White Beans Recipe

White beans are incredibly healthy, delicious, and loaded with protein. This vegan white beans recipe is full of robust flavor and works for most types of dried bean varieties. Cooking dried beans from scratch is very easy and worth it!

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(Images updated May 2026. Delicious tried and tru recipe remains the same.)

Beans are great because they can be eaten as the main part of a meal, a favorite side dish, or used in so many different recipes.

I almost always have beans ready to heat and eat in my refrigerator or cooking on the stove. I find that these are a staple in my diet as a vegan because they are packed full of protein. 

This recipe is much better than simply popping open a can of beans because those can be a bit soggy or mushy. Whereas these freshly cooked dried beans have a nice crisp texture and are surrounded by a delicious, comforting, and aromatic broth.

The white beans for this recipe can be cannellini, navy, Great Northern, butter, or lima. In fact, these steps work for almost any variety of dried beans except split peas and lentils.

Here are some amazing recipes to use these white beans in Vegan Buffalo Dip or Vegan Jalapeño Popper Dip!

Why This Recipe Is Special

• This white bean recipe is so easy to make.
• These steps work with almost any type of dried beans.
• Beans are wholesome and nutritious with plenty of protein, fiber, and potassium.

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Ingredient Notes

See the full list of ingredients below in the recipe card with exact measurements.

• Dried White Beans – Any type of white bean variety works here, ie, cannellini, navy, Great Northern, butter, or lima. In fact, any type of dried beans works with this recipe (except split peas and lentils).
• Vegetable Broth – I use low-sodium vegetable broth.
• Water – Use the same amount of water as vegetable broth. Beans need a lot of water to cook because they absorb it as they grow. 
• White Onion – White onion complements white beans the most in my opinion, but you can certainly use a yellow onion instead.
• Garlic – About three medium garlic cloves add a nice garlicky hint to the beans.
• Dried Herbs – Rosemary and thyme add such a rich dynamic to these beans. You can also throw in a few more of your favorite types of herbs and spices.

How To Make White Beans From Scratch

Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.

Sort through the dried beans and discard any that look heavily discolored or like pebbles.

Add the dried beans to a large dish and fill it with water. Make sure the water is about 2-3 inches above the beans because they will grow as they absorb the water. Remove any beans that float.

Let them soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours. It’s best to soak them for anywhere between 8 and 12 hours.

Pour the soaked beans into a colander and thoroughly rinse them under running water. This will help wash away any excess starch before you cook them. 

Dice the onion and garlic. Measure out the dried herbs, water, and vegetable broth.

Pour the beans in a large pot along with equal parts water and vegetable broth. Set the heat on the stove to high. Bring the beans to a rolling boil and let them cook at this temperature for three minutes.

Note: The foam that rises to the top is simply water-soluble protein. You can stir it back into the pot or skim it off if you’re concerned that the water might boil over.

Turn the heat down to low and stir the beans. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Stir everything together and cover the beans.

The amount of time it takes to cook dried beans can vary depending on the type of beans and how old they are. After one hour of the beans cooking on low heat, check to see how tender they are.

For many recipes, you’ll want a fork to easily cut through the beans. Although you may want them to have more structural integrity for something like a cold bean salad. If the beans are not done, cover them back up and come back to check on them again every 30 minutes.

Add salt to your liking, or depending on what you’ll be using the beans for. For example, if you’re eating them as they are, 2-3 teaspoons would be good. However, if they are going to be part of another recipe with other flavors added, you may not want to add salt at all.

Notes

• One pound of dried beans makes about 7 cups of cooked beans.
• The color of the cooked beans will vary depending on the broth or bouillon used.

Recipe Variations

• This recipe works for most varieties of dried beans except split peas and lentils.
• You can use any other types of herbs or spices, such as bay leaves, pepper, cumin, etc.

Storage

• Store beans in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months.
• Reheat refrigerated beans in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or on the stove for 5-7 minutes. If frozen, move them to the refrigerator the night before you’re going to eat them so they can thaw out. Then, heat them in the microwave the same way as mentioned above.

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