Tuscan White Beans

When Pam posted the recipe for Tuscan Gigante Beans on her “For The Love Of Cooking” blog I new I wanted to make it, but I also know that Bev doesn’t like lima beans in any form – it’s the texture and also applies to chickpeas.  However, she does like white beans so I decided to just make the dish with Great Northern Beans.  Since I was sure we would like the beans, I made a double recipe as shown below.  Click on the link above to check out Pam's site for the original recipe and some great pics.

Tuscan White Beans – Adapted from For The Love Of Cooking

Ingredients:

12 oz great northern beans, soaked overnight in salted water

2 tbsp butter

2 large shallot chopped (one cup)

6 cloves of garlic (Larry minced them)

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp dried basil

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (Larry used Aleppo)

2 cup chicken broth (one extra added by Larry)

½ cup chopped sundried tomatoes

4 small pieces or two large pieces of Parmesan cheese rind, optional

2 large sprig of basil leaves & stem

½ cup heavy cream

1 cup chopped baby spinach, packed 

6 tbsp fresh parmesan finely grated, plus more for serving

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

2 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped

Instructions:

1. Pick through the beans for any debris. In a large pot, add the beans and enough water to cover by 5 inches. Cover with a lid. Soak the beans overnight. (Larry ended up with four cups)

2. Drain the beans, return them to the large pot. Add enough water to cover them by 5 inches. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 60-75 minutes, or until the beans are tender and creamy in the center. Drain. (Larry returned them to the pot)

3. Heat the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. (Larry did this in a skillet)

4. Add the shallot, garlic, oregano, basil, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  

5. Add the drained, cooked beans, chicken broth, sundried tomatoes, Parmesan rinds, and whole basil sprigs (leaves & stem). Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes.  (Larry added everything to the pot that the beans were cooked in)

6. Remove the Parmesan rind and basil sprig.

7. Add the cream, spinach, Parmesan, and bring back to a simmer.

8. Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.

9. Stir in freshly chopped basil and serve, along with some garlic toast or crostini and extra parmesan cheese. Enjoy.

When growing up, Mom’s soup beans were nearly always Navy Beans and we normally ate them atop white bread slices and sided them with fried potatoes – pretty cheap meal.  For this meal, we had some slightly stale focaccia bread with Italian seasonings in it so I ate my beans over it and fried up some leftover boiled potatoes with onions for the side dish – reminded me of my childhood.

The Verdict:

I almost don't know where to start with this delicious but very basic meal.  Even though I overcooked them a little, the beans were awesome and someday I'll make the butterbean version when Bev is traveling.  I'm definitely glad that I made a double recipe of this delicious change from a plain ole pot of beans - Bev says this is the go-to recipe going forward.  I can't think of many things I like better than fried potatoes and onions so I was in nostalgia heaven with this entire meal.  Thanks Pam.

Since I cooked plenty of potatoes, you should not be surprised with my next days breakfast.  Our neighbors are raising chickens for eggs but they are quite small  so I eat three of them in lieu of my normal two jumbo eggs.

Photos can be slightly enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

1/15/25 event date