13 Cannellini Bean Recipes for Quick and Hearty Dinners

• This Red Pepper Pantry Pasta Is Easy on a Weeknight—and Even Easier on Your Wallet
• Lemony Chicken Soup with Farro, White Beans, and Kale
• 29 Easy Dinners for Busy Families
• Quick White Bean and Ham Gratin
• White Chicken Chili
• Mussels With Chorizo and Tomatoes on Toast
• Zucchini Caesar Is the (Almost) No-Cook Meal of My Summer
• 15. Instant Pot Braised Lamb With White Beans and Spinach
• Winter Minestrone
• Escarole with Cannellini Beans
• Marinated Mixed Beans
• White Bean Soup with Duck Confit
• Pine Nut and White Bean Dip

A can of white beans is a weeknight pantry-to-table star. These cannellini bean recipes take those cans—or a bag of dried white beans—and really help them shine. Below you’ll find brothy preparations just begging for a hunk of bread, a crispy (and speedy) gratin that takes its inspiration from cassoulet, a creamy pot of chicken-and-bean chili, and more ideas for turning the can you have into the meal you need. If you just need a snack, consider roasting your white beans until they get nice and crispy. For filling, flavorful lunches and dinners, scroll down.

This Red Pepper Pantry Pasta Is Easy on a Weeknight—and Even Easier on Your Wallet

We love how white beans can add creaminess to a dish—like this quick weeknight pasta, which manages to be vegan, thanks to a trusty can of beans. Don’t miss the garlicky breadcrumbs on top. After you’ve checked out this dish, keep scrolling for all of our best cannellini bean recipes. See recipe.

Lemony Chicken Soup with Farro, White Beans, and Kale

This hearty chicken soup is filled with farro, kale, and cannellini beans, and topped with fresh dill and a quick radish-top salsa verde. Lemon juice brightens it up nicely. See recipe.

29 Easy Dinners for Busy Families

How do you transform toast into dinner? Just add cannellini beans and kale, plus a little bacon, smoked paprika, garlic, and onion. This recipe works with beans cooked from dried, or just a couple of drained cans. See recipe.

Quick White Bean and Ham Gratin

Cassoulet is a big project, but this cassoulet-inspired dinner is quick and super-easy. See recipe.

White Chicken Chili

Here’s the perfect speedy recipe for a fall or winter weeknight dinner. Two cans of Great Northern or cannellini beans cook quickly with pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breast, garlic, chili powder, jalapeño, onion, chicken broth, and frozen corn. Adding a splash of heavy cream at the end makes it luxurious and rich. Top with avocado, cilantro, or whatever you prefer. See recipe.

Mussels With Chorizo and Tomatoes on Toast

If you’ve only ever ordered mussels at a restaurant, we’ll let you in on a secret. Cooking them is completely quick and easy, and they take kindly to lots of flavor variations. Here, they’re paired with cannellini, wine, and dried chorizo, with toasty bread for sopping up the broth. See recipe.

Zucchini Caesar Is the (Almost) No-Cook Meal of My Summer

The Caesar treatment isn’t just for leaves. Toss white beans and zucchini ribbons with the velvety, garlicky dressing for a hearty dinner. See recipe.

15. Instant Pot Braised Lamb With White Beans and Spinach

The Instant Pot makes turns bone-in lamb shoulder chops meltingly tender in just a few minutes. Round out the meal with canned cannellini, navy, or butter beans, a big bunch of spinach, and bread for dunking. See recipe.

Winter Minestrone

This soothing soup brings together canned tomato, escarole, Swiss chard, garlic, and white beans, flavored with a bit of pancetta and the Parmesan rind. Top with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a handful of cooked pasta, and more grated cheese. See recipe.

Escarole with Cannellini Beans

This classic combo is just what you want to eat when the weather is chilly. And it’s a great way to make use of that bag of dried cannellini that’s been lingering in your pantry. See recipe.

Marinated Mixed Beans

Prep a bowl of these herby, tangy beans, and pile them on toast (or lettuce) all week long. See recipe.

White Bean Soup with Duck Confit

Dried white beans get boosted flavor from duck confit, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and cloves for this dinner party-worthy bean soup. Invite your guests into the kitchen while you ignite the Armagnac before you stir it into the pot. See recipe.

Pine Nut and White Bean Dip

We couldn’t wrap up this list of our best cannellini bean recipes without including this dip, which pairs the beans with toasty pine nuts and just a touch of garlic. Serve with raw veggies or your favorite crackers. See recipe.