Brothy Beans (White Beans Recipe)

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You only need a handful of pantry staples to make a big bowl of brothy beans! This white bean recipe transforms plain dried cannellini beans into creamy and buttery flavor-packed beans. This one-pot beans recipe is so versatile as you can enjoy a bowl of brothy beans on its own or use the beans to create protein packed meals throughout the week.

An overhead view of a bowl of brothy beans (white beans recipe) with a lemon slice.

Cannellini beans are one of my favorite beans (I’m also obsessed with navy beans, so there’s a pattern lol) as they’re so versatile. You can add them to soups and salads, or even turn them into a dip. However, one of my favorite ways to enjoy dried white beans is to turn them into brothy beans!

Instead of draining the liquid, the beans can also be enjoyed in the broth they’re cooked in, making for a cozy bowl of brothy beans! It’s so delicious, and I love adding a bit of crusty bread to soak up the flavorful broth.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s a budget-friendly recipe. Dried beans are pretty inexpensive and when paired with other pantry staples, you can create a deep and rich broth and beans.
White beans are a great source of fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, and protein, making for a healthy addition to your daily meals.
It’s an easy dish to make a large batch of and enjoy throughout the week. Brothy beans are also freezer-friendly so you can make a double batch and freeze half for another day.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make brothy beans (white beans recipe).

white beans — this recipe uses dried cannellini beans, also known as white kidney beans. Cannellini beans tend to have a slightly creamier and buttery interior. They also have a sturdy exterior which means they keep their shape better when cooked. You will need to account for the time it takes to soak your dry beans in this recipe. You can see in the photo below how much the dried bean expands after soaked in water.
oil — I use olive oil to cook the diced onions.
onion — I dice up a small yellow onion but you can use what you have on hand. Shallots are a great swap.
garlic — the more garlic, the better!
broth — to make brothy beans, you’ll need some broth! Feel free to use low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth. By cooking the beans in broth, they absorb the flavors they are cooked in.
bay leaves — the dried bay leaves add some extra rich savory flavor to the broth and beans.
Italian seasoning — I add some Italian seasoning, but you can also add different dried or fresh herbs. Thyme, rosemary, oregano, and sage are great swaps as well.
lemon — I like to squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over the brothy beans for a touch of bright and tangy flavor.

Side by side comparison of before and after soaking white kidney beans.

How to Make Brothy Beans

Set of two photos showing before and after white beans are soaked.

Rinse the dry beans and give them a once-over to make sure there is no dust or debris. Add the dry beans to a bowl and cover with water to soak for 8 to 24 hours. (I add 3 cups of water to every 1 cup of beans. Beans absorb and expand quite a bit so make sure you add enough water.)
After soaking, discard any beans that have floated to the top, drain the water, and give them another quick rinse.

Set of two photos showing onions and garlic added to the pot.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions have softened.
Add the roughly chopped garlic and cook for another minute.

Set of two photos showing seasoning and soaked white beans added to the pot.

Add the Italian seasoning and beans.

Set of two photos showing before and after brothy beans are simmered.

Add the broth and bay leaves. Bring the liquid up to a boil before lowering the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for an hour. Then simmer for another 1½ to 2 hours with the lid slightly ajar, checking on the beans every 30 minutes.
Skim off any foam if desired and add additional water if required.
When done, discard the bay leaves and finish with some fresh lemon juice. Serve with the broth or use the beans in your recipe of choice.

A close up view of brothy beans (white beans recipe) in a bowl with a lemon slice.

Recipe Tips and Notes

If you have a parmesan rind saved in your freezer, you can add them to the broth to add more rich flavor to the broth and beans.
Soaking the beans ensures they cook evenly and quickly.
The cooking time required for your beans depends on how fresh or old your beans are. Older beans take much longer to cook. I like to check on the beans every 30 minutes to give them a feel to see if they’ve become tender.
Feel free to add salt and pepper to the brothy beans before serving!

Make Ahead Tips

Meal prep: once cooled, store the brothy beans an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Freezer: allow the beans to cool before transferring them into an airtight container. Make sure to store the beans with the broth as you might want to use the broth in another recipe or you can reheat the beans by simmering them in the broth. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Brothy beans (white beans recipe) in a freezer tray.

Why do my beans split while cooking?

Your beans might be splitting because you’ve overcooked them or boiled them for too long (make sure to turn the heat down so the beans are simply simmering). No worries, though—split beans still taste delicious! An overnight soak can also help prevent the beans from bursting.

What is a good substitute for cannellini beans?

You can also use northern beans or navy beans!

How much does this make?

1 cup of dried beans will yield approximately 3 cups of cooked beans. This recipe is very flexible regarding the amount of dried beans you’d like to cook. Simply add more liquid!