Ten Minute Italian Cannellini Beans with Sage and Garlic
The Italian side dish that goes with everything from chicken to pork to beef. You'll find cannellini beans with sage in restaurants all over Tuscany especially! Canned cannellini beans and the aquafaba liquid inside team up with garlic and fresh sage to make a rustic vegetable dish perfect for any menu.
Prep time: PT5M
Cook time: PT5M
Total time: PT10M
Rating
5 stars (2 reviews)
Keywords
bean dish, cannellini beans with sage, easy side dish, white cannelini beans with garlic
Ingredients
32 oz cannellini beans (from 2 cans)
¼ cup olive oil ( plus ⅛ cup)
8 fresh sage leaves (or more to taste)
1 head garlic
Parmesan cheese (shaved or thinly sliced into shards)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or more to taste)
pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Categories
Side Dish
Cuisine
Italian
Steps
Open both cans of cannellini beans. Drain one in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, reserving the aquafaba (milky liquid). Drain the other can completely and rinse the beans.
On a wooden cutting board, press your palm on the side of the knife blade to firmly "whack" the garlic cloves to remove the skin. Peel the cloves. Slice the garlic very thinly. You can also use a mandoline but be very careful!
Remove the leaves from the stems on the sage. Open any curled leaves and press flat
Heat olive oil over medium skillet on low until small bubbles form. Add garlic and sage and "fry" until garlic is golden brown and sage darkens.Remove the skillet from the heat.
To the skillet, add the beans, ½ of the aquafaba to start and toss gently to combine the oil, garlic and sage. Taste and add more aquafaba as desired.Top with thin shards of parmesan cheese, more small sage leaves and healthy amounts of kosher salt and pepper.
Reviews
Ruth M'Gonigle on 2026-04-01 (5 stars): I've made this twice now in a half portion at home and will be making it in a double portion for an Easter potluck. I don't cook often but this recipe is forgiving and delicious even if you overcook your garlic or substitute a uncertain amount of ground sage for fresh. I've enjoyed the sage/ garlic/olive oil combo of these beans paired with mildly flavored country style ribs, iceburg lettuce cups and roast chicken. I am now a new fan of aquafaba.
Theresa on 2024-10-28 (5 stars): This was really delicious! I halved the recipe and didn't use quite as much garlic, but that's the only thing that I changed. SO GOOD!!
