Cranberry Beans (Brothy Borlotti Bean Recipe)

Cranberry beans are one of the prettiest beans out there, with their striking creamy white skin splashed with pink or maroon speckles. While the color fades once cooked, their rich, creamy texture and mildly nutty flavor more than make up for it.

In our house, we call them the magical pink beans because of their color transformation. My daughter Mary, who is 5, loves learning about colors and identifying patterns, so these beans that change from speckled white and red to pink are fascinating to her. (I wish I could say this made her want to try a new bean, but honestly, she's still firmly in the 'black beans only' camp.)

Don't let my daughter's selective bean preference stop you from trying these! Cranberry beans are easy to prepare, packed with plant protein, and hold their shape beautifully, making them perfect for soups, stews, and even salads. (Thankfully, my older daughter Annette, who is 9, is more adventurous and loves the magical pink beans.) 

Cranberry Bean

• Common Name: Cranberry Bean
• Aliases: Borlotti Bean, Roman Bean, Cargamanto Bean
• Texture: Creamy and slightly nutty
• Size: Medium to large
• Shape: Oval with maroon or pink speckles
• Color: Creamy white with pink or maroon speckles (fades after cooking)
• Taste: Mildly nutty and earthy flavor
• Cooking Time of Dry Beans: 1-1.5 hours after soaking
• Best Culinary Uses: Soups, stews, salads, and side dishesCulinary Uses

Culinary Uses

Cranberry beans are incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes. They are a great addition to soups, where they add a creamy texture and nutty flavor. You can also use them in hearty stews, casseroles, or as a side dish simply dressed with olive oil, salt, and pepper. They’re also perfect for cold salads, absorbing vinaigrettes and adding a creamy bite to fresh vegetables.

Their creamy texture makes them an excellent substitute for white beans in recipes that call for a softer, velvety bean, like purees or dips. The borlotti beans are also popular in Italian cuisine, often used with olive oil, garlic, and herbs to create a simple but flavorful dish.

Substitutions

If you can’t find cranberry beans, don’t worry—there are several good substitutes. Borlotti beans and cranberry beans are essentially the same, so you can use them interchangeably. Cannellini beans or Great Northern beans are also great substitutes, offering a similar creamy texture. Pinto beans can work in a pinch, especially if you’re using them in soups or stews, as they have a comparable flavor and consistency.

Broth Beans versus Batch Cooking Beans

When I'm cooking dried beans, I think of them in two distinct ways: brothy beans and batch-cooked beans. Brothy beans are cooked and served in their flavorful cooking liquid, similar to a soup. They are delicious served with crusty bread or over whole grains like rice or farro. When batch-cooking beans, I use many of the same flavoring components as brothy beans but leave the aromatics whole so they can be easily removed. The idea behind batch-cooking is to use the beans as an ingredient in other recipes, like salads, dips, or pasta dishes. When batch-cooking, I store the beans in their cooking liquid and rinse and drain them when I'm ready to use them in a dish.

The cooking method described below is for a batch of broth beans. However, I’ve also included instructions in the recipe notes for cooking cranberry beans to use in other recipes. It’s a simple switch—just leave the aromatics whole and remove them before storing the beans in their liquid.

How to Cook Cranberry Beans

To prepare dried cranberry beans, start by soaking them overnight in plenty of water. This helps to soften the beans and reduce cooking time. If you’re short on time, you can use the quick soak method—bring the beans to a boil for two minutes, then turn off the heat and let them soak for one hour.

Once soaked, drain and rinse the beans. In a large pot, heat three tablespoons of olive oil (45 mL) over medium heat. Add one chopped onion (about 150 g) and sauté for about five minutes until softened. Toss in four chopped garlic cloves and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the soaked beans, 6 cups (1.4 L) of water or broth, one bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, one teaspoon (3 g) of red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon (5 g) of salt.

Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the beans simmer until tender. Fresh cranberry beans will be tender in about 30 minutes, while dried beans will take around 1-1.5 hours. Once they’re ready, remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Garnish with fresh chopped oregano before serving.

How to Serve Cranberry Beans

• As a Side Dish: Serve the beans warm with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.
• In Soups and Stews: Add them to soups like pasta e fagioli or a hearty vegetable stew.
• In Salads: Let the beans cool and toss them with chopped vegetables, herbs, and a light vinaigrette for a nutritious salad.
• With Grains: Pair the beans with cooked grains like farro or brown rice for a complete, plant-based meal.

Historical Background

Cranberry beans were first bred in Colombia and are also known as cargamanto beans. The beans made their way to Europe, where they became particularly popular in Italy and Portugal. In Italy, they are known as borlotti beans, and they’ve become a staple in many traditional dishes, such as pasta e fagioli and stewed beans with tomatoes and herbs.

These beans are related to the common bean species, Phaseolus vulgaris, which includes other popular varieties like kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans. Cranberry beans have been cultivated for centuries and are known for their beautiful coloration and versatility in cooking.

If you’ve tried this Cranberry Beans recipe or any other recipe on BalancingBowls, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to see more tasty meals and anything else I’m up to.

Recipe

Cranberry Beans (Borlotti Beans)

Enjoy these creamy, flavorful cranberry beans as a comforting side dish, mixed into a stew, or even as part of a salad. They’re versatile, packed with plant protein, and full of rich, earthy flavor—a perfect addition to your kitchen lineup!

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Total Time 2 hours hrs

Ingredients

  

• 3 tablespoons olive oil 45 mL
• 1 onion chopped (about 150 g)
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 lb cranberry beans dried or fresh (450 g)
• 6 cups water or broth 1.4 L
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 3 g
• 1 teaspoon salt 5 g
• Fresh chopped oregano for garnish

Instructions

 

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
• Add the cranberry beans, water or broth, bay leaf, thyme, red pepper flakes, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until the beans are tender (30 minutes for fresh beans, 1-1.5 hours for dried beans).
• Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Garnish with fresh chopped oregano before serving.

Notes

Batch Cooking Method: To use cranberry beans in other recipes, cook them as batch-cooked beans. Simply add all the ingredients to the pot at once, skipping the sauté step. Leave the onion and garlic whole so they can be easily removed after cooking. Store the beans in their cooking liquid in the refrigerator for up to one week. When ready to use, drain and rinse the beans before adding them to your dish.