These White Beans with Bacon and Herbs are so simple to make, rich and savory, comforting, loaded with flavor and super delicious. Perfect as a side or a meal on its own.
Easy White Beans Recipe
Many of you have been asking me for the bean recipe I made with the pork roast and I can’t blame you because these beans are the best. Beans beans the magical fruit, we all know how that song goes. Beans and lots of bacon, loaded with yummy fresh herbs, now that’s a tune I can sing along to.
Truth be told, I usually serve mashed potatoes when I make a pork roast, however, this time I went for something a bit different with these beans and what a great combo it was. The bacon was an afterthought and I’m so glad I decided to add it, because we know that bacon really does make everything taste better.
Plus, as you cook the herbs with the bacon and garlic, the smell is out of bounds, then the beans will cook in that bacon fat and really develop savory and rich flavors.
I love this recipe because of its simplicity, nothing complicated here, pork and beans, lots herbs and full of flavor. As you simmer the beans they will turn a bit creamy and the liquid will cook down, that’s what you’re looking for and that’s how you know when the beans are done.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bacon – None of that precooked crumbled stuff, be sure to cook this up fresh so that your beans have some smokey and delicious fat to cook up in.
- Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
- Herbs – Fresh rosemary, parsley, and basil.
- Red pepper flakes – To add some heat and color to our dish, feel free to omit if you’re spice averse.
- Liquids – Chicken broth, low sodium of course, and red wine vinegar for some bright acidity.
- Beans – White cannellini beans either dried or canned.
- Seasoning – Salt and pepper.
Can I Use Dried Beans?
You can also make this with dry beans if you have more time on hand. I would just recommend soaking the beans in water over night, that’s what my mom always does because she never cooks with canned beans. There’s actually science behind this, some beans can be toxic if consumed dried and they’re also just plain impossible to chew through!
So be sure to give your beans a good overnight soak and you’ll be good to go. However, I love using canned beans because they are so much faster and still just as delicious.
Can I Use Dried Herbs?
If you only have dried herbs on hand that you’d like to use up, you can most definitely substitute them in for this recipe! Just keep in mind that 1 tablespoon fresh equals 1 teaspoon dried herbs so don’t go too overboard!
How To Make White Beans with Bacon and Herbs
- Crisp the bacon: Add the chopped bacon to a large skillet or Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes until bacon is crispy.
- Saute the aromatics: Stir in the garlic, basil, rosemary, 2 tbsp of the chopped parsley and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds until the garlic becomes aromatic.
- Assemble the dish: Add the red wine vinegar and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the skillet and stir to deglaze the pan. All the brown bits should come clean from the bottom of the skillet. Add the beans and the rest of the chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Make sure you have enough broth to barely cover the beans, add more if needed.
- Finish the dish: Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the beans for about 15 to 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has cooked off. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve warm.
What Can I Serve With White Beans?
This side dish is perfect alongside some savory mains, pair them up or just eat a big bowl on their own, I won’t judge.
- Braised Lamb Shanks
- Brined Roast Turkey Breast
- Prime Rib Roast
- Pan Seared Pork Chops with Gravy
- Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb
- Rosemary Garlic Pork Roast
Leftovers
This dish will store well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. These beans will also freeze well! Just store in an airtight container or tightly wrapped for 4 – 6 months in the freezer.
More Delicious Recipes To Try
- Brandy Glazed Carrots
- Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
- Italian Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
- Old Fashioned Green Beans
- Instant Pot Baked Beans
- Tuscan Bean Soup
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Avocado Tomato Salad
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White Beans with Bacon and Herbs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ tablespoon basil fresh, chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoon rosemary fresh, chopped
- 3 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2½ cups chicken broth low sodium
- 31 ounce white cannellini beans (2 15.5 oz cans) drained and rinsed
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Add the chopped bacon to a large skillet or Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes until bacon is crispy.
- Stir in the garlic, basil, rosemary, 2 tbsp of the chopped parsley and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds until the garlic becomes aromatic.
- Add the red wine vinegar and ½ cup of the chicken broth to the skillet and stir to deglaze the pan. All the brown bits should come clean from the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the beans and the rest of the chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Make sure you have enough broth to barely cover the beans, add more if needed.
- Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the beans for about 15 to 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has cooked off. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- Garnish with remaining parsley and serve warm.
Video
Recipe Notes
- You can also make this with dry beans. To do so soak them in water over night. Follow the rest of the instructions, however they will take longer to cook, should take about 1 hour over medium heat.
- This dish will store well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. These beans will also freeze well! Just store in an airtight container or tightly wrapped for 4 – 6 months in the freezer.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Pleasantly surprised by this one! Added a handful of baby spinach for the last few minutes of cooking and served with little garlic toasts as dinner. Be aware of the saltiness of your bacon and your broth – my final dish ended up almost too salty even without any other salt added.
This has become one of our favorite dishes to make. It’s so quick and easy, and makes enough for a couple of meals.
The taste of vinegar was much too strong for me. I’ll try again and leave the vinegar out or reduce it drastically.
So good! The red pepper flakes added an unexpected kick that surprised my husband in a good way. These beans have serious flavor. Adding the herbs to hot bacon grease helped them bloom so well! I’m glad I found your page! Can’t wait to try more recipes.
This was delicious! I used pre soaked dried beans and cooked it in the crockpot. Thanks for the recipe!
Soooo delicious and easy to follow! Will definitely be making this regularly.
This was a lovely side dish. The only thing I will change for next time is to salt it at the very end, as it reduced it got saltier. Either that or low sodium bacon. My family loved it, I’m the only one who thought it was a little too salty.
This was amazing!!!! I didn’t have bacon but had the grease which was good enough. Also subbed thyme for rosemary for personal choice. We loved this though and am sharing with friends!
THESE ARE SO TASTY… I served them as a side with the Garlic Pork Roast (a magical combination). I fried up onion & bacon together then added the drained tinned beans & fried the lot up until toasty. Then followed the rest of the recipe – so delicious & easy. Thank you for another keeper of a recipe Jo. Love your work!
Loved this dish. Could you give me serving size.
The recipe card doesn’t give exact weight for servings because it’ll depend greatly on the ingredients you’ve used. There are 8 servings in this recipe 🙂
It is delicious but no way is it 8 servings, if a main course 2 servings.
It can also be served as a side! I could eat the whole dish in one serving it’s so good 😉
This dish was the star of the evening. absolutely delicious! Thank you.