Thick and heavy in colours

If you have a can of white beans in your pantry (or two...or eight...), this is the time to use it. These cans are perfect for snow days, because they offer quick, hearty dinners, lunches, breakfasts, and snacks--all with not much more effort than it takes to open a can electric motor dc. Creamy, comforting, protein-rich, and white like the snow outside, canned cannellini, navy, and Great Northern beans can all be used interchangeably in most recipes calling for white beans. Here's our 7 favorite things to do with a can of white beans.



Make soup. Combine white beans with broth, canned tomatoes or tomato paste, and whatever fresh veggies you have on hand for an instantly satisfying soup. For extra flavor and texture, add some bacon or pancetta and your favorite whole grain. Want a creamier texture? Blend a portion of the soup and stir it back into the pot ip networking.

Get the recipe: Toasted Spelt Soup With Escarole and White Beans


Just add greens. Garlicky greens and beans are always a good idea, and it's a dish that works with spinach, kale, broccoli rabe, and mustard greens. Put an egg on it for breakfast or a vegetarian dinner, or serve it as a side with basically anything. To take it up a notch, add slices of lemon and anchovy fillets.

Get the recipe: White Beans With Broccoli Rabe and Lemon


Mix into pasta. Stir some white beans into your favorite pasta with red sauce for extra flavor, textural variety, and added protein. Mussels or shrimp work well in a bean pasta, too.

Get the recipe: Spaghetti With Mussels and White Beans


Make salad. With olive oil-packed tuna (another pantry essential!) and some chopped fresh veggies and herbs, you can make an almost instant but totally healthy and satisfying no-cook meal. For a vegetarian option, try this with hard boiled eggs instead dermes.

Get the recipe: White Bean and Tuna Salad With Radicchio


Purée. With a little help from your food processor, a can of white beans can turn into an alternative to mashed potatoes, or a dairy-free creamy dip for crudités.

Get the recipe: Broccoli Trees With Creamy White Bean Dip


Top toast. Simply mash beans with chopped olives, parsley, olive oil and lemon and spread on toast for a simple and satisfying snack, or get a little more involved and make a brothy Italian ragout.

Get the recipe: White Bean Ragout With Toast


Bake with chicken. The ultimate one-pan dinner: a can of white beans, a can of stewed tomatoes, onions, bacon, and chicken thighs.

Get the recipe: Baked Chicken with White Beans and Tomatoes