What’s an inexpensive yet delicious tapas dish you can make with minimal time and effort? These garlicky marinated white beans! Marinated in a garlicky sauce of extra virgin olive oil and white wine, these beans become a soft and delicious spread for toasted crostini. Fresh parsley and lemon keep this dish bright and light – and perfect for those upcoming spring and summer picnics! In fact, these beans get even better and more flavorful over time so you can make them a day (or two!) ahead. Don’t miss the opportunity to pair this dish with a chilled rosé!
Simple, Healthy, and Easy Marinated White Beans
At the end of the day, these garlicky marinated white beans are made with just three main ingredients: olive oil, beans, and garlic. Of course, we want to dress them up with white wine, fresh parsley, and a squeeze of lemon but these extras add only flavor, not effort. Did I mention you only need to use one pan, too?
You’ll brown some (okay, a lot) of garlic in olive oil and reduce the white wine. Then, you’ll add and cook down the beans until they’re super tender and smash easily with little pressure. After you remove the beans from the heat, top with extra virgin olive oil, fresh parsley, and a squeeze of lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste. How easy is that? While the beans cook, slice up ciabatta or French baguette to toast – it’s the perfect vehicle for your garlicky marinated white beans.
A Picnic Staple That Tastes Better Over Time
I love when a dish tastes better the more it sits, don’t you? It’s amazing when leftovers are even better than the first serving. These garlicky marinated white beans have that effect. I’d recommend making these beans a day ahead, but you could also do up to two days ahead. You could potentially make them even further in advance, but the fresh flavors from the parsley and lemon may not have the same impact.
Marinated white beans are the perfect choice for a picnic dish because you can make them ahead and they’ll taste great even if they’re sitting around for a bit. Of course, they travel well, too!
Lean Into Spring and Summer With a Rosé Wine Pairing
To make that picnic even better, pack a bottle of rosé to pair with your garlicky marinated white beans. When it comes to beans, you have a pretty wide range of wine pairing options to choose from. Beans can stand up to bolder reds as well as complement a chilled white. I love an in-between option with an always-food-friendly rosé.
I picked up this bottle of 2019 Atlantis Tinta Negra rosé from Madeira, an island off the coast of Portugal and Spain. You can purchase this bottle from Bond Street Wines here in Charlotte, NC. As is typical for islands, the soil is volcanic which yields a bright, mineral-y wine. This wine has aromas of strawberry and pomegranate that immediately bring up images of summer picnics.
Looking for more inspiration for those cans of beans you’ve got in your pantry? Another great option for a picnic and a rosé wine pairing is this Super Addicting Three Bean Salad – seriously, I guarantee you’ll finish this bean salad in one sitting!
PrintGarlicky Marinated White Beans
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2–4 servings 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Garlicky marinated white beans pack a flavor punch with white wine, fresh parsley, lemon, and lots of garlic. Serve with toasted crostini.
Ingredients
- 2 cans Cannellini (white) beans
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking
- 1/2 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat garlic in olive oil in a large pan over medium heat until lightly browned and aromatic.
- Add 1/3 cup dry white wine to the pan and allow it to reduce by half.
- Carefully add the 2 cans of drained and rinsed Cannellini white beans. Stir to coat in the white wine and garlic.
- Salt to taste, starting with about 1 teaspoon.
- Cover the pan and allow the beans to cook on low for about 10 minutes or until they are super tender. They should mash with just a little pressure.
- While the beans are cooking, thinly slice a baguette and toast the slices to make your crostini. Use a toaster oven or simply toast in the oven at 350 degrees for 2 minutes on each side (or until slightly browned). Timing will depend on how thinly you slice your bread.
- Remove the beans from heat and pour them into a serving bowl.
- Add the remaining 1/4 extra virgin olive oil, freshly chopped parsley, lemon juice, and pepper to taste. Toss to coat and serve warm with the toasted crostini.