A very good friend (also a nurse) said to me the other day ‘We all think we get enough fiber, but in reality we really don’t’. I thought about it for a hot-sec and realized I was for sure one of those people. I now have to wholeheartedly agree with her. Soooo, Marinated Corona Beans to the rescue. And many more bean recipes to come.
Luckily, I love the darn things. And it turns out, beans are this year’s trendy super-food, so let’s make some recipes that are irresistibly delicious, and these beans are just the answer.
A note on beans in general:
Make no mistake, canned beans are great. I have a large stash in my pantry. But there’s just something much tastier about making them from dry. They have a better texture (canned beans are actually cooked IN those cans, hmmm.) and a far superior flavor. Beans take on whatever flavor you give them, so when you simmer, add a bay leaf or two, a couple of whole garlic cloves, and a good dash of salt. That’s just the base idea; keep adding and developing whatever flavor profile that suits you.
Cooking instructions are in the recipe below, but essentially you:
- Soak the dry beans overnight in a generous bowl of water with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt (they will expand, so be sure to have enough water in the bowl).
- Simmer beans for 40 minutes to an hour until tender to the bite. Cooking times depend on the age of your beans; some take longer, some not so much.
- If you need to skip the soak time (that’s a-okay, many people skip this step), the cooking time will be anywhere from 1½ -2½ hours.
I’m hooked on Rancho Gordo beans; I order directly from the company. They are always deliciously fresh, which means they cook up a bit quicker. This brand has loads of different beans, varieties you probably never heard of. It’s a great place to start your bean journey.
Here are some of my favorite bean recipes, with hopefully more to come!
- Bbq’d White Beans and Sausage (this is one of my very first posts, so please excuse the photos etc. 🙂
- Summer Veg and Bean Enchilada Bake
- Tuscan Bean Soup
I topped a pizza with the Marinated Coronas, some fresh tomatoes, red onion, bits of chorizo and some goat cheese, cooked it on the grill. Talk about a perfect Friday pizza night!
Corona Beans: the left is cooked, the right is dry, they double + in size after being simmered
Corona Beans vs Gigante Beans
If you’ve heard of Gigante Beans (many olive/deli bars have them listed this way), well, Corona are the Italian version of a Gigante (Greek). Basically, the same bean, different names (I know some plantologists will knock me for this, but for us general peeps, they are the same). Both are large and meatable, yet creamy in texture.
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Marinated Corona Beans
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1½-2 ½ hours OR 40 min- 1 hour for soaked beans
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 3 ½ cups 1x
- Category: Appetizers, Misc., Salad
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
Top a pizza crust with some Marinated Corona Beans, chopped fresh tomatoes, and feta cheese, throw it on the grill, and you’ve got yourself perfection. Adds fiber and protein to your everyday salads. On toast, it’s a great breakfast, or just eat them with a fork.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked* Gigante beans**, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (now’s the time to break out the good stuff)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2–3 tablespoons chopped Calabrian chilis, preferably oil-packed, finely minced (a red Fresno will work as well)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon)
Instructions
In a bowl, stir together the cooked Corona beans, olive oil, lemon juice, basil, chilis, garlic, salt, and several give it 20 (yes, 20) grinds of pepper. Add more olive oil as needed to coat the beans well.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours; it gets better as it sits. Season to taste (refrigeration can dull seasonings, so be sure to taste it and adjust as needed!). Serve.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Notes
*To cook the beans: Soak overnight in a generous bowl of water (they will expand, so be sure to have enough) with 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Simmer beans for 40 minutes to an hour until tender to the bite.
Cooking times depend on the age of your beans; some take longer, some not so much. If you need to skip the soaking bit (many people do not soak), then the beans will take anywhere from 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours to cook.
You will need 1 cup (about 7 oz.) dry Gigante (often called Corona) beans to make 3 cups of cooked.
**also called Gigante beans, I buy dry beans from Rancho Gordo (mail order from California). Lakewinds Co-op and WholeFoods also carry large dry beans. These are one of my favorite beans, very meaty and earthy. Beans take on any flavor you give them; they are loaded with fiber, protein, and nutrients galore!
Don’t forget some fresh basil after the pizza bakes!
Honestly, you can eat them as a snack, serve them as an appetizer, top a perfect piece of sourdough with them, or toss them into pasta. They are meaty, creamy, and loaded with flavor. Great for a charcuterie board for a light dinner in the garden. Enjoy!
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