White Beans with Fennel and Tomatoes is a hearty Italian side dish made with caramelized fennel, onions, garlic, and grape tomatoes. This quick cooking side dish is done within 30 minutes and compliments Italian Sausage.
I’ve been making this Italian white bean side dish for years. I’ve always served it alongside my grilled sausage and peppers. This is a lighter dish and compliments the grilled meat and veggies perfectly.
White Beans with Fennel and Tomatoes
In this post you will learn the following information on how to make this white beans side dish.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil – I love the flavor in olive oil and find it compliments this meal best.
- Fennel – You will use the bulb of fresh fennel. Make sure you scrub the fennel well and even soak in water for a little bit to remove the sand from the bulb.
- Chicken broth – This adds additional flavor to the white beans. If you want to make this vegetarian you can use vegetable stock instead.
- Garlic – I like to chop fresh garlic for this recipe. I also sometimes use minced garlic in water for quicker cooking.
- Onion – I like to dice onions and caramelize them with the fennel.
- Great Norther White Beans – Canned beans work best for this recipe. Add them in during the last few minutes of cooking to prevent over cooking and beans breaking apart.
- Grape Tomatoes – I love the acidity that tomatoes lend to this dish.
- Basil & Parsley – I like to use fresh herbs to brighten up this side dish.
Directions
In a large pot add olive oil and bring the pot to high heat. Add the thinly sliced fennel and begin sauteing.
Add 1 cup of chicken broth and reduce the heat down to medium-high heat. Place the lid on top of the pot and let cook for 10 minutes *check occasionally and stir to make sure fennel is not burning and/or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
After the 10 minutes add chopped garlic and onions to the pot, stir well. Add the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth, stir, reduce heat to medium, and place lid back on the pot. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
Add the 2 cans of white beans, mix well, and then add the grape tomatoes. Place the lid back on the beans and simmer on low for 5 minutes.
Stir in chopped basil, parsley, and season with cracked black pepper. Mix well, and serve.
FAQs
Yes, in fact there are quite a few varieties. You have the navy bean which is also called white pea bean, small white bean, Boston bean, Yankee bean or known as fagioli), which is small and cooks relatively quickly; the Great Northern, which looks like a baby lima bean; the white kidney bean which is also called cannellini or fazolia. More bean information can be found here.
“Legumes, which include beans, peas and lentils, are an inexpensive, healthy source of protein, potassium, and complex carbohydrates, including dietary fiber. On average, legumes contain about 20-25% protein by weight on a dry basis, which is 2-3 times more protein than wheat and rice.” according to Harvard.
To tone down the “anise-flavor” that fennel boasts I like to saute or braise the bulb (white bottom portion) of the fennel. Do not saute or braise the fennel stalks. They are hard like celery and will not break down as well. Instead you can let it take the place of celery in soups and stews. You can also use the fennel fronds as a garnish, or chop them and use as you would other herbs, like dill or parsley.
Fennel has a slight mild licorice taste to it otherwise known as “anise-flavored”. This mild flavor breaks down as it is cooked.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks I’ve found helpful when making this white beans and tomatoes recipe.
- Thin Slices – I like to use a mandolin slicer to get thin slices of fennel. I find that these cook quicker and caramelize better.
- No Salt Needed – Do not add salt to this dish. The salt is taken care of thanks to the chicken broth added.
- Follow Directions – To avoid over cooking beans and turning them to mush add them during the last few minutes of cooking.
White Bean Recipes
All you need is a can of white beans from your pantry and you can transform them into just about anything. Here are a few of my favorite white bean recipes.
- Sausage White Bean and Kale Soup
- White Beans with Bacon and Herbs
- Roasted Cauliflower with White Beans
- White Bean Saute
If you make this white beans recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!
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White Beans with Fennel & Tomatoes
Equipment
- Stove Top
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 bulb Fennel thinly sliced
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- 5 cloves Garlic chopped
- 1 small Onion diced
- 2 cans Great Northern White Beans drained and rinsed
- ½ pint Grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup Basil chopped
- ¼ cup Parsley chopped
- cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot add olive oil and bring the pot to high heat. Add the thinly sliced fennel and begin sauteing. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and reduce the heat down to medium-high heat. Place the lid on top of the pot and let cook for 10 minutes *check occasionally and stir to make sure fennel is not burning and/or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- After the 10 minutes add chopped garlic and onions to the pot, stir well. Add the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth, stir, reduce heat to medium, and place lid back on the pot. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
- Add the 2 cans of white beans, mix well, and then add the grape tomatoes. Place the lid back on the beans and simmer on low for 5 minutes.
- Stir in chopped basil, parsley, and season with cracked black pepper. Mix well, and serve.
Notes
- I like to use a mandolin slicer to get thin slices of fennel. I find that these cook quicker and caramelize better.
- Do not add salt to this dish. The salt is taken care of thanks to the chicken broth added.
- To avoid over cooking beans and turning them to mush add them during the last few minutes of cooking.
Nutrition
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Light recipe for the summer. I also live in sunny Florida.
Hope to meet you sometime.
Thank you!
This is so pretty! And what fresh, summery flavors. I’m sure it was an excellent side for your previous dish that I see in the background there 🙂