Italian red wine braised beans are a rich, savory vegetarian dish combining hearty cannellini beans simmered with dry red wine, aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, and herbs with a pinch of clove.
Jump to RecipePiedmont Version of a Tuscany Dish
This was a vegetarian option for our Tour of Italy main dish. We featured the Piedmont region for this course, and had their traditional Brasato Barolo. We took the idea of the Tuscany stewed beans dish, but made with the same braising flavors of wine, vegetables and spices at the Brasato. This provided a shared flavor profile that enable both dishes to pair excellently with the wine we served.
Wine Pairing
Original Pairing: Alessandria Barbera D’Alba from Piedmont
General Pairing: Barolo, Barbera, Cabernet, Syrah
Special Ingredients
Red Wine
We used a more affordable Barolo wine, but those are not always easy to find. Ideally, a dry, full-bodied red wine (Cabernet, Merlot,Syrah) is best to provide acidity that cuts through the starch.
Beans
Cannellini beans are great for this dish, as they keep their form but are very tender. You can also use Kidney beans for this dish. While dried beans can be used (requiring a soak and longer cook), canned cannellini or kidney beans are ideal for a faster, 30–60 minute braise.
Planning the dish
This is a dish that tastes better the day after you make it as the flavors meld together. This lets you make it ahead of time (1-2 days) and keep well in the refrigerator. I did avoid freezing it, as I didn’t want to risk changing the texture.
Timing the Elements
1-2 Days Prior: Make dish and refrigerate overnight
Day of Event: prep garnishes
30 min to serve: heat up beans using stovetop or microwave.
Serve: plate beans and garnish
Plating Tips
The beans and sauce are relatively thick, so it can be placed on a plate, soup cup or a bowl.
We placed it over creamy polenta in a pretty vintage themed bowl. Then layered baby roasted carrots halves and finely chopped parsley. Because the polenta was creamy with extra cheese and butter, we did not add any cheese over the top.
Italian dishes are often not too fussy. The focus is to let the food shine through, so we generally limit garnishing to just a little flair.
(see Wares section for plating supplies & ideas)
Pairing Alterations
White Wine
If you want to shift this to pair with a lighter wine, you try using white wine. You will get a lighter version with great flavor.
Clove Spice Shift
We used a pinch of clove that has a significant impact to the flavor of these bean. You can adjust the levels of this spice or remove it altogether, leaning on other elements of the dish to come forward.
Recipe
Italian Braised Beans with Red Wine
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped yellow or white
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery rib, finely chopped
- 2 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
- 1/4 tsp ground clove
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 cup dry red wine Barolo, Cabernet, Merlot
- 1 cup vegetable broth plus more if desired
- 1 bay leaf
- 15 ounce Cannellini Beans, canned (can sub Kidney beans)
- 14 ounce canned peeled tomatoes pre-chopped or cut up by hand
Instructions
- Reduce wine: Place wine in sauce pan and bring to a light boil over medium-high heat. Turn down to medium or medium-low to keep at a light boil for about 10-15 minutes. It should reduce down to about 1/2 cup left. Turn off heat and set aside to use in recipe (it does not have to stay hot)
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottom pan or dutch oven over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onion, and season with a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Cook for7 to 8 minutes, until golden, stirring occasionally
- Add carrot, celery and cook for 3 to 4 minutes stirring occasionally so not burning, but you want it to begin to brown.
- Add garlic, rosemary, ground clove and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the tomato paste stir it in quickly. You will need to stir continously so it does not burn. Cook for 1-2 minutes to get to a darker color.
- Quickly pour in red wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape at any bits sticking to pan bottom and sides to dissolve into wine.
- Let wine to simmer rapidly for 3 -5 minutes. It should be mostly evaporated.
- Add tomatoes along with their juices, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and several cracks of black pepper. Cook at a rapid simmer, stirring often, until the tomatoes are fully broken down and most of the liquid has evaporated, 12 to 13 minutes
- Add the veggie broth and can of beans. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and maintain a simmer for 30 minutes, stirring once in awhile.
- Remove the bay leaf. Season to taste, adding salt and pepper as needed
- While you can serve this immediately, the flavor is enhance if it is allowed to sit overnight (refridgerated) and then warm up (stovetop) to serve.
