These Marinated White Beans are a quick, easy and flavour-filled dish that you will want to make on regular rotation. For speed and convenience, we use one of my store cupboard essentials, canned cannellini beans. We marinate the beans in a garlicky, extra virgin olive oil dressing with fresh lemon juice, dried chilli flakes, Kalamata olives, fresh basil and Italian parsley. The humble canned beans are transformed by the Mediterranean flavours in the marinade. The result is simple, fresh and delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- We use simple ingredients that are full of flavour.
- You can increase the ingredients to serve more people.
- The Marinated Beans can be made a day or two in advance. In fact, the flavours improve as they have time to develop and amalgamate.
- It is a budget friendly dish, ideal for a meat-free meal.
- You can customise the ingredients to suit your taste or what you have on hand.
- They are extremely versatile; there are so many ways to serve them, and we have some suggestions below.
Recipe Inspiration: I always have a variety of canned legumes on hand. They are so versatile, lending themselves to uses such as appetisers, soups, vegetarian stews or salads. Our Cannellini Bean Dip and Mediterranean Cannellini Bean and Kale Soup are just two of the many ways I use them when I want a meal in a hurry. This recipe is one of my favourite easy appetisers – it comes together quickly and can also be made in advance. This combination of Mediterranean flavours is a winner.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Cannellini beans: there are so many ways to use canned beans. Use them to make Baked Beans and Tuscan Stewed Beans. All easy and delicious.
- Extra virgin olive oil: we use this oil for the best flavour. It is an integral part of the much-acclaimed Mediterranean Diet. Use the best olive oil that you have.
- Garlic: fresh garlic cloves are superior to the prepared varieties.
- Lemon juice: freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a bright note and balances the flavours.
- Dried chilli flakes: we add a small amount for some gentle spice. Add more if you want your Marinated White Beans to be spicy.
- Dried oregano: a much-used Mediterranean herb, it adds depth of flavour.
- Kalamata olives: originating in Greece, these meaty purple-black olives add a salty note.
- Fresh basil and flat-leaf parsley: add vibrant colour and flavour.
Variations:
Beans: I have used cannellini beans, but butter beans would also work well.
Herbs: you could add some finely sliced chives.
Olives: if you prefer, you could use Castelvetrano olives, large, Sicilian, meaty green olives.
How To Make Marinated White Beans:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Prepare the marinade:
Warm through some olive oil and garlic, and add lemon juice, oregano and chilli.
2 – Add the beans:
To the warmed marinade, add the beans and olives.
When you are ready to serve, add the fresh herbs to the mixture.
Hint: if making the Marinated White Beans a day or two in advance, to maintain the fresh appearance, I suggest that you add the basil and parsley just before serving.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
I don’t recommend freezing the beans, it may alter the texture of the ingredients.
You could use Great Northern, Navy Beans or chickpeas for this recipe.
Top Tip:
Although the Marinated White Beans can be eaten straight away, the flavours will meld better if you wait at least a half hour before serving. For the best flavour, ensure that you remove them from the fridge to bring to room temperature before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions:
There are many ways to enjoy these delicious Marinated White Beans. Some suggestions are:
- Enjoy as an appetiser. Serve with some crusty bread to soak up the delicious juices.
- Add them to an antipasto selection served alongside our Baked Beef Meatballs and Marinated Feta.
- As a great side dish served with our Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb.
- If serving as a light, meat-free meal, I like them with Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables.
- They are portable so take them to a potluck or on a picnic.
- Serve at a barbecue; they go very well with a variety of meats.
I hope that you enjoy these Marinated White Beans as much as I do. I look forward to hearing if you try them.
Alex xx
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Marinated White Beans
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) tinned cannellini beans – rinsed and drained See Note 1
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic – grated
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice See Note 2
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives – pitted and cut into thirds
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil leaves – finely chopped
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped
- flaky sea salt – to taste
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the cannellini beans and set aside.
- In a medium size saucepan, add the olive oil and garlic. Turn the heat onto low and warm through.We want to cook the garlic without colouring it, to infuse the oil. This will take a couple of minutes.
- Once warmed through, switch off the heat. Add in the lemon juice, chilli and oregano.To the oil mixture, add the drained beans and olives. Mix well to coat everything.
- Serve immediately with the fresh basil and parsley stirred through and lots of crusty bread to mop up the juices.If making in advance, add the herbs closer to serving.
Notes
- Beans: butter beans also work well for this recipe, as do chickpeas.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each listed tablespoon.
- Seasoning: check that the seasoning is to your taste before serving. I like to add a little flaky sea salt, but it is important to remember that the olives will add to the seasoning of the dish.
- Make ahead and storage: this is a dish that is ideal to make the day before, as the flavours will become more vibrant. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Ensure you bring to room temperature before enjoying.
- Freezing: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.
- Servings: serves four people as an appetiser with crusty bread, or two as a side dish to a main meal.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
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