Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dried cannellini, soaked in at least 3 inches of water to cover overnight
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup – ½ cup finely diced pancetta or slab bacon
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
28 ounce can whole, peeled plum tomatoes
2 cups water
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a medium-large pot or Dutch oven over a medium-high flame.
Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned and crispy (reduce heat if starting to burn or stick), about 5-6 minutes.
Optionally, stir around a paper towel in the pan to absorb excess grease, and discard.
Add the garlic and stir another 30 seconds or so. Add the white wine and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan.
Drain the soaked beans and add the beans, tomatoes and all their juice, and the water.
Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook at least 1 ½ hours, preferably two, until beans are very tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a drizzle of extra olive oil over each bowl.
Key Points About Ingredients:
- Dried cannellini beans must be soaked overnight in plenty of cold water — at least 3 inches above the beans — to ensure even hydration and a creamy, tender texture after cooking.
- Pancetta brings a savory, slightly sweet cured pork depth that bacon can replicate; using slab bacon gives you more control over the dice size and fat content.
- A 28-ounce can of whole peeled plum tomatoes (San Marzano style preferred) provides a naturally sweet, low-acid base that won't overpower the delicate beans.
- Dry white wine deglazes the pan after browning the pancetta, lifting all those flavorful browned bits into the stew for extra complexity.
- Extra-virgin olive oil served as a finishing drizzle is not optional in spirit — it adds fruity richness and rounds out the entire dish at the table.
Key Nutritional Insights:
- Cannellini beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein and dietary fiber, supporting satiety and digestive health in every serving.
- This stew provides a meaningful amount of iron and folate from the beans, nutrients especially important for energy metabolism and cell health.
- Tomatoes contribute lycopene and vitamin C, antioxidants that support immune function and may help protect against oxidative stress.
- Olive oil adds heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and using it as a finishing drizzle preserves its beneficial polyphenols that heat can degrade.
- Pancetta adds sodium and saturated fat; using the smaller ¼ cup amount keeps these in a more moderate range per serving.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size1
- Amount per serving
- Calories320
- Standard DV% Daily Value*
- Total Fat11 g72 g15.28%
- Saturated Fat2.8 g20 g14%
- Trans Fat0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat1.4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat6.2 g
- Cholesterol14 mg300 mg4.67%
- Sodium520 mg2300 mg22.61%
- Total Carbohydrate38 g275 g13.82%
- Dietary Fiber10 g28 g35.71%
- Total Sugars6 g
- Added Sugars0 g50 g0%
- Sugar Alcohal0 g
- Protein16 g50 g32%
- Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol)0 mcg20 mcg0%
- Calcium112 mg1300 mg8.62%
- Iron5 mg18 mg27.78%
- Potassium920 mg4700 mg19.57%
- Vitamin A420 mcg900 mcg46.67%
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)18 mg90 mg20%
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol)1.8 mg15 mg12%
- Vitamin K14 mcg120 mcg11.67%
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)0.3 mg1.2 mg25%
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)0.1 mg1.3 mg7.69%
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin)1.8 mg16 mg11.25%
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)0.3 mg1.7 mg17.65%
- Folate130 mcg400 mcg32.5%
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamine)0.1 mcg2.4 mcg4.17%
- Biotin4 mcg30 mcg13.33%
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)0.5 mg5 mg10%
- Choline52 mg550 mg9.45%
- Phosphorus240 mg1250 mg19.2%
- Iodine3 mcg150 mcg2%
- Magnesium72 mg420 mg17.14%
- Zinc1.8 mg11 mg16.36%
- Selenium4 mcg55 mcg7.27%
- Copper0.4 mg0.9 mg44.44%
- Manganese0.9 mg2.3 mg39.13%
- Chromium2 mcg35 mcg5.71%
- Molybdenum85 mcg45 mcg188.89%
- Chloride180 mg2300 mg7.83%
