beans are tender., Remove meat from bones when cool enough to handle; cut ham into small pieces and return to slow cooker. Serve with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with onions if desired.

WHITE BEAN PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet (preferably straight-sided) over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and 1 teaspoon salt, and stir, then cook undisturbed in an even layer until one side is golden, about 4 minutes. (It's great if the butter browns, but decrease the heat if it threatens to get too dark.) Stir in the asparagus, carrot and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the peas, scallions and ½ teaspoon salt, then add the red-pepper flakes, oregano and a generous amount of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the peas are warmed through and bright green, about 2 minutes.
• Add the white beans and the cream, lower the heat to medium, and let the cream come to a simmer. Simmer for about 1 minute.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, Parmesan and Dijon. Taste and season with more salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of warm water to the creamy beans to loosen as you like; the sauce will thicken as it cools. (You may need more water when you reheat any leftovers.) Serve in bowls topped with the nuts and a handful of basil leaves. Pass more Parmesan at the table.

BRAISED WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Rinse the beans and put in a large pan with 1 onion, 1 carrot and 1 celery stick, all halved, 1 unpeeled garlic clove and the bouquet garni. Cover with water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30-45 mins, until the beans are almost tender but holding their shape.
• Meanwhile, chop the remaining onion, carrots and celery stick. Peel and finely chop the remaining garlic. Heat the butter and oil in a large pan, add the vegetables and gently fry for 10 mins until lightly coloured.
• Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Fish out and discard the whole vegetables and bouquet garni. Add the beans to the pan of vegetables with the tomatoes and sufficient reserved cooking liquid to just cover them. Top up with boiling water if necessary. Add plenty of salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for about 30 mins until the beans and vegetables are tender, then scatter with parsley, to serve.