Italian-style cannellini beans simmer in a garlicky cream sauce strewn with leafy greens and lots of Parmesan. The starch from the beans thickens the sauce, and the whole skillet takes about 10 minutes on the stovetop. Serve it as a hearty side dish, a meatless main, or alongside chicken, sausage or shrimp.

Cannellini beans, kale, and cream sauce in a skillet, with a wood spoon dipping into the pan.

Humble cannellini beans carry this dish. They’re plush and starchy, mild enough to soak up the flavor of garlic, rosemary and Parmesan, and sturdy enough to hold their shape through a quick simmer. I cook white beans from scratch for recipes like creamy Tuscan white bean soup, or toss them into a simple salad, but this skillet is made for the cans stashed in the pantry. I can’t imagine living without those beans.

Ingredients for creamy white beans, and what each one does

Bowls full of cannellini beans, kale greens, parmesan cheese, cream and olive oil on a work surface.
  • White beans: Cannellini are satisfyingly creamy-textured and starchy. They make a filling dish, and they’re my favorite type of white bean to use in this recipe. Other white beans work too: Great Northern, butter or navy beans, or larger ones like corona or Greek gigante.
  • Garlic: Nothing flatters white beans like garlic, in my opinion. Grating fresh garlic cloves (or pushing them through a garlic press) quickly infuses a punchy taste straight into the beans and sauce.
  • Herbs: I like to use aromatic Mediterranean herbs like rosemary and thyme. The simmering white beans quickly absorb the herb oils and the flavor is outstanding. I like to use fresh chopped herbs, but dried herbs will also work — just use about half the amount because they are more potent.
  • Cream: Heavy cream enhances the naturally creamy texture of white beans (especially cannellini beans). To make this a vegan meal, you can use full-fat coconut milk or a plant-based cream substitute you enjoy.

Make creamy skillet white beans in 15 minutes

  • Sliced shallots cooking in olive oil in a skillet.
    1. Soften the shallots in olive oil over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until they turn translucent and tender but haven’t taken on any color. You want their sweetness, not a toasty edge.
  • White beans in a skillet with olive oil, shallots, garlic and chopped rosemary.
    2. Add the beans, garlic, rosemary, salt and chili. The hot oil wakes up the rosemary and chili — a minute or two is enough for the garlic to turn fragrant. Any longer and it browns and turns bitter.
  • White beans cooking in a skillet with a scoop of cream getting stirred into the pan.
    3. Pour in the broth and cream, bring it to a simmer, then lower the heat slightly. Over 10 minutes, some of the beans soften and collapse into the liquid, and their starch thickens the sauce.
  • Torn kale leaves on top of beans cooking in a skillet.
    4. Lower the heat and lay the torn greens on top of the beans. Kale needs a couple of minutes to soften and spinach needs only seconds, so let the heat of the beans start the wilting before you stir.
  • A spoon stirring white beans and kale in a skillet.
    5. Stir until the greens turn bright green and just begin to wilt, then take the pan off the heat. They keep cooking in the hot beans, and pushed past this point, they may become less vibrantly green (but still tasty).
  • A wooden spoon stirring a pan full of creamy cannellini beans with pieces of wilted kale.
    6. With the pan away from the heat, sprinkle in the Parmesan and stir. Off the burner, the cheese melts into the sauce instead of clumping.

Serving and flavor-pairing ideas

White beans are a neutral canvas and go best with bold seasonings and spices. Try them with sweet roasted tomatoes, spooned on top of toasted sourdough as a rustic crostini, or simply spooned over cooked pasta for the ultimate carb fest.

A wooden spoon stirring a pan full of creamy cannellini beans with pieces of wilted kale.
4.97 from 78 ratings

Creamy Skillet White Beans with Greens and Parmesan

Karen Tedesco
Italian-style creamy cannellini beans cook in about 10 minutes on the stovetop, in a garlicky cream sauce strewn with leafy greens and lots of Parmesan. Serve as a hearty side dish, meatless main or add a cooked protein such as chicken, shrimp or chicken meatballs to make an easy dinner.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup sliced shallot or yellow onion
  • 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained (or 3 cups cooked beans)
  • 2 grated or finely chopped garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, thyme or oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • ¼ cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup heavy cream, or creme fraiche
  • 3 cups torn leafy greens, such as kale or spinach
  • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  1. Put 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and ¼ cup sliced shallot or yellow onion in a 10-12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook and stir 2-3 minutes, until they're softened.
  2. Add 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, 2 grated or finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon kosher salt½ teaspoon crushed red pepper to the pan and give the mixture a stir. Cook for a minute or two, until the garlic smells fragrant (but don't brown it).
  3. Pour in ¼ cup chicken broth and ¼ cup heavy cream. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat slightly and cook about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.
  4. Lower the heat and add 3 cups torn leafy greens to the skillet. Stir them in, and continue cooking until the greens turn bright green and begin to wilt. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheeseover the beans and stir.
  5. Serve the beans warm as a main dish, side dish or spooned over pasta.

Notes

  • Instead of broth, you can use some of liquid from canned beans to make the sauce.
  • The cooked beans keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 4 days. They can also be frozen for up to one month: cool completely, then pack into an airtight container.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 258kcal Carbohydrates: 24g Protein: 11g Fat: 15g Sodium: 1088mg Fiber: 7g Sugar: 1g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

Save to Pinterest
Tried this recipe?A star rating takes 5 seconds and helps more people find it.