28 White Bean Recipes That Give the Pantry Staple Its Due White beans may be thin-skinned, but they’re remarkably good at taking on big flavors. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 25, 2026 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Morgan Hunt Ward / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley There’s lots to love about legumes of all types, and white beans hold a special place in the pantry. Loaded with protein, fiber, and nutrients, they’re inexpensive and easy to stock canned or dried. What sets them apart from their darker-hued counterparts is thin skin and starchy body, which allows the beans to absorb all kinds of flavors over heat while giving way to an extra-creamy texture. Large varieties like royal corona, gigante, and butter beans offer an especially satisfying bite, while smaller types such as cannellini and navy beans lend substance to soups and salads or blend into dips and silky sauces. Here, white beans pull their weight in meaty and vegetarian mains, sides, and appetizers, from slow-cooked braises to quick one-skillet dinners. Keep reading for some of our best ways to cook with white beans. Love these recipes? Join MyRecipes — your personal home for recipes — to easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place. 01 of 28 Spiced Pork Shoulder Steak with Salsa Verde and White Beans Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Smoky, savory, and herbaceous, this impressive dish from 2026 F&W Best New Chef Melissa López comes together in less than 45 minutes, thanks to your choice of canned white beans, quick-cooking pork steaks, and an almost-instant salsa verde. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 28 White Beans with Sausage and Arrabiata Sauce Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox Creamy, thin-skinned Marcella beans, an heirloom cannellini variety named for the late, beloved Italian cooking expert Marcella Hazan, are served with spicy Italian sausage in a fiery tomato sauce, topped with shaved Parmesan and a simple arugula salad for an extra-satisfying bowl. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 28 Lemony White Bean Salad Morgan Hunt Ward / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Prissy Montiel This quick and hearty salad pairs creamy cannellini beans with crisp celery, peppery arugula, and a smoky almond crunch. A bright lemon dressing infused with minced anchovies and mellowed shallots ties all the vibrant flavors together. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 28 Tuscan White Bean Soup Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Thickened with cannellini beans and cream, this vegetable-packed soup is made irresistible by garlic confit and crispy pancetta. Serve it with grated Pecorino Romano cheese and toasted bread to complete the experience. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 28 Butter Beans alla Vodka Morgan Hunt Ward / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Tender butter beans stand in for pasta in this quick, one-pan take on vodka sauce. Store-bought marinara and canned beans keep prep to a minimum, making it an easy weeknight meal that’s ready in about half an hour. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 28 Crispy Chicken Thighs with Lemony White Beans Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley The rendered fat from crisp bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs creates a schmaltzy, lemon-tinged pan sauce for cannellini beans and cherry tomatoes in this weeknight-friendly dinner from F&W recipe developer Anna Theoktisto. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 28 Cacio e Pepe Broccolini with Crispy White Beans and Burrata Victor Protasio Cookbook author Hetty McKinnon infuses this hearty, uncomplicated one-dish meal with the sharp, peppery notes of cacio e pepe: charred, bitter Broccolini; crispy, creamy flash-fried white beans; and luscious, milky burrata. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 28 French Onion White Bean Dip Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Ward / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall Made with a base of caramelized onions, canned white beans, and cream cheese, this rich dip from F&W recipe developer Julia Levy bubbles over with nutty Gruyère cheese. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 28 Stewed Lima Beans with Salsa Macha Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Start with a pound of dried lima beans to re-create this standout dish from 2026 F&W Best New Chefs Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate. After a long soak, the beans simmer in a rich broth of chicken stock, beef tallow, and aromatics until tender, finished with a spoonful of crunchy homemade salsa macha. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 28 Refried White Beans with Poached Eggs Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen A tasty choice for any meal of the day, velvety Marcella or cannellini beans are mashed with a garlicky puree of caramelized shallots, chile, and herbs, then served with perfectly poached eggs. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 28 Vegetarian Cassoulet Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Traditional French cassoulet combines white beans — usually Tarbais, lingot, or flageolet — with a variety of meats. In this vegetarian version, the beans take center stage; they’re paired with umami-rich mushrooms for extra depth and heartiness. A generous broiled topping of cheese and breadcrumbs adds a satisfyingly rich and crunchy finish. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 28 Gigante Beans with Sausage Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Abby Armstrong Plump gigante beans soak up a savory chicken broth enriched with crushed tomatoes, dry-cured soppressata, and Parmesan rinds in this comforting, Mediterranean-inspired slow cooker dish. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 28 White Bean and Ham Soup Diana Chistruga To build this creamy, smoky soup, three cans of cannellini beans are pureed with fragrant vegetables and ham-infused chicken stock. Diced ham is folded in just before serving, topped with crunchy croutons and bright scallions. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 28 Lemony White Bean Dip Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle For this zingy dip, blend canned cannellini beans with tangy feta brine and lemon in the food processor, then stir in additional beans and cheese crumbles for a pleasant textural contrast. Serve with crostini or crudités. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 28 Miso Carbonara White Beans Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood Silky cannellini beans steep in the essence of smoky bacon, sharp Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, rich egg yolks, and deeply savory white miso in this marriage of Italian and Japanese flavors — a culinary style known as itameshi in Japan. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 28 White Beans and Pork Sausage with Pistachio-Lemon Crumble Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Crisp white wine, bright lemon zest, and fragrant herbs balance rich bratwurst and buttery cannellini beans while highlighting the caramelized fennel and red onion in this nourishing bake. A gorgeous green pistachio crumble lends a vibrant finish. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 28 Saucy White Beans and Greens on Toast Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Justin Chapple combines canned cannellini beans and Roman beans (aka cranberry beans) with spinach, jalapeño, cumin, and citrus to spoon over toasted slices of rustic bread. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 28 Caprese Dense Bean Salad Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Dense bean salad gets the Caprese treatment with the addition of cherry tomatoes, pearl mozzarella, and torn basil leaves, all tossed in a balsamic-red wine vinaigrette. Using canned beans means you can have the dish ready in just 10 minutes. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 28 Creamy Lemon Miso Bean Pasta Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Relying almost entirely on pantry staples, this quick spaghetti dinner showcases a silky sauce made by blending canned beans, white miso, Parmesan, and lemon with starchy pasta water and olive oil. A shower of pine nuts, chives, and more Parmesan completes each bowl. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 28 Cabbage and White Bean Soup with Crispy Prosciutto Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Prissy Montiel Called zuppa di verza e fagioli, this soup is a wintertime go-to in northern and central Italy. Rustic, hearty, and thick with tender Savoy cabbage and cannellini beans, it’s a classic example of cucina povera, or peasant cooking, though the crispy pan-fried prosciutto garnish makes each bowl feel rich. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 28 White Bean and Tuna Salad with Shaved Squash Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel Creamy cannellini beans, large tuna flakes, and ribbons of zucchini and summer squash absorb the flavors of a lemon-thyme marinade in Justin Chapple’s riff on the Tuscan staple. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 28 Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek This luscious chicken and white bean chili builds flavor with canned green chiles, jalapeños, and spices like coriander and cumin. Don’t forget avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips, cheddar, and sour cream for serving — they’re just as vital to the dish as the ingredients in the pot. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 28 Corn, Squash, and White Bean Salad with Maple Vinaigrette Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel Beans, squash, and corn — the “three sisters” of Indigenous American farming traditions — star in this stunning salad, complemented by fresh strawberries, greens, and sunflower kernels in a tangy maple vinaigrette. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 28 Cannellini Soup Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Skyler Meyers / Prop Styling by Alexandria Juhl From Marcella Hazan, this minimal yet elegant soup relies on olive oil, garlic, beans, and broth, with a quick puree to thicken the bowl. Be sure to have crusty bread on hand for dipping. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 28 Milk-Braised Pork and Beans Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen The milk here not only tenderizes the pork, but also imparts a gentle, creamy flavor bolstered by a sachet of aromatics: lemon peel, sage, thyme, and peppercorns. Add in white beans, and you have a rich, hearty dinner that’s begging to be sopped up with crusty bread. Get the Recipe Save 26 of 28 White Bean Puree Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans Ready in less than half an hour, this easy puree makes a perfect dip or a base for roasted vegetables and meat. Simply sauté onion, garlic, and thyme in butter, add chicken broth and cooked beans, then blend until silky smooth. Get the Recipe Save 27 of 28 Smoky Beans and Greens in Tomato Broth Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland The combination of tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes delivers an aromatic broth in record time for this quick, soul-satisfying supper. The recipe calls for collards and a can of butter beans, but feel free to swap in what you have on hand. Get the Recipe Save 28 of 28 British Baked Beans Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Beans may not be a top-of-mind breakfast food in the United States, but elsewhere, it’s a different story. Case in point: These tangy navy beans baked in tomato sauce are typically served as part of a traditional English breakfast. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit