White Beans with Sage and Garlic

Several years ago my daughter and I enjoyed a meal in Berkeley, California, at the restaurant Venus.  My fish entree was served with a side of herb- and garlic-infused white beans, a lovely accompaniment to the firm-fleshed fish.  I was reminded of how well this pairing worked when I read an article featuring an Italian dinner feast that included white beans baked with sage and garlic. The article, written by Nao Hauser, was published in the May 1989 Bon Appétit and highlighted various dishes that Jan Buckingham, a Nebraska cook, shared with her guests on a late spring evening.

A bean side dish like this is a great alternative to pilaf or potatoes; it could also be the centerpiece of a vegetarian meal, accompanied by seasonal fresh vegetables. 

While Buckingham’s recipe served 16 guests, I only had 4 people coming to dinner at my house.  I conveniently found one-half pound of dried Great Northern beans in the self-serve bins at a local grocery store. I soaked the beans overnight in a large bowl of cool water.   

The following morning, the beans had plumped up.  After draining them, I finely minced some fresh sage and put garlic through a press. (I used about twice the amount of garlic that Buckingham had suggested.) Adding water, olive oil, and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper to the baking crock, I let the oven do its magic.  Soon my house smelled like a garlic-lover’s dream (or vampire’s nightmare).

Some folks balk at the idea of cooking dried beans, preferring the convenience of canned beans that only require a quick opening.  But dried beans can be a busy person’s dream food. As long as you remember to soak the beans the night before you want to cook them, the crock pot or oven can handle the rest of the work.  Cooking with this method allows the flavors to thoroughly permeate the beans and creates a richer dish.

There is debate about whether adding salt at the beginning of beans’ cooking time makes them tougher or not.  I elected to add salt after the beans had done about 2/3 of their cooking, just to be safe.

This recipe benefits from being cooked a day ahead of time, so it is great for dinner parties where you want to minimize last minute scrambling.  Before serving, bring the beans to room temperature and add more salt and pepper to suit your taste.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans to a serving dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit more freshly minced sage. 

The simple ingredients and preparation techniques for the finished beans lead to rich tasting results.  We enjoyed them alongside cod filets baked with Mediterranean flavors. The beans would also complement roasted meats really well or along with roasted red peppers, be used as a bruschetta topping.

White Beans with Sage and Garlic

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie

Creamy Italian white beans flavored with herbs and garlic

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Prep Time 8 hours hrs

Cook Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Total Time 11 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 pound dried white beans (I used Great Northern)
• 2-3 cloves garlic pressed or minced finely
• 3 fresh sage leaves minced
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1-2 more fresh sage leaves

Instructions

 

• Pick over the dried beans to remove any small rocks, debris, or imperfect beans.
• Rinse the beans with water in a colander and drain well.
• Place beans in a large bowl and cover with enough water to have two inches of water on top. Allow to soak overnight.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Drain beans and transfer to oven-proof cooking vessel.
• Add garlic, sage, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Pour in enough water to cover the beans by 1 1/2 inches.
• Cover the pot and bake for 2 hours, stirring once halfway through.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and recover. Return to oven and bake 1 hour more.
• Allow beans to cool at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate.
• Bring beans to room temperature. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the beans to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with freshly minced sage.

Notes

Start with soaking the dried beans at least two days before serving.
After cooking, the beans will keep for up to 3 days refrigerated, and their flavor is better at least one day after baking.

Adapted from Nao Hauser and Jan Buckingham in Bon Appétit (May 1989)