

One of my most favorite dishes on my recent trip to Italy was the beans! Simple bean side dishes were divinely amazing in Italy. So I knew that when I returned home, a big pot of beans would be the first dish I would try to replicate. For these Tuscan-Style Creamy White Beans with mushrooms and fresh herbs, I wanted soothing warmth and flavor to come through in each bite, and I wanted the texture to be rich and creamy, just like I had tasted at a few amazing restaurants, specifically those in Tuscany…

(stay tuned! coming this week and the next, more adventures and recipes from my trip to Italy!)



Beans are a vegan-dream! They are rich in fiber, iron and a good source of plant-based protein, calcium and folate. Plus they taste amazing and can be served in a variety of creative ways.

Flavor. Full. I wanted these beans to have some serious flavor. Blandness not wanted. So here are the three ways I helped achieve bold bean flavor:

1. I use veggie broth in place of water for the cooking of the beans.

2. I let the beans sit overnight before serving. This reduced them and intensified the flavor.

3. I used fresh herbs and an accent of sautèed mushrooms to add even more flavor. Bay leaf, sage, flat-leaf parsley and rosemary to be exact.

Start with dried beans for the best beans ever. These are Cassoulet white beans from the Rancho Gordo brand.



Creamy-delicious.



Yummy serving suggestion.. beans on toast with sliced pears:



savory and sweet plate.



Another serving suggestion, fold in nutritional yeast and serve the beans on toast with vegan mayo, aka vegenaise..

