If this were still April Fools Day, I’d tell you that my next cookbook will be about how to doctor up a can of beans. But, like the best April Fools Day jokes, it’s only funny if it could be true. Rest assured, I would never, but it’s definitely crossed my mind. It’s usually at lunchtime on a weekday, which is my single biggest failing as a home cook. Maybe you’re shocked that a person with so many ostensibly quick, five ingredient or fewer, and lunch-specific recipes at my disposal would not enlist them during a workday. Or you might gather that between thinking about breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for a family as well as all of the recipes I might create for this site, books, or columns, when it comes to the relatively low stakes of my own lunch, slacking is inevitable.
That is, unless I spot a can of beans. One of my favorite things to do with beans is to treat them as you would pasta. I don’t do this out of any grievance with pasta/gluten/carbs. I do it because most of our favorite pasta sauces translate so well to other ingredients. From here, I’ve landed on pizza beans, weeknight beans on toast, and this grilled zucchini and white beans with pesto.
But do you know what’s quicker and uses fewer than every single one of them? My lunch yesterday. Not hungry for anything in the fridge, I rummaged a can of beans from the cabinet and decided to pretend they were spaghetti, cooking them aglio e olio-style, i.e. in garlic and oil. Unquestionably simplest classic pasta preparation, aglio e olio hails not from New York (insert your best “all-ul” or Beastie Boys reference here) but Naples. Sliced or minced garlic is lightly sauteed in olive oil, often with dried red chili flakes (technically making it spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino), and finely chopped parsley and grated parmesan and pecorino are often added as garnishes, although cheese is verboten in some traditional recipes.
None of this matters on a Monday afternoon, however, when I added all of the above and then chopped artichoke hearts, one can over in the cabinet. The result was a warm, almost creamy bean salad that you can eat with a fork straight from the skillet a bowl, or ladle over a couple slices of baguette, toasted hard. It was so good, I did the only rational thing and ate it for lunch again today. It’s so quick, you can finish the whole dish before the EP is up.
Previously
One year ago: Asparagus and Egg Salad with Walnuts and Mint
Two years ago: Almond Horn Cookies
Three years ago: Eggs-in-Purgatory, Puttanesca-Style and Spring Chicken Salad Toasts
Four years ago: Carrot Graham Layer Cake and Wild Mushroom Pate
Five years ago: Three Bean Chili
Six years ago: Lentil and Chickpea Salad with Feta and Tahini
Seven years ago: Raspberry Coconut Macaroons
Eight years ago: Spaetzle
Nine years ago: Bakewell Tart and Romesco Potatoes
Ten years ago: Chewy Amaretti Cookies
Eleven years ago: Shaker Lemon Pie
Twelve years ago: Mixed Berry Pavlova
And for the other side of the world:
Six Months Ago: Crispy Spinach Pizza
1.5 Years Ago: Quick Pasta and Chickpeas
2.5 Years Ago: Garlic, Wine and Butter Steamed Clams and Baked Alaska
3.5 Years Ago: Broccoli Cheddar Soup and S’more Cupcakes
4.5 Years Ago: Latke Waffles and The Crispy Egg
Cannellini Aglio e Olio with Artichokes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- Salt and red pepper flakes
- 1 15-ounce cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 3/4 cups)
- Half a 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Grated parmesan or pecorino romano
One of the newest things to come out of my kitchen is cauliflower piccata. Same idea, but cauliflower steaks take the place of beans, and there are capers. Highly recommend!
Great idea – I use the aglio e olio approach to greens all the time as well (especially great for making a quick side of sauteed kale or other bitter greens). I also struggle with what to make for lunch most days!
I could totally see throwing some spinach to wilt in here! YUM
Yummy! Dinner tonight, with minor tweaks.
Finally a good use for those artichokes I have in the pantry and have found no use for!
P.S. I always look for the picture of your kids but I couldn’t find it. Is there one?
I couldn’t find one either 😉
Oh good it’s not just me! 😂
Fixed! I forgot the link. (I’m fired.)
Naw, we will keep you on….somehow you’ve managed to make yourself quite indispensable around here ;)
Those cannellinis look so perfect! may ask what brand of canned beans you used? Thank you!
I like Goya. I think they’re pretty intact from the can most of the time. No, not sponsored.
This looks sooo good. I think I may serve this over angel hair this week using marinated artichoke hearts and seasoned beans.
And now you’ve officially started your collection of Keto recipes. Without even trying.
Wait, is this Keto?
No, sorry. The beans are too carby for keto.
Super tasty and filling dish! Served it with a simple side salad, olives, carrots and a glass of wine. Delicious & easy! Thank you!
No, I was wrong. [Commenting privileges will be now be revoked.]
Lol never
Made this for dinner and served it with sourdough toast. A huge hit and perfectly quick to prepare on a busy school night. Thank you!!
I have a version of this for lunch all the time! I’ve never tried adding artichokes, but I will now. Sometimes I wilt some arugula in it, sometimes add some chopped tomato. Goat cheese for creaminess, or a little broth to make it soupy. Crisp up a little prosciutto, add a bit of thyme or sage. Endlessly variable, always delicious!
Deb, you’ve done it again! No parm around so added some goat cheese. Yum!
OK, so now this is on my short list. I’m thinking a chopped up anchovy or two, and some Meyerlemon zest and a squeeze of juice might be fun. Thanks Deb.
This is right up my alley Deb! I grew up on southern style ham hocks and beans made with great northern beans and cooked until thick and kind of mushy. It doesn’t sound good, but I never tired of it! (And we are quite diverse eaters). This dish sounds quick and delicious. I have an instant pot, so I might try with the dried beans. Do you notice much of a difference between the dried and canned in a dish like this? I know you were going for a quick lunch, but I’ve got time, and this will be dinner.
Does this work well as leftovers? Thanks!
Of course. I often eat the second half the next day — you can rewarm if you wish.
That recipe sounds so good I will be trying this week
Sounds delicious…..I see from the comments that I am a lunch slacker extraordinar…. I usually grab romaine leaves, squirt on some plain old yellow mustard and no sodium turkey. Quick, not bad and hopefully by mid May I can squeeze my butt into my summer pants!!
We do love beans though…so definitely making this for a dinner!!!
Looks amazing! Do you think this would work with frozen artichoke hearts?
Yes but you’d want to add some lemon or vinegar then, since they won’t be flavored at all.
This sounds fantastic – definitely going to try it!
Deb, I would buy 5 copies of a book about how to doctor up a can of beans.
I second that Michelle! But only if Deb wrote it ;)
Same here!! All the bean recipes here have been winners
This sounds quick, easy and wonderful. I think adding a few chunks of fine Italian jarred tuna – keeping them as whole as possible, and a squirt of lemon would work, too.
This looks great! What could I substitute for the artichoke hearts? One of the only things my kids dislike!
You can use any other vegetable (sauteed leeks, greens, zucchini), or none at all, skip it.
Could I swap the Cannellini beans for black beans?
Yes.
Made this for an afterschool teen snack (they’re like toddlers and come home ravenous). I made it without parm or artichokes and it was surprisingly addictive. The red pepper flakes are key as well as getting some garlic on each toast.
The recipe motivated me to look up pasta aglio e olio which I had never made. Found a simple recipe from Barefoot Contessa and it was a huge hit. Thank you for the inspiration.
I combined this recipe with your broccoli faro rubble, and you probably don’t need me to tell you that it was amazing, but I will anyway! It was hearty, filling, balanced, and delicious!
Ah, the tyranny of lunch. Only one place in town has cannelli beans and they were out! gasp, the horror!! What’s the big deal, why are they so scarce, around here, a capital city? Sounds delish. I’ve found a white bean with a brown middle that’s approaching cannelli’s creaminess, will venture forth.
This will be lunchtime heaven for us…now that I have translated cannelini beans to mean white kidney beans!
I could eat this every day.
Made it and loved it! Toasted the bread and rubbed each slice with a garlic clove.
Added fire roasted peppers, the whole can of artichokes, more garlic than it called for, wilted spinach, green onions at the end. Topped it with feta and Parmesan cheese. Ummm, YUMMMM!
Very versatile recipe.
I was just gifted with a spaghetti squash but have an intense craving for this. Do you think this would go well over spaghetti squash?
Definitely.
mmmhhh thanks for another great recipe, I’ve been searching for quick lunches/snacks. My partner is away working for a month and I can never be fussed to cook a big meal at night so this would be perfect!!
Deb, I have been following your blog and making recipes 1-2 a week for the last five years – my daughter even jokes that you are a shadow figure in our family :) and I have never commented before. But this post – this is exactly the reason why I adore your blog. An endless supply of recipes that are brilliant for their simplicity and deliciousness. After so many years, its definitely high time that I say a huge thank you – from me and all of my family!
This was so perfect and easy and beyond delicious. thank you!
I will be trying this subbing aqua faba for the oil. Should be tasty and WFPB compliant!
This is so good!!!
Looks delicious! I’m going to try to make this this weekend: https://www.appliancerepairtuscaloosa.com
Loved this! Made exactly as directed and it was fab! Agli olio is my favorite pasta sauce, so how wonderful to enjoy with healthy beans and artichokes. Will make again.
Wow, this was yummy! I always wish folks would serve something like this as a vegetarian option…it’s got protein! As easy as promised, a definite contender for weekly regular!
A big THANK YOU, Deb, for saving my Thursday night supper. You know how it is: exhausted after a long day at work, baby in bed at last, but although I was starving I just couldn’t summon the energy or inspiration to cook. This was perfect in every way: so comforting and delicious, and on the table in under 10 minutes! I added a tiny bit of red wine vinegar at the end to brighten it, and didn’t feel the need to add any parmesan. I am already looking forward to making again. Maybe with some goat’s cheese next time!
Can confirm: goat cheese is awesome.
Also can confirm: this is even good on raisin bread. Or eaten with a spoon out of the tupperware when toast can’t be bothered with.
I made this for lunch yesterday and loved it so much! The flavors are delicious. The only problem I had was that most of my beans completely lost their shape by the end of cooking even with limited stirring. Still delicious, but a little mushy-looking. What brand of beans do you use? Any tips to keep them from losing their shape?
I have the same question about the brand of beans. They are beautiful and… intact.
Made this last night and we loved it. Great flavor and so easy. Served it with toasted baguette, side salad and a glass of white wine. Just perfect. This is going into the rotation and staying there!
This is absolutely begging for a soft-poached egg on top.
This was disappointing. It was bland. I think that I would need a lot more garlic next time but even still the artichokes were lost. I ended up turning it into a pasta salad with kalamata olives. This might be the first time that a Smitten recipe has failed me… likely the last though. I love everything here!
Fully agree. Very bland. Needs to be amplified. Easy to do.
This sounds really good. I accidently bought cannelini beans and was trying to figure out what to do with them!
Something delicious looking that I can put whip up quickly = awesome. Thanks Deb!
I made this now! It is delicious. But I had difficulty finding the recipe, I looked under Beans, then brunch and then found it in quick!
If you want to make yourself a perfect cooking man you will need to read this kinds of article more and more.This article is very helpful for us.Thanks for this website owner for helpful article publish.
I made this. Probably overlooked it a little as the beans ended up mushy. But it was perfectly serviceable as a lunch atop chopped watercress.
Deb
HOW do I watch you preparing your meatballs and broccoli on Bon Appetite Instagram????
It looks very healthy and yummy recipe, I would like to try this.
This is my new favorite comfort food. Sometimes, I use plain artichokes. Other times it’s jarred artichoke salad with red peppers and green olives. Totally yum with a sprinkling of Parm on top!!
I have bean lunches a lot. I add whatever is handy – diced tomatoes, salsa, roasted red peppers or veggies, a spoonful of pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, etc. It’s quick, easy, satisfying, and a great way of using up odds and ends in the fridge or pantry
Made my own version this week (which I’m eating the leftovers of now, MMMMM!) and it’s TASTY! I love that this concept is so easy to adapt (so easy period, actually). No parsley, so I used thyme. I schmeared a bit of goat cheese on my toast before piling on the beans… and threw on a little bit of the butternut squash puree that needed to be used from my fridge. I’m such a happy camper!
This is a DELICIOUS work-from-home lunch! I put it over a bed of spring greens. So good!
I’m thrilled to find this recipe and explore the rest of your beans-as-pasta recipes.
We also like another one from the Martha Stewart -brothy beans – that is white beans w/ whine + sage + carrots. “Beans on Toast” has become the most unexpected comfort food for my entire family.
Stomachs in my house don’t do well w/ tomato bases so happy to try your recipe tonight.
I made this to eat cold for a weekday office lunch – I made a lemon/ parmesan/ olive oil dressed kale salad to bulk it out and added some feta (left off the parsley this time). It’s so delicious, the addition of the artichoke really elevates the dish! Going to have it warm for dinner (maybe with an egg) sometime soon as well.
Do you think this would work as a potluck dish? It wouldn’t be served over toast but as is, like a salad. It could either come straight out of the fridge or sit at room temp for 1.5 hours, or it could be warmed up in a microwave if it’s best warm. Thanks!
In my opinion the freshly toasted bread (preferably dipped in some of the garlic oil) is pretty key. Maybe the warm lentil and potato salad would be a better alternative or a hummus plate?
I think it’s nicer warm if you can gently reheat it.
I had this on thick lightly buttered sourdough toast and it was delicious. With recipes like this with few ingredients you have to get your seasoning correct–be sure to salt (and
red pepper) and use fresh garlic and parsley and it’ll be tasty!
So good! When I lived in Catalunya, the flavor signature for so many dishes was olive oil, salt, garlic and parsley. Almost anything can be dressed with it, especially greens (veg) and beans (legumes). It was a nice return-visit to Tarragona.
My Italian friend (grew up in Rome; he says to keep the red pepper flakes and drop the parsley to get the flavor signature he loves!
Yum! I made this as a mash up between my usual spaghetti aglio e olio and your recipe, so just added spaghetti at the end and let the beans and pasta marry. A vegetarian pasta dish thats actually filling!!
Threw some leftover roasted chicken in and skipped the toast, and it was delicious! Will definitely be in my regular rotation.
I am fully on board for more “one can of beans + handful of pantry items” recipes. This one was great and so quick!
Oh my goodness! Made this today for lunch and will be making it often. Simple and so delicious!
I added spinach, mushrooms and asparagus to the mix as I had bits to use up and it was perfect.
Almost elegant!
totally saving this for a passover recipe. I love that beans are OK now!
Made this last night for today’s lunch. I used a little bit of avocado oil for cooking and then drizzled with some fancy evoo after. I used cilantro because I didn’t have parsley on hand. As I eat it, I am realizing I shouldn’t have given half to my husband for his lunch – it’s so so good. Thanks for a quick weekday lunch/dinner idea, Deb!
I’ve been making essentially this dish for a while now but throw in a bunch of baby spinach and serve on baguette with a cripsy fried egg on top. The yolk mixing in with everything just takes this to the next level of amazing. Always a winner.
This looks so delicious . Mouth watering as well as healthy food to have.
Thanks for posting this amazing recipe.
Thank you for this amazing meal. I’ve made your white bean, pancetta, and chard pot pies and found them incredibly good. While I don’t have the same affection for beans as you do, I’m certainly growing more fond of them. Delish!
I made this last night! Omg the house smelled so amazing. It’s delicious. Serving it for a shabbat dinner tonight and hoping it will be good at room temp too, but I bet it will be. I wilted a ton of spinach in it, too, and I think it was a good move! Thanks, Deb!
Thank you for re-posting this! I have been looking for this recipe for years! There was only a whisper of a memory that I could pinpoint, and I remember yearning for the ease and delicious payoff. My husband is vegetarian for lent, and this was a super-satisfying meal he said he would love to eat anytime. I added half a shallot with the garlic and goat cheese at the end. A+
Thanks for those incredible ideas, i really impressed by your yummy recipes. thanks again !
I am exciting to try these things in my kitchen.
Just sayin’ Deb, if you made a cookbook on how to doctor up beans I’d totally buy it. Pizza beans and the baked chickpeas are some of my favorite things on this site. No lie.
Made this, and it was delicious. Instead of serving with toast, I put fresh bread crumbs on top for some texture. I will make this again.
This was a fantastic surprise — cheap ingredients, super quick prep time, and so so tasty! Next time, will make a double batch (both to use up all the artichokes but also to have more leftovers).
A keeper. To me it cried out for some fresh lemon juice at the end, and with that it was a huge hit.
Same here – I used a little lemon zest and juice just before serving, and it was lovely. I think a splash of sherry vinegar or a drizzle of balsamic would be good too!
I wish you would make these amazing recipes printable!
I have seen Deb respond to this by saying there is a print option under “do more” at the end of the recipe. This function doesn’t work for me, using Chrome browser. Maybe it works in other browsers.
But you can easily print anything by highlighting the selection you want, and right clicking on it. There should be a print option.
I made this the other night. Because my husband needs “meat” for dinner, I added chicken and quinoa. Made a perfect quick dinner. Was just delicious and he loved your recipe.. thanks for the inspiration.
This was amazingly simple to make and extremely satisfying. I ended up using the whole can of artichokes because why not? I also threw in some arugula and let it wilt a little for some added greens. Delicious!
Love this!!!
Made this with the giant butter beans and a healthy dose of parmesan, piled it on toast and melted a sprinkling of mozzarella on top– an amazingly quick and tasty weeknight meal! It’s rivaling broccoli rubble for my favorite vegetable-based open-faced sandwich!
Well I made this only the can I thought was cannellini beans was chick peas. I live in Lake Geneva, WI where it’s not a hop, skip, jump to the store. So I made it with what I had- and it was still delicious. It will be creamier with the right beans but it was good anyway. Love your wit and recipes!
This dish does well with a bit of lemon juice at the end. This broke single lady greatly appreciates this elevated budget meal.
This is an awesome post! I used to do this cooking and baking before I started my tree felling randburg and now I am loving it because I can do both now! cooking is my passion but I also need a businesss to sustain me. Love the food side of it thoough its my passion.
I loooooove this dish!!! Its so tasty and healthy. I work with tape hair extensions and some of my hair fell into the dish and spoiled it for me so I had to do it over and start again but it was worth it. The hair extensions was not that tasty but the food was.
Very unique interesting recipes…
Check out this Dubai Restaurant:
https://flyingcup.ae/dinner-in-the-sky/
This was absolutely incredible! The simple things are always the best!
I added extra veg (red pepper and onion) only because I was clearing out my fridge before I leave town for several weeks and a splash of lemon juice.
I cant wait to make this again and again. Thank you so much for sharing!
This is so delicious, I made this recipe already 3 times and shared with a couple friends.
My only modification was to brown some shallots first before adding the minced garlic, only adds a couple mins of cooking and the flavours were perfect, esp. the day after as leftovers.
Thank you for this simple yet amazing recipe, a keeper !
Many the time I’ve mixed a can of beans with salad dressing and had it for dinner. Love beans. Will definitely make this.
This is fabulous. I made a few tweaks: added lemon zest and a thinly sliced zucchini, which I added to the the beans/artichokes and cooked until it was just wilted. I served it over a bed of arugula dressed in a lemon vingarette, topped with shredded parm. I also sprinkled with some lemony/garlic breadcrumbs I had made (which added crunch) My friends were DYING, it was so good. I can’t wait to make it again. Thanks for a good recipe, which can customized in a ton of ways.
This seemed very similar to an artichoke dip that a small family owned italian place near me serves. I added a splash of heavy cream and some roasted red pepper and it was just heaven. I can’t believe I can make this at home now!
I had exactly 20 minutes at home the other night (oh, middle school sports!) and had basically the ingredients to make this. It definitely did not disappoint! I didn’t have parmesan or parsley but did have feta and oregano so used those instead and it was great. I’m looking forward to making it again soon.
Looks awesome!
So quick to make and tasty! I added capers at the end, and was not one bit sorry.
This was a good dish, but reading others’ comments about it being bland, I doubled the amount of garlic and red pepper flakes. I also made sure to season with salt as I went along which I think overall improved the dish, along with lemon zest and juice. Finished with a light dusting of pecorino romano, and it was a huge hit with all my friends who enjoyed it as a healthy pre-party meal before a night of debauchery.
This could not have come at a better time. I braised artichokes today (and have the wounds to prove it) and opened a can of cannellini beans to enjoy with them, but got distracted, lost inspiration, and put the entire can in the fridge. I’m pretty sure my son will love this.
Deb, post’s missing the “Beans” tag?
Thanks!
I am loving all the options people have described here. I have made this twice so far and am sure I will make it many times again, with a different tweak each time. It is less a recipe than a springboard to kitchen creativity!
Last night I made it with small white beans (Goya’s habichuelas blancas) and liked the texture even better than with the usual cannellini.
I can’t believe something so simple is so tasty, quick to make, good both hot and cold, and pretty nutritious. I added some lemon juice at the end and won’t do without it in the future. I didn’t add any salt (I figured my canned beans and artichokes had enough) or pepper flakes, and it was seasoned well to my taste.
Already really excited to try some of the variations in the comments! Also, I would love to know if you think this format (various types of sauteed canned beans + various seasonings) could work well with other flavor profiles.
can we used green beans instead of cannellini beans?
We love beans in our household – they’re one of the only things our toddler consistently eats.
I made your Confetti Cookies over Easter, and I just wanted you to know that they were PERFECT. Light, buttery, and almond-y, and the sprinkles were crisp from the oven.
Thank you!
I make something similar to this for lunch but add pancetta to the garlic and olive oil – very yummy!
I love gussied up beans recipes! I made this for a quick dinner tonight, and also threw in some sundried tomatoes that have been staring at me from the fridge for a while. Delicious!
I’ve made this twice in the past two weeks, and am planning to make it again tonight. The first time I made it I was feeling grumpy, hungry, and was regretting not ordering takeout… until poof! A delicious dinner was ready in less than 10 minutes!
Personally I’m not a big fan of parsley, but I had gotten some pea shoots at the farmer’s market and subbed them in. I highly recommend trying that — it was great!
I made this using Rancho Gordo’s Royal Corona beans, which are enormous, about 1×2 inches. They’re so big, you don’t have to cut the artichokes to match. Easy to make and really good. Thanks, Deb.
Swoon, I tell ya, Swoon! This is wonderful. I have made it three times already and this last time I added Lacinto kale chiffonade in place of artichokes. Thank you a thousand times for this!
kept it vegan, swapping cheese for some twirls of fresh lemon zest. delicious !!!!!!!!
Perfect lunch, made in a hurry while the sleep refusing baby had a cat nap. Pretty delicious! I didn’t have any bread and wish I did!
This looks great and I am keen to try it. Quick question though… I don’t like parsley at all. Do you think it would be nice with Basil instead? Or is there something you would think might be better?
You can absolutely use another herb you prefer.
This was amazing and quick. Wilted some arugula in the mix to make it feel less “processed” and a squeeze of lemon at the end instead of the cheese. I may be unable to speak to another human in close proximity for a week (it’s a garlic bomb but that’s exactly why you like it), but I can live with that.
I just made this for lunch and it was so delicious, quick and satisfying! I agree with other commenters that lemon zest would be a nice addition. Definitely making this again… thanks!!
Woooww, I can’t wait to try it, Thanks for sharing….
I’ve made this twice now. One on toast with no tweaks then again served over linguine with some minor tweaks (I used canned artichoke bottoms and did a basil parsley mix). So very good, thanks for sharing.
This is my new favorite recipe. It’s pure comfort food.
Excellent, quick recipe. Definitely adding it to the rotation!
If you wrote a “Can of Beans” cookbook, I would be the first in line to buy it. Have you ever read “Bean By Bean” by Crescent Dragonwagon?
This cannellini dish of yours is fantastic! We had it over roasted cauliflower rice.
I love garlic, so this was a winner. I’m trying to clean out my pantry before I move, so I had it over whole wheat rotini and added a generous amount of grated parm. Didn’t need any additional oil/liquid, and it was awesome!
I made this using Rancho Gordo large white lima beans — I soaked them for four hours, boiled them for 5 minutes, and then simmered them on low with oregano, garlic, and bay leaves for about an hour. I overcooked them a bit so they were mushy, so by the time I added them to the oil it was more of a bean paste than individual beans. Oh well! I also overcooked the garlic slivers until they were toasted so the final dish tasted most like toasty garlic, oops. Still delicious. I used toasted Tartine bread for the base and covered in shaved parm — so good. Definitely add plenty of red pepper flakes. I feel like if I had used canned beans this could have been pretty bland.
This is seriously the best recipe!! I end up using a full can of artichokes because, well, I don’t want to keep a half can around. Its still well balanced. I also add more garlic because.. YUM! Its great alone, with or without parm, with or without bread. Thank you Deb! This recipe has been a quick dinner MANY nights since you posted it. So easy!!
Ran across this while looking for a way to use up some cans of cannellini beans — this was a great find! Nice and light but still filling enough, and the artichoke hearts were a great touch. Super quick to put together, too.
I’ve made this so many times now. It’s perfect. Up with beans!
This has become a weekly go-to. Today, I subbed shallots and bizarrely threw some butter in and the beans crisped a little. Delish!
I’ve made this several times, – it’s now in our Favorites column!
I made this as it’s written and of course, it’s fragrant and filling and marvelous, but i LOVE all the variations in the comments. Thank you!
I made this today while my Perfect Blueberry Muffins we’re in the oven. I had intended it to be a meat-free lunch/dinner alternative for my toddler. Instead, I ate the entire pan over the course of about 15 minutes. Next time, I think I will add another T of olive oil and the entire can of artichoke hearts. So simple but so delicious.
Excellent! I made this for lunch as a side to a kale salad. I packed a lemon wedge to squeeze over it after I heated it up. When cooking, I added an extra garlic clove, extra red pepper flakes, and I was generous with the salt and pepper. This was easy to make, stored really well, and tastes even better the second (or third) day.
So delicious and easy to make. Squeeze in half a lemon at the end and it’s even better!
This is perfect as written. You can control the amount of heat via the chili flake. I served it with baguette toast.
Oh, this is delish. Nothing new to add to all the great comments or the great original recipe except to say that my leftover-eating meat eaters were jealous of my dinner last night & finished off what I did not :) A great pantry meal, we will have it again.
OMG. Loved it! So simple and so darn tasty. Served it on ash sourdough toast and ate an embarrassing amount. Thank you for the inspiration!
Deb, thank you. This one is perfect for the pandemic pantry. It is so easily tailored to whatever is on hand. I have made it repeatedly….sometimes subbing garbanzo’s if I don’t have cannellini’s, adding mashed avocado which gives it a creaminess, subbing fresh chopped thyme for parsley, leaving out the artichokes if I sadly don’t have any, adding canned peas, eating chilled as a salad (especially with the mashed avocado’s), serving room temp as a side, or serving warm as a main. This recipe is so versatile, forgiving, fast, delicious and healthy. Just what we need while stuck in quarantine. This recipe is a gift during this crisis. Stay Well everyone, Be Safe.
I have been a huge fan of your recipes for a long time (I have both cookbooks too), but my husband and I became vegan a little over a year ago now, and since then, I haven’t been able to use many of your recipes. Though you have lots of vegetarian recipes, you do love a good cheese and eggs, and who could blame you? Anyway, I came across this recipe when looking for pantry recipes for this shelter-in-place period. I tried it, and man, it brought me right back to all the things I love about your cooking– soo flavorful, simple, and good for the body and soul. So I just wanted to say thank you, I miss you, and I’ll keep checking in for more amazing recipes that just happen to be vegan. :)
To clarify, I made it without the cheese, and still so delicious! (Cheese is not vegan, lol)
I made this for lunch today (during the Great Quarantine) with chickpeas and a box of frozen artichokes that were way past their best-buy date from the back of the freezer (just had to trim off some freezer burned parts and cook in the microwave according to package instructions). I only had two cloves of garlic. I added some Italian seasoning and squeezed a half a lemon over it at the end. It smelled so good and I gobbled it so fast that I forgot to add the Parm! Luckily I only ate half, so I can put the cheese on it tomorrow. Thanks for a quick, delicious lunch.
We LOVE this recipe! Thank you for sharing it. We top grilled bread with it and add a handful of arugula that’s been tossed with a little lemon and olive oil over the top…our teenagers request it :)
This is brilliant! I’ve made it a few times over the past weeks, it’s so easy and very good. I added fresh lemon juice at the end, otherwise followed the recipe. Thanks for the recipe!
Delicious! Didn’t have artichoke and it was still super tasty so don’t worry if you don’t have artichoke. Next time I would just make a double batch though!
I just made this and it is lovely. I added a small handful of spinach with the parsley and I plan to put I on top of a pizza for lunch.
I assume you put the parsley in at the end, but correct me if I’m wrong. Thanks!
Somehow I missed it in the recipe. Sorry!
I absolutely love this recipe, so easy and satisfying, and very forgiving to substitutions. Here are the successful modifications I’ve tried:
– Subbing garbanzo beans for cannellini, since the bodega didn’t have white beans and I didn’t feel like going to the grocery store. Just as good as the original, no regrets.
– Pan frying cubes of dry Spanish chorizo in the oil for a few minutes before the garlic went in. Infuses the whole dish with some smokey meaty deliciousness and adds some chewy/crunchy texture.
– Stirring in a big handful of arugula while the dish is still hot so it wilts. It’s basically a salad at that point, right?
– Plopping a runny fried egg on top.
Totally adding greens next time!
Wow. This recipe is absolutely delicious!
Lovely. Made as above but added half a shallot and some carrots with the garlic. Served over farro with some cherry tomatoes and pecorino on top. Thank you!
This was really good, surprisingly so. TBH, I have never been a big fan of beans. Just never had that zing. But I tried it anyway bc I trust your recipes, which have saved my what-do-I-make-for-dinner-for-the-40-billionth-time dinner plans time and again. And this recipe delivered—as your recipes have always done. The taste-to-effort ratio was AMAZING. I didn’t have parsley so used a tbsp of freeze dried basil. I put it on toast and can’t wait to do it again for breakfast w leftovers and a crispy egg on top. Even my foodie snob hubby liked it. Thank you Deb!
Thank you for sharing this! It has been one of our favorite dinners. Sometimes we add sun dried tomatoes to it and a little extra oil, delicious!
I just found this recipe and it is AMAZING! I have made it 3 times in the last month, so delicious & hearty, made with ingredients I often have in my pantry. Five stars, go make it now!
Delicious! I like to add sun dried tomatoes to it!
This is delicious! And…I would love a cookbook dedicated to the use of beans – yum.
I doubled this recipe. I had no red pepper flakes , so I used cayenne pepper powder (~1/2 teaspoon). I had no grated Parm. Cheese, so I used 3 oz. goat cheese. I had some leftover cooked plain orzo (~1 1/2 cups), so I added it to this dish.
Everyone loved it (& no leftovers for Mom’s next day lunch)…..
I love simple recipes like this!
Holy heck that is easy and delicious! Had broccoli so used that in place of artichokes…now to save some for later!
This makes a delicious, super fast impromptu weeknight dinner, especially if, like us, you’ve got a few containers of cooked Rancho Gordo beans in your freezer. Alubia Biancas were great in this.
This is a familiar recipe in my itty bitty student apartment kitchen. I will smash the chickpeas at times, throw in arugula and add whatever complimentary cheese I have in the fridge for a heartier dinner on cold nights. Asiago is a favourite. Thank you once more. I dream of SK recipes ✨
Are there low carb recipes (I’m diabetic) and recipes that can be made ahead or ok to freeze?
Inexpensive, filling, and tastes amazing! I did add a few cherry tomatoes in at the same time as the artichoke hearts and topped it with a poached egg.
This is so easy and so delicious! Didn’t have parsley or cheese on hand, but it didn’t matter. Each bite I took I couldn’t believe how tasty it was.
I needed some lunch but couldn’t think of anything on hand that would give me some protein, but then I remembered this recipe! Truthfully I was very skeptical, and sadly had no artichokes, but even without them (with some lemon squeezed on at the end) it was shockingly good!! Not boring at all. Thank you Deb! <3 You always help out this broke college student.
So, I’ll have to admit—this wasn’t my favorite recipe. But I repurposed the leftovers into a fantastic pasta dish: I cooked some pasta shells in a small amount of chicken broth, added the leftover beans and artichokes and a couple of splashes of cream, then served with a squirt of lemon and some parm on top. Loved every bite. I would actually consider batch-cooking the beans and artichokes then freezing them, so I can have an even quicker pasta dinner in the future.
This sounds great and easy. Please include me. Do you publish a cookbook?
.
I have written three cookbooks, the third will be out this fall. You can read all about them here: https://smittenkitchen.com/books/
Made this for dinner tonight, and as I was making it, I’m not gonna lie- I was afraid it would be weird. I should have known better, cause I’ve never been disappointed in a SK recipe.
Verdict: delicious. As Joey said about Rachel’s Christmas trifle: beans? Good. Artichoke? Good. Parsley? Good. Garlic, GOOD. But in all seriousness, it all comes together so quickly and easily and tastes so damn good. After my husband finished his, he said, “I want more!” and five minutes later, “But seriously, this one’s a keeper!” Who ever thought you could get that excited about a bean based vegetarian dish? 😂
If you’re reading this comment and debating whether to make this for dinner one night this week, go no further. This is it. You must make it. Garlicky, cheesy, filling and nourishing.
Thanks, Deb! As always, your hard work and recipe testing is so appreciated.
I tried this recipe as is and with arugula, def like the arugula version better. Great quick week night meal.
I had the pleasure of trying the cannellini aglio e olio recipe from smittenkitchen.com and it was amazing! The flavors were bold, yet simple, and the dish came together quickly. The cannellini beans added a nice texture and the garlic and olive oil gave it a great depth of flavor. I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. If you’re looking for more delicious and easy to make recipes, check out my blog quick low carb dinner recipes
I’m intolerant to garlic but like the sound of this recipe. What would you suggest as alternative to garlic or just leave it out? Thanks
Maybe shallots?
I made this and it was soooo delicious! Only change was adding four or so chopped anchovies with the garlic. It melted into the oil and added a deep umami flavor.
I served this to Italian friends in Italy, and they thought it was the most delicious and unique way to do beans!
Did this up with a 19oz can of beans, the whole 14oz of artichokes, an extra 2tbsp oil (so 5 total), an extra clove of garlic, and half a shallot that was languishing in my fridge.
Also stole the idea from another commentor to make some small pasta with broth – 3/4 cup macaroni in 1 1/2 cup broth – and add it to the beans to finish once al dente with a couple splashes of the pasta broth. Simple, tasty!
Can I use marinated artichoke hearts?
Yes
So yummy! I’m sold on using pasta recipes for beans. After using this recipe to see how it would taste, I made them with spinach, shallots, lemon juice and a little sauvignon blanc (with the garlic of course), and that was great too!
I’ve made this twice now, the first time around I didn’t have artichokes but it was still great without.
I break off an inch sprig of rosemary, bash it, and throw it in when I add the beans. Regarding the added water if it gets dry: personally I wouldn’t add it if the beans started to stick as they tend to go a bit mushy even if you only add a teaspoon of water. Spoon the mix over toasted ciabatta and drizzle with more olive oil for good measure – absolutely delicious work-from-home lunch!
I had to improvise a bit based on what was in the pantry. I threw in only about half of a marinated artichoke heart (with a bit of the marinade b/c it was dry), about 10 slices of pepperoni (sliced into slivers) and replaced parsley with frozen spinach. Ate with crackers. It was delicious!
I made this tonight with about 2/3 of a can of artichoke hearts, the new Trader Joe’s “aglio e olio” spice mix instead of just red pepper flakes, and half a bag of baby spinach that was wilting in the fridge. Delicious and simple, exactly what a busy Monday called for!
What a brilliant idea, Deb! My husband adores beans, and I always have some pre-cooked in the freezer, so this is one of those recipes that I can do any time. I can already tell the flavours will be wonderful. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks! (Et amusez-vous bien à Paris!)
I made the beans and artichokes recipe last night , as a change from mostly meat dinners . We ate it with quickly cooked spinach , to which I added a bit of sour cream , then sprinkled quite a lot of grated parmesan over both . It was tasty , and super quick . Worth repeating I think .
Are you no longer printing the recipes at the end of the directions? I don’t have a printer and need to see the recipes.
Thanks!
Sheilae
This was delicious! Perfect for a quick lunch or light dinner. Served on the toasted baguette rounds it also made a lovely nibble before dinner.
Only change: I sliced the garlic, sautéed until golden and then removed from the EVOO. The oil was fragrant with garlic but no pieces which is preferable with my dining companions.
Another winner at our house! I admit I went a bit rogue because I added some chopped Swiss chard along with the beans and also an entire jar of marinated artichoke hearts because it was our dinner and why not? I baked a loaf of whole wheat sourdough in the morning and we toasted up a few slices and made a giant green salad and nearly licked the pan clean it was so good. And easy. And quick. Thanks again Deb for another wonderful meal!