Creamy White Beans With Herb Oil Recipe (2024)

Yes canned beans are a convenience but taking the time to cook the beans by simmering them in water for an hour or so means you do without a great deal of unwanted sodium, get much better tasting beans, and voilà, you can use the beans' cooking water as the stock. As an alternative you could cook the beans ahead and freeze them until you're ready for this dish.

When I print a recipe, I wish I had the option of printing a picture of the prepared meal, too.

I think a simple jar of good pesto (or a good pesto recipe...) would be a suitable substitute for the herb oil.

Excellent, and came together quickly. However, no way this serves 4-6 people as an entree. I served it over bulgur as an entree, doubled the recipe and it served three of us.

This is a wonderful, clever recipe, since the beans themselves (some crushed) plus broth or water actually make a creamy sauce. Two things: 1) Herb oil ingredients include 1/2 cup packed parsley leaves, but the recipe neglects to mention them. I'm pretty sure you just throw them in the food processor along with the basil and chives, but still. 2) For beans, it says to cook the garlic until translucent, but garlic doesn't get translucent (unlike onions). Make it golden brown. Burns easily.

Superb and very easy dish that has become a regular for my wife and I. Combine with greens dressed with EVO and balsamic, a hunk of crusty bread and a glass of Pinot and you have a wonderful and quick vegetarian dinner. I now skip making the herb oil and just use a high-quality pesto...enjoy!

I added some grape tomatoes cut in half, sautéing them with the garlic, and used a pre-made pesto. Delicious and hearty!

This immediately became a staple in our house. I used all different combinations of herbs for the oil, depending on what's on hand. Last night was Thai basil, sage, and shallot instead of the chives.

Love this easy recipe. Took the time to cook the garlic over very low heat while making the herb oil, so it was soft and sweet (not golden). Definitely making this again. Leftover herb oil was great on scrambled eggs. Used parsley, a few sage leaves, and chives because it’s winter and the basil is not looking good.

Be brave. Think of the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz (he was the bravest of the bunch, just needed a medal :).Navy, Great Northern, and Cannellini have subtle enough differences that any would be (imho) fine in this recipe.Try two types and take note of the difference. Then the recipe will be yours.(on the side, i would take an extra day and soak dried beans rather than use canned beans, but there's another experiment for you: try both)

why can't you use the liquid from the cans as stock? and when you buy dried beans in a supermarket you have no idea how long they've been sitting on the shelf. dried beans do not last forever.

Excellent! Amazing that so much flavor is achieved so simply. The herb oil is much more than needed for the beans---but it makes a great marinade for chicken breasts or vegetables. I once made this with half chickpeas (opened the wrong can) and it was also delicious.

This is a great recipe, thank you! Two notes: we had no chives so substituted scallions, which worked fine. And don't plan on feeding four people with the recipe as a main course - three was a stretch.

I added brown rice, and corn (to add up with the beans to a complete protein).I will make this again.

Super recipe - turns beans into food for the gods. If you have a small cuisinart, use it to make the sauce; it's much easier than doing it in a big cuisinart. Also, make double the sauce - it is good on fish, chicken, in scrambled eggs, etc.

Delicious. I used Rancho Gordo Cassoulet beans, frozen pesto from my garden and the bean broth. Great leftovers for breakfast - spread on crunchy toast and top with a jammy egg.

Made as a side to go with salmon and green beans. Good, simple Sunday supper.

Make with a whole 1lb bag of beans to 1.5lb bag of dried beans for this amount of sauce.

Made this with lime and extra chicken broth . Yummy

Amazing recipe. I used herbs on hand, a mix of cilantro, parsley, and mint. As another cook suggested, lacking chives I used a shallot. I initially thought the emulsion was too bitter, but after I added the lemon juice and salt and pepper it was decidedly better, and mixed with the beans it was delicious. This will serve two max as a main.

This has become a family favorite. I make it with small white beans (navy beans) and finish with a little smoked paprika. Leftovers are great on toast, drizzled with the herb oil!

This is a quick and vibrant dish with a feel of comfort health comfort food. Great for a rainy Saturday afternoon.

I was skeptical of how good this would be despite the glowing reviews. Oh, me of little faith. Made as written, and it was fantastic. Used about half the herb oil. Delicious, easy, quick, healthy-ish, economical: what's not to love? Fed two of us with no leftovers, as we went back for seconds.

This recipe is delicious. Sometimes I improvise a bit with the herbs if I already have something in the fridge I should use like parsley, but I keep it generous with the herby oil. Highly recommend

Testing notes ection. Made this awhile ago. Was tasty as I recall but needed to go with something — more protein? Not quite a meal

It would be great if you could print this recipe with the top 50 most helpful notes. The feedback is invaluable.

Milo loves this. Two cans of beans (great northern and cannellini) made just enough for 3 with no leftovers. Added chili flakes with the garlic and some asafetida. Used significantly more broth, a cup or more. Cooked down to a thick soup consistency. Thinned out store bought pesto with some olive oil and added the lemon and used instead of the herb oil. Sautéed spinach and served a pile of it on top of each bowl. Served with the Trader Joe’s olive fougassi loaf, heated in the oven.

Making the herb oil in a mortar and pestle was much quicker than a food processor. This is one where having the mis en place ready was a good idea - it really comes together quickly!

My husband I make this every Monday so we call them “Monday Beans”. We add goat cheese and sriracha - chef’s kiss.

I soaked dry cannelini beans in the morning, then simply cooked them later in homemade chicken stock, added sautéed garlic, then topped each serving with the herb oil (using scallions as I didn't have chives). The beans were so soft and creamy and the herb oil adds such incredible, complex flavor. It was so easy and my husband went berserk over it!