5-Minute Cannellini Recipe - Beauty Bites (2024)

FAQs

Are cannellini beans and great northern beans the same thing? ›

Cannellini and great northern beans are similar but they do have subtle differences in flavor and texture. That said, if it's 30 minutes until dinnertime and you're staring at a can of the "wrong" kind of beans in your pantry, rest assured that you can swap one for another.

Due to their creamy white color, navy beans are sometimes confused with other white beans such as great northern beans, cannellini beans, or white kidney beans. Although their taste is similar, navy beans are smaller and rounder than these other varieties.

They are often chosen as the star of many meals due to their firm skin and tender flesh. Compared to butter beans, cannellini beans have a nuttier flavor and sturdier makeup. Nutritionally, both butter and cannellini beans are high in protein and fiber and have very similar nutritional profiles.

Cannellini beans are wonderfully nutritious. They're fat free and an excellent source of fiber, folate, iron and magnesium. One 1/4 cup serving contains 11 grams of protein! Adding nutritious foods like dried cannellini beans to your diet may help control blood sugar levels; talk with your doctor.

Cannellini beans are high in fibre and contain vitamin C as well as magnesium, a mineral that helps our muscles to function properly. Chickpeas are a good source of fibre and contain more than 10 different micronutrients, including copper, which keeps our skin and hair healthy.

Cooking at high heat destroys the lectins, making the beans safe to eat. However, if you don't cook them long enough, or at sufficiently high temperature (such as in a slow cooker), you can still get sick. Canned beans are usually pre-cooked so are safe to eat raw.

All beans are rich in fiber, but the top-ranking variety is the navy bean, allegedly named for its popularity in the U.S. Navy in the early 20th century. These pea-sized, cream-colored beans provide 10 grams of fiber per half-cup serving.

Cannellini Beans

Meatier than Navy or Great Northern beans, they have a nutty, earthy flavor and tender flesh, and are often used in Italian dishes like Minestrone. They retain their shape and texture well, so they're perfect to use in salads, soups, stews, and chili.

Cannellini beans are also called white kidney beans. These types of beans are used in many Mediterranean dishes like pasta e fa*gioli, and are frequently served with the bitter green escarole.

Cannellini Beans are larger and heartier than Great Northerns and are sometimes referred to as “white kidney beans” because of their traditional kidney shape. You'll often find them mixed with pinto beans.

Are dried cannellini beans better than canned? ›

Cooked, dried beans just taste better.

In fact, canned beans can have a metallic taste, or they can be too salty or mushy. Cooking with dried beans lets you season them to to your taste and control how long you cook them — making sure they're just as firm or as soft as you like.

Unless the recipe tells you to keep the canned beans in their liquid, you should drain your can and give the beans a good rinse before using. This will improve the flavor and texture of your finished dish. Open your cans of beans using a can opener. There may be sharp edges from opening the can.

Possible Side Effects and Risks

Despite their many health perks, cannellini beans should be eaten in moderation. Overeating them can lead to possible side effects and risks.

Low-calorie, nutrient-dense cannellini beans and other legumes are packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, have anti-inflammatory properties and have even been found to help people with diabetes (about half of whom also have arthritis).

If you can't find cannellini beans, great Northern beans are the best stand-in.

For great northerns, you can opt for pinto beans, chickpeas, or lima beans. These alternatives offer a similar tender texture and mild taste that work well in delicate dishes. On the other hand, if navy beans are unavailable, you can easily use any white or colored bean, such as white kidney beans or black beans.

Great northern, also called "large white" beans, are larger than navy beans as well, but smaller than cannellini beans. They have a flattened shape similar to lima beans and a delicate flavor.