Rosemary White Beans With Frizzled Onions and Tomato Recipe (2024)

This recipe sounds delicious. But I wonder if it is necessary to use a half cup of olive oil for 3 to 4 servings? I make similar dishes all the time but with at the most 2 T of oil (plus more beans) and they feed 6-8.

I start my version of this with a few salted anchovies in the initial step - they will disintegrate and add extra depth/umami, as well as replacing the salt added later in this recipe.

If the brand of canned beans is as important as Melissa Clark says, what are some recommended brands?

Many recipes call for draining and rinsing canned beans. I’ve actually read the labels on several brands and types of beans and I see: beans, water, salt. No preservatives. I’ve tasted said beans and they are not too salty. Why rinse off the salt and then add it back in later? Finally, the beans have soaked in their liquid for months and are suffused with whatever is in the liquid. Rinsing the outside of the beans doesn’t rinse the inside of the beans. Rinsing doesn’t detoxify the beans.

I like Bush's Cannellini. They're recommended by Cook's Illustrated.

Another success, and adaptable to be sure. I sliced and fried 2 small to medium onions (I'm still waiting for volume or weight measurements rather than "large" onion or whatever.) I only opened 1- 14 oz can of cannelini, and matched it with a can of diced tomatoes, which I added juice and all instead of water. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes is definitely called for. This was really good!

The reason recipes with canned beans always start with rinsing is that the liquid is full of sodium and preservatives. When I cook my own beans I use the water as a soup base but the liquid in the cans should be discarded.

I made the recipe using Great Northern beans (drained and rinsed) and a 14.5 oz can of roasted diced tomatoes, and threw in a leaf of curly leaf kale (chopped) with the braise, to up the nutrition profile a smidge. Next time, I may add a teaspoon of white miso while sautéing the garlic, to boost the umami flavors. As it was, however, this recipe is a keeper! As vegans, my husband and I thank you for this easy, quick, pantry-friendly, delicious addition to our weeknight repertoire.

You can reserve half the onions and use them for garnish...or you can keep all the onions in the dish and break out the French fried onions to garnish the finished beans.

works with any kind of bean actually. and you can totally improvise with the spices. the best cooking, unless you're working in a restaurant where they want everything to taste and look the same every time, is about mastering basic techniques, and then having fun with the improv. baking not so much. everyone knows about chick peas and hummus, but they're also wonderful for those improvised soups and stews.

To answer the question on brands of beans. While I sometimes use Cento, my hands down favorite brand is Goya because they are a bit firmer and stand up to a longer cooking time.

For years I´ve done something roughly similar with canned garbanzos, to which I add a handful or two of baby spinach. Nice dish.

In a dish like this I don't bother to drain and rinse the beans. The liquid they're packed in has a lot of flavor! I would, however, probably reduce or even omit the additional salt.

I tried this but instead of starting with olive oil I fried up a couple slices of bacon and used the fat, then incorporated the bacon back into the beans afterwards, ate it all smushed on toasted crusty bread. Very excellent.

This recipe's author says 1/2 cup of olive oil. Obviously the author thinks it's necessary. If you don't agree, use less olive oil.

Very tasty dish. I used Goya brand which I favor - 1 can cannellini and 1 can butter bean because that's what I had in my pantry and actually made for a more attractive dish. Also used up some fresh tomatoes starting to wrinkle - grape sized chopped. Healthy & fresh - parsley and lemon zest add brightness and it has a little kick. Just served with some fire-grilled sour dough for soaking up sauce. For 4 I may try a fried egg or a simply grilled fish or chicken on top.

I used butter beans and added already-cooked chicken sausage (that I sautéed and browned before adding at the end)

I made this with less olive oil as some have mentioned and added spinach at the end. It was delightful.

Made recipe as directed but felt like the flavors didn't meld and it was missing something. Lemon zest really overpowered the rest of the flavors for me

The reserved onion garnish is very popular with my family. And I make lots more onions than the recipe calls for and there are never enough. And I don't short the olive oil.

Simple. Quick. Hearty. Delicious! Was short on rosemary so added 1tsp chopped fresh sage. Used butter beans and will make again! Great winter staple from the pantry.

Following suggestions from the comments, I used canned fire-roasted tomatoes and topped the dish with french-fried onions instead of removing and reserving some of the sauteed onions. Delicious!

These beans are incredible! I highly recommend putting the beans over a piece of toast with a crispy fried egg on top, it is the perfect meal!

I followed this recipe exactly and it was magnificent. Yes it is necessary to use the hefty amount of olive oil to get to it. I questioned it too, but just went along and I believe it would not have been anything without the OO. Use some good stuff. Had this and toasted baguette and I felt happy for a whole day. Try it!

This is one of my favorite recipes. I've made it 4x now and each time I'm amazed by how such a simple list of ingredients comes out tasting so complex, rich and delicious. I add a big handful of baby spinach during the simmer step. Devine.

Canned tomatoes (with basil, garlic) too sweet. fresh might be better. agree on not draining beans. overall not tasty.

Went with what I had on hand (chick peas instead of beans. Cilantro instead of parsley) and it was SO delicious. I highly recommended you ahead and squeeze lemon juice all over it when you are done. This is a new staple for my house.

These are possibly the best beans I have ever had in my life. Only change I made was reducing the oil by 3 tablespoons.

A little disappointing. The beans were too mushy, so I'll try dry beans next time.

I made this as it is written but did exchange some white wine vinegar for the lemon and served it over Nature's Blend purple, red, and brown rice. Very good. And I thought it was even better the next day. I used Bush's cannellini beans.