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Home » Recipes » Vegan Main Meal Recipes

Braised White Beans with Garlic and Rosemary

Published: Oct 24, 2022 · Modified: Mar 17, 2025 by Emily · 12 Comments

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In need of a staple white beans recipe? This recipe for Braised White Beans with Garlic and Rosemary is the definition of plant-based comfort food! It's creamy, hearty, full of warming flavors, and ready in 30 minutes. Serve it with crusty bread and a kale salad for a healthy dinner.

bowl of rosemary garlic braised white beans with a gold spoon and crusty bread
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make Braised White Beans
  • Ways to Customize Braised White Beans
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More White Bean Recipes
  • Cozy Braised White Beans with Garlic and Rosemary

White beans are a true workhorse in the kitchen. They are a welcome addition to so many meals, and this is no exception. Today's recipe is a perfect quick dinner for fall and winter. It's ready in just 30 minutes, with a deep flavor that improves as it rests.

Ingredients

Ingredients for this recipe
  • Fresh rosemary is my favorite hearty herb and pairs perfectly with many white bean recipes. We use it in this Easy Rosemary White Bean Dip as well!
  • Fresh garlic lends flavor and a sharper bite that cuts through the creamy beans and olive oil
  • Cannellini beans are hearty and naturally very creamy. Other bean types could work, such as Royal Coronas or large white lima beans. I do not recommend chickpeas as they tend to stay fairly firm
  • Cashew parmesan adds a savory note that is slightly cheesy. This is a perfect topper when served with some crusty bread!

How to Make Braised White Beans

garlic and rosemary with olive oil in a skillet

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add rosemary, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Let brown for 5 minutes.

braised white beans on the stove

Step 2: Add white beans and simmer until thick, about 8 minutes.

removing rosemary from white beans

Step 3: Mash down beans with a fork and remove rosemary sprigs.

half teaspoon of nutmeg

Step 3 continued: Season with nutmeg and black pepper.

stirring a pot of braised white beans with a wooden spoon

Step 4: Stir and mash beans, then remove from the heat.

adding lemon to white beans

Step 5: Add lemon juice and serve with cashew parmesan and crusty bread.

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Ways to Customize Braised White Beans

My favorite beans are cannellini (also known as white kidney beans), but Navy or Great Northern beans would also work well. These white beans are very naturally creamy and well-suited for braising. Chickpeas and black-eyed peas are a bit firmer but could be included as mix-ins if that's what you have available.

Other hearty winter herbs, such as sage and thyme could be nice additions alongside the rosemary.

The dry white wine we're using is for an added depth of flavor (the alcohol cooks off). If you do not have this on hand, some additional lemon juice will help brighten things up. Vegetable broth is something I never have, but that could be useful also. Feel free just to skip it.

To make this into a meal-prepable option, I like to pack it with a bunch of kale for a lunch-worthy salad. When heated in the microwave, the kale steams itself a bit and does not require dressing. Something like arugula would also be a nice contrast!

hand dipping bread into a pot of braised white beans

Recipe FAQs

Are white beans the same as cannellini beans?

Cannellini beans are a type of white bean. There are many kinds of "white" beans, which are part of a family of legumes that include navy beans, kidney beans (cannellini), lima beans, and "Great Northern" beans. They are all notable for having starchy interiors with thin white casings.

What does it mean to braise beans?

A common method for preparing meats is to braise, which involves slowly simmering an ingredient in cooking liquid (sometimes after searing). It is similar to stewing but involves a bit less liquid.

Should you rinse white beans from a can before using them?

Typically, yes. Rinsing white beans from a can remove excess salt, which helps regulate other flavors in a dish. This recipe was designed to utilize a bit of extra salt from one can of bean liquid, but it will also work with homemade beans.

More White Bean Recipes

  • crispy white beans on toast with kale and tomatoes with cashew parmesan
    Crispy White Bean Skillet with Kale and Tomatoes
  • spoon and bread next to a plate of white beans and asaparagus
    Caramelized Lemon White Beans
  • overhead shot of a bowl of pesto white bean salad on the grass
    Pesto White Bean Salad
  • bowl of easy vegan chili topped with green onions, avocado, and sour cream on a wooden table
    Easy Vegan Pantry Chili

I hope you love this recipe for easy braised white beans! Please be sure to leave a comment with a rating if you give it a try. I love seeing what readers think of each recipe and what customizations you include.

bowl of rosemary garlic braised white beans with a gold spoon and crusty bread

Cozy Braised White Beans with Garlic and Rosemary

Emily
In need of a staple white beans recipe? This recipe for Braised White Beans with Garlic and Rosemary is the definition of plant-based comfort food! It's creamy, hearty, full of warming flavors, and ready in just 30 minutes. Serve with crusty bread!
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Course dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 5 servings
Calories 324.7 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Ingredients
  

  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 6 cloves of garlic crushed and peeled
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 15.5 oz cans cannellini beans or 3 cups cooked beans
  • ⅓ cup dry white wine optional
  • Twist of black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • Juice from ½ of a lemon
  • Cashew parm to serve
  • Crusty bread for dipping

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat with rosemary and red pepper flakes. Add crushed garlic and salt; let it brown slightly, about 5 minutes. 
  • Add one can of white beans WITH bean liquid and rinse the other can and add WITHOUT the liquid. If you're using home cooked beans, add all three cups of beans along with ½ cup water to make up for this. Add white wine if using.
  • Lower heat to a simmer and let beans cook until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove rosemary sprigs and set aside for garnishing later. Use a fork to mash some of the beans down, and season with black pepper and nutmeg.
  • Remove from the heat and taste to see if you need a bit more salt (you likely will if you used homemade beans).
  • Add lemon juice. To serve, top with cashew parm, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and lemon juice. Crusty bread for dipping is a must. 

Video

Notes

Royal corona beans or white lima beans will work in place of cannellini beans. 
This recipe can be easily doubled to feed a crowd. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 324.7kcalCarbohydrates: 34.9gProtein: 11.7gFat: 14.9gSaturated Fat: 2.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12.8gSodium: 772mgFiber: 7.6gSugar: 0.6g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Comments

  1. Julie says

    July 07, 2024 at 11:35 pm

    4 stars
    I was looking to duplicate an amazing braised bean soup I had in NYC some months ago, but I'm inexperienced with cooking with fresh rosemary. Maybe it is the batch I had, but it was super overpowering, so I would recommend that folks start much smaller with the herb. Advice online had me adding red wine to counteract it, and the lemon juice at the end helped. I'm hoping the interwebs' recommendation of giving it overnight for the flavors to get acquainted also helps, but I did spend an hour and a half fishing out the leaves to be safe 😉

    Reply
    • Emily says

      July 16, 2024 at 3:18 pm

      This is helpful feedback, thank you Julie! I appreciate you rating and commenting.

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        August 30, 2024 at 7:11 pm

        Cannot find the cashew parm that you mention??

      • Emily says

        September 01, 2024 at 7:26 pm

        Hi Robyn, sorry for the confusion! It is here: https://garlic-head.com/cashew-parmesan/

  2. D says

    September 23, 2023 at 4:48 pm

    5 stars
    So warm, comforting, filling, and absolutely delish

    Reply
    • Emily says

      September 30, 2023 at 3:04 pm

      So glad you liked it, D - thank you for commenting and for 5 stars! - Emily

      Reply
  3. Tappi says

    March 23, 2023 at 12:09 am

    5 stars
    I love this! Perfect combination.

    Reply
    • Emily says

      March 25, 2023 at 1:32 am

      So glad you enjoyed it - thank you for rating! - Emily

      Reply
  4. SL says

    January 20, 2023 at 1:35 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! We had it as a main course, and it was a bit over 2 servings for hungry adults 🙂

    I had some tuscan kale that needed to be eaten and it was a great addition. I just tore and nuked it and added it for the last few minutes of cooking.

    Reply
    • Emily says

      January 25, 2023 at 12:14 am

      Thank you so much for five stars - that sounds like a perfect pairing! Yum!

      Reply
  5. RW says

    October 26, 2022 at 2:16 pm

    5 stars
    So easy and perfect for a chilly evening, love this recipe!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      November 07, 2022 at 4:56 pm

      Thank you for reading + reviewing, AR!! 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Emily! I have been a plant-based food blogger since 2017. Garlic Head is a recipe website for anyone who wants to easily, affordably, and sustainably incorporate more vegetables into their diet. I am a lifelong vegetarian and 10+ year vegan.

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