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Upgrade those baked beans from the can with a few simple ingredients with this crowd-pleasing recipe!
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What Are Italian Beans?
Italian beans are a common type of bean you can recognize for their white color and creamy texture when you cook them. They come from Tuscany, Italy, and are mostly known as Cannellini or white kidney beans.
These beans are usually used in classic Italian dishes, including salads, soups, and stews. Italian beans are a great source of nutrition, adding protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins to any recipe.
Ingredients
Italian beans, aromatics, tomatoes, and then just a few seasonings is everything you need to turn these simple ingredients into a ridiculously tasty baked side:
- Bacon: the most delicious way to start this dish.
- Onion: aroma, flavor… you need it!
- Garlic: fresh garlic cloves minced.
- Water: for cooking.
- Can crushed tomatoes: your favorites.
- Brown sugar: cuts the tomato’s acidity.
- Balsamic vinegar: adds a deep flavor.
- Italian seasoning: a blend of herbs that pairs great with Italian beans.
- Red pepper flakes: a little bit of heat!
- Salt and pepper: the classics!
- Cannellini beans: I've made this recipe with both canned and bulk beans, and it comes out fantastic both ways.
How to Make Italian Baked Beans with Cannellini Beans
If you can sauté and stir, you can make this epic Italian Baked Beans. Here’s how this cozy recipe comes together:
- Prep
Preheat the oven to 400F. Chop the bacon, onions, garlic cloves. - Cook bacon
Heat a heavy, oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook, until crisp, for about 8 minutes. - Sauté
Add the onions and garlic, and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. - Add remaining ingredients
Add the water, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the beans, stir into the mixture and bring the beans to a low simmer. - Bake
Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the bean mixture bubbles and thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve. In a hurry? Skip the baking step and simmer the beans on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
How to Store Leftovers
To store Italian baked beans, allow leftovers to cool down and place them in an airtight container or zip bag in the fridge for 3 to 5 days, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
What to Serve With Them
Add Italian Baked Beans to your favorite dishes, and you just can’t go wrong! I like to pair this side with Beef Kabobs, Baked Chicken Thighs, or Pan-Seared Chicken for the quickest mid-week dinner.
Want a meatless meal? Omit bacon and serve these beans with a salad, roasted vegetables, or over rice or pasta.
Easy Italian Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup water
- 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Chop the bacon, onions, garlic cloves.
Sauté:
- Heat a heavy, oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook, until crisp, for about 8 minutes.
- Add the onions and garlic, and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the water, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the beans, stir into the mixture and bring the beans to a low simmer.
- In a hurry? Skip the baking step and simmer the beans on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
Bake:
- Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the bean mixture bubbles and thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
Camber Martinez says
Super excited to make this baked bean recipe! It looks SO GOOD!
Laura Fuentes says
Enjoy!