Phaseolus vulgaris – Cannellini Beans

Celebrated as a staple of Italian cuisine, Cannellini beans, also known as White Kidney beans, are delicious and wonderfully nutritious. They are fiber-rich nutrient powerhouses and an excellent source of protein. They can be cooked into soups, stews, and salads. Although they look different from the green beans we are used to eating fresh, Cannellini beans belong to the same annual species, Phaseolus vulgaris.

What are Cannellini Beans?

• Cannellini beans belong to the plant family, Fabaceae, also known as the legume, pea, or bean family, which includes lentils, chickpeas, peas, and peanuts.
• Cannellini beans are believed to have originally been cultivated in Argentina but have long been celebrated as a staple of Italian cuisine.
• As a member of the kidney beans family, they possess a distinctive kidney body and are white in their raw state. They maintain their creamy color when dried and cooked.
• Cannellini beans are mostly grown at home with bush varieties.
• Cannellini beans are available in the late summer and fall months. However, they are most commonly sold in their dried and canned form.
• Cannellini beans fix nitrogen and add nutrients that improve the soil, benefitting the plants that are growing beside them. Beans are great for heavy nitrogen users.
• Popular Cannellini bean cultivars are Silver Cloud, Gentec 401, Montalbano, and Lingot.

Cooking with Cannellini Beans

• Thanks to their sweet, nutty flavor and hearty, creamy texture, there are many ways to use these gluten-free beans.
• Cannellini beans can be used fresh or as dried beans. If used dried, the beans should first be soaked before use.
• Canned Cannellini beans do not need to be cooked. You can add them to any recipe for beans without cooking them.
• They are an excellent substitute for pinto beans, black beans, cranberry beans, or navy beans.
• Since Cannellini beans hold their shape well when cooked, they can be simmered, sautéed, roasted, fried, and braised.
• Do not salt the water of boiling Cannellini beans, as this can cause their skins to become tough.
• Cannellini beans can be enjoyed in bean salads, soups, and stews. They can also be used to make pureed bean spreads and dips.
• Classic Italian preparations include minestrone, pasta e Fagioli (pasta and beans), and Ribollita, a Tuscan white bean stew.
• When cooked as a dried bean, expect Cannellini beans to double in size.
• Cannellini beans must be adequately prepared as they contain a toxic protein called phytohemagglutinin.
• To ensure that your Cannellini beans are safe to eat, always soak them in advance. If you are using canned beans, remember to give them a thorough rinse.

Health Benefits of Cannellini Beans

• While Cannellini beans make a flavorful addition to various dishes, they can also provide health benefits.
• Cannellini beans are rich in protein and are considered a substantial meat substitute. These proteins benefit the immune system and help maintain healthy bones, hairs, organs, and muscles.
• Cannellini beans are also full of antioxidants, which help fight free radicals.
• Cannellini beans are loaded with fiber, which may help lower bad cholesterol levels and improve your heart health. Fiber also helps regulate the digestive tract and keep your digestive system healthy.
• They are also rich in carbohydrates and contain folate, zinc, manganese, copper, calcium, and potassium.
• Cannellini beans provide a decent source of iron that can help prevent anemia.
• Nutrition Facts (per 100 grams): 139 calories, 25 grams carbs, 9.7 grams protein, 0 grams fat, 6.3 grams fiber.

How to Grow Cannellini Beans

• Cannellini beans grow up to 18-36 in. tall (45-90 cm), depending on the variety.
• Cannellini beans perform best in fertile, acidic to neutral (pH ranging from 6.0 to 7.0), moist, well-drained soils in full sun (at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day) in a sheltered location.
• If your soil lacks nutrients, add well-rotted organic matter or compost before planting.
• Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Bean plants do require consistent and even moisture once they have formed flowers.
• Cannellini beans are a warm-weather crop and grow best between 65-85°F (18-29°C).
• Cannellini beans are sensitive to frost and will suffer damage from light frost. Beans perform poorly when temperatures rise above 85°F (29°C).
• Sow seeds outdoors anytime after the last spring frost date after the soil has warmed. At soil temperatures below 65°F (18°C), most bean cultivars germinate poorly and are more susceptible to pests and root rot.
• Do not start Cannellini bean seeds indoors because their roots are fragile and may not survive transplanting.
• Soak the seed in compost tea for 25 minutes before planting to help prevent disease and speed germination.
• Sow seed 1½ inches (4 cm), 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) apart with at least 2 feet (60 cm) between rows.
• Beans are soil builders. They rarely need any fertilizer during the growing season.
• Mulch to retain moisture, keep the soil cool, and control weeds.
• Rotate crops: Prevent problems by not planting beans in the same location more often than every 3 years.
• Compost plants after harvest. Cut them at the root. The nutrient-rich roots can be tilled back into the soil.
• Beans are susceptible to a few pests. Keep an eye out for aphids, blackflies, cucumber beetles, cutworms, grasshoppers, Japanese beetles, Mexican bean beetle, root-knot nematodes, slugs, snails, spider mites, Stinkbugs, thrips, whiteflies, and wireworms.
• Beans are susceptible to diseases, including anthracnose, bean mosaic virus, powdery mildew, bean root rot, bean rust, and white mold.

When to Harvest Cannellini Beans

• Depending on the variety, Cannellini beans take 75-80 days to harvest after planting.
• Cannellini beans can be harvested and used fresh or left to dry on the vine.
• Fresh Cannellini beans Pods will be ready to harvest when the immature, green pods turn to pale yellow.
• Dried Cannellini beans are ready for picking when the leaves have fallen and the pods are slightly shriveled and very dry.
• Harvest Cannellini beans by cutting the pods using clean scissors or a pruning shear.
• After you pick the dried pods from the plants, shell them and remove the Cannellini beans from inside them.
• To store, keep fresh Cannellini beans wrapped in plastic and refrigerated. For the best flavor, fresh beans should be shelled and used within three to four days.

Best and Worst Companion Plants for Beans

• Beans are great for heavy nitrogen users. They add nutrients and improve the soil, benefitting the plants that are growing beside them.
   
• A good example of companion planting is The Three Sisters Garden. Practiced by Native Americans thousands of years ago, this garden includes corn, beans, and squash. The tall corn provides shade for the lower squash but also stops the squash vine borer beetle. Corn also provides support for the bean plants to climb up. The beans enrich the soil with nutrients for both corn and squash. And the large leaves of the squash vines create a protective mulch that helps retain moisture while suppressing weeds. Another added benefit is the prickly vines of the squash deter the raccoons from stripping the corncobs.
   
• Mexican bean beetles can reduce the production of green beans if allowed to multiply. Their damage is reduced spectacularly when beans are interplanted with other vegetables and herbs.
   
• Cannellini beans are mostly grown at home with bush varieties.

Best and worst companion plants for Bush Beans