cannellini beans
Also known as: cannelloni beans
A large, creamy white Italian bean with a mild, nutty flavor, common in soups, stews, and salads. Their large size and thin skin mean they hold their shape less firmly than smaller beans and break down somewhat into the surrounding liquid, which naturally thickens whatever they're simmered in.
Buying guidance
Canned cannellini beans are fully cooked and ready to use; check sodium content on the label since it varies by brand. Beans that look intact rather than broken or mushy in the can will hold their shape better in a finished dish.
Substitutions
- Butter beans -- larger and starchier, but close enough in size and mild flavor to swap directly in most dishes.
- Great Northern beans -- similar size and mild flavor, slightly firmer skin.
- Navy beans -- smaller and creamier when cooked, breaks down more readily into a soup.
- Chickpeas -- firmer texture that holds its shape better, nuttier flavor.
Tips & common mistakes
Their thin skins break down under vigorous stirring or a hard simmer faster than firmer beans like chickpeas, clouding the liquid and turning some of the beans to mush -- a gentle simmer and light stirring keep more of them intact if texture matters.
Storage
Once opened, they hold their shape better stored in their own canning liquid rather than drained dry -- beans left dry in the refrigerator can toughen slightly at the surface over a few days.