Tuscan Gigante Beans

Creamy, savory, and packed with Italian flavors, these buttery & flavorful Tuscan gigante beans make for a perfectly creamy side or a hearty main.

I recently found some dried gigante beans at my grocery store and grabbed them because I’ve never had them before. I soaked the beans overnight and boiled them gently until tender, then made this easy gigante beans recipe (also known as Marry Me Beans), which is the perfect quick comfort food with Tuscan-inspired flavors and a decadent creamy sauce. I served these creamy, tasty beans with garlic-rubbed toasts made from rustic bread, a steamed artichoke, and a lemony romaine salad for a delicious vegetarian meal that we all enjoyed.

Tuscan Gigante Beans

Ingredients:

• 6 oz dried gigante beans (or butter beans), rinsed and sorted, soaked overnight (yields about 2 cups of soaked beans)   **(You can also use a 15-oz can of gigante beans or butter beans, drained, if needed)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp dried basil
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• ½ cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• ¼ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 small pieces or one large piece of Parmesan cheese rind, optional
• 1 large sprig of basil, leaves & stem
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup baby spinach, chopped
• 3 tbsp fresh parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped

How to Make Tuscan Gigante Beans

Pick through the beans for any debris. In a large pot, add the beans and enough water to cover by 5 inches. Cover with a lid. Soak the beans for 12 hours or overnight.

Drain the beans, return them to the large pot. Add enough water to cover them by 5 inches. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 60-75 minutes, or until the beans are tender and creamy in the center. Drain.

Heat the butter in a large saucpan over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, oregano, basil, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the drained, cooked beans, chicken broth, sundried tomatoes, parmesan rinds, and whole basil sprig (leaves & stem). Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes.

Remove the Parmesan rinds and basil sprig.

Add the cream, spinach, and parmesan, and bring back to a simmer.

Taste and re-season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.

Stir in freshly chopped basil and serve with some garlic toast or crostini. Enjoy.