The cannellini bean cream with radicchio and caramelized onions is a simple and very flavorful dish, perfect for autumn and winter. Beans, in addition to being the main ingredient of one of the most delicious dishes of Italian tradition, namely pasta and beans which boasts numerous versions varying depending on the region and sometimes even the household where it is prepared, is also the perfect ingredient for preparing delicious soups, velvety creams, and purees, as well as chickpeas and lentils. With sausage, or with farro, or to prepare curry, there are many ways we can use this legume so rich in properties and flavor. Today we offer you a delicious cream made with cannellini beans, one of the most well-known varieties of white beans. To complete this cream, which is already good to enjoy warm, we’ve caramelized some red onions with a typical winter ingredient, radicchio, whose characteristically bitter taste pairs well with the sweetness of the onions and the delicacy of the bean cream.
The preparation is very simple: we dress the onions with oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper and cook them in a pan for about ten minutes to caramelize them, then add the radicchio cut into strips and let it cook for another ten minutes. Meanwhile, we sauté the minced garlic in a large pot with oil and sage, add the beans and their cooking liquid, and let it cook for about ten minutes, then blend and season the resulting cream with salt and pepper. We serve the bean cream with the radicchio and caramelized onions, some whole beans set aside, some toasted croutons, and a drizzle of olive oil.
A dish that warms the heart on cold winter and autumn days, perfect for lunch and dinner. We are sure that the combination of these ingredients will win you over, let us know if you try it and what you think.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for Preparing Bean Cream with Radicchio and Caramelized Onions
- 1 head radicchio
- 2 red onions
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsps balsamic vinegar
- salt
- pepper
- 28 oz precooked white beans (cannellini)
- 1 clove garlic
- sage
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Tools for Preparing Bean Cream with Radicchio and Caramelized Onions
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pan
- 1 Pot
- 2 Stovetop
- 1 Blender
Steps for Preparing Bean Cream with Radicchio and Caramelized Onions
Prepare the bean cream with radicchio and caramelized onions by first peeling the onions, slicing them, and placing them in a bowl. Dress them with 3 tablespoons of oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil into a pan and add the onions. Let them cook over medium heat for about ten minutes, covered, stirring often until they start to caramelize. If necessary, moisten with a little water.
Meanwhile, clean the radicchio and cut it into strips.
Add it to the onions and continue cooking for another ten minutes until the radicchio becomes soft. Season with salt and pepper.
While the onions are cooking, prepare the bean cream: sauté the minced garlic in a large pot with oil and a few sage leaves.
Add the cannellini beans and a few ladles of the beans’ cooking water or hot water to cover them completely.
Let them infuse for about ten minutes over medium heat, covered, then blend two-thirds with a blender or immersion blender until you get a smooth and homogeneous cream.
Put the cream back in the pot and heat it for a few minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve the bean cream by pouring it into four deep dishes and distributing the radicchio with caramelized onions and the whole beans set aside on each.
Finish with some bread croutons, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly ground pepper, and serve.
Simo and Cicci Recommend
You can store the bean cream as well as the caramelized onions with radicchio in the fridge for up to 3 days, combining the two preparations when serving. You can prepare both the bean cream and the radicchio with onions in advance.
You can use canned beans or dry beans; in this case, you will need about 350-400 g of dry beans, which should be soaked in cold water overnight and then cooked the next day until tender.
This cream can be made with other types of beans such as borlotti or other legumes like chickpeas or lentils.
