Rooted in the tradition of cucina povera—the “poor kitchen” philosophy of rural Italy—this recipe celebrates making the most of humble, everyday ingredients when meat was out of reach. Borlotti beans, with their beautiful, speckled pattern and delicate flavor, shine as the star. Simply seasoned yet deeply satisfying, they’re a true nutritional powerhouse: packed with protein, fiber, folate, and essential minerals, plus rich in antioxidants. Wholesome, affordable, and delicious, these beans embody the heart of rustic Italian cooking.
Borlotti (Cranberry) Beans
You've probably noticed that Southern influencers who video their recipes for social media tend to be pretty heavy-handed on the seasoning. Honestly? I gotta admit, it kinda freaks me out sometimes just how much they use!
I try to keep my published recipes with a lighter hand, with the understanding that everybody can choose to omit, reduce or increase certain seasonings to their own tastes.
Measure with your heart as they say!
Still, there are some things that just taste good out of the simplicity of them.
Just a quick reminder.... if you aren't interested in the chit chat, info, photos, tips, product recommendations and such on a blog, as always, you'll find the complete recipe text with measurements and instructions, as well as a printable document, a little bit further down the page. Just swipe or scroll down to the bottom of the post!
Butter bean soup comes immediately to mind. A simple soup, made from tiny butter beans, lightly seasoned with onion and celery, thickened with a puree and finished with a sprinkle of sliced green onions, it's both easy and delicious!
This recipe was another one of those that passed on my desktop start page one day from the folks at Giada De Laurentiis's company Giadzy.
While borlotti beans, also known as Roman beans or cranberry beans may not be as widely known in American or Southern culture, they are native to Italy and apparently pretty common in Mediterranean cuisine. They have a beautifully tender and creamy texture and delicious flavor. These beans were so good y'all! I can't believe that the only fat involved is olive oil, and there's no meat or meat flavoring whatsoever.
Bonus?
These creamed up even more beautifully in the fridge overnight.
Here's what you'll need to make these Borlotti Beans:
- 1 (12 ounce) bag Borlotti (Cranberry/Roman) beans *also see substitutes in Cook's Notes
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 2 medium bay leaves
- 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
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Cranberry beans have more recently become available locally here at my Walmart, but I ran across several brands including Iberia brand on Amazon (#ad) before they were, so I bought some to try. If you can't find them, cannellini, pintos, navy, great northern or butter beans are all good substitutes to use in this recipe.
Aren't they a pretty bean?
Soak them in water overnight, or...
Use a quick soak method by placing beans in a large pot, cover with water plus about 2 inches and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let soak for 1 hour. I used the quick soak method this time.
Giada's recipe didn't use onion, but I'm adding in some onion with the garlic because I can't help myself!
Drain and rinse beans. I've mentioned this Easy Greasy colander (#ad) before. It's a great strainer, but it's also got a catch bowl meaning you can carry it right over to the stove or countertop without worrying about any leaking - love this kitchen tool!
In a soup pot, heat olive oil over medium, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Do not drain off the oil.
Add beans to pot.
Add the rosemary and bay leaf. Fresh rosemary is awesome, but I'm using dried and that's fine too.
I couldn't resist adding in some Bragg Sprinkle (#ad) too. This is another kitchen product that I love so much! It's a blend of 24, 100% certified organic herbs and spices, non-GMO, free of salt, sodium and fat, and a great way to enhance any dish. I used 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary plus 1/2 teaspoon of Bragg Sprinkles.
Top with 5 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until beans are tender, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Season to taste with salt, cover, remove from the heat and let rest covered for 30 minutes. I also added a little Cajun seasoning. Store beans in their liquid, sealed in a storage container in refrigerator for up to 5 days. They get creamier overnight!
For more of my favorite bean recipes, check out this collection on my Pinterest page!
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