This Tuscan beans in tomato sauce recipe is the most delicious and craveable, Italian side dish. Although this easy bean recipe is made with just a handful of basic ingredients, it's BIG on flavor and totally indulgent. Fully plant based, vegan, gluten free, and a great source of protein and fiber; these beans are the ultimate Italian comfort food!

I love the simplicity of this Fagioli all'uccelletto recipe. It's a staple dish of Tuscan cuisine made with cannellini beans, garlic, and sage simmered in a simple yet delicious tomato sauce. Talk about the perfect taste of Italy!
While cycling through the heart of Tuscany this Fall on a bike/foodie tour, I got hooked on this style of Italian beans, and they quickly became a favorite. I ordered Fagioli all'uccelletto in every little town from San Gimignano to Siena and Florence (each recipe had a slightly different texture). I was obsessed with the thicker versions so that's the style I re-created to share with you. This is by far one of my favorite Italian bean recipes, I hope you'll love it too!
If you like Italian food as much as we do, you're going to love these popular vegan recipes too. This authentic Italian lentil bolognese sauce is beyond incredible - just check out the reviews! My homemade marinara sauce recipe is just like Carmine's in NYC and is the perfect base for all your favorite pasta dishes like lasagna.
Tuscan Beans Ingredients
Back to basics! This beans and tomato sauce is made with super simple ingredients slowly simmered together to create the most delicious, comforting, and filling Italian side dish.
- White beans: You'll need a firm bean that holds its shape. Cannellini beans are the traditional bean use for this fagioli all'uccelletto recipe in Italy. I use Great Northern beans which are a perfect substitute for cannellini beans, but you can also use white kidney beans. If using dry beans (I do), you'll need to leave time to soak and cook them before using.
- San Marzano tomatoes: My first choice is whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes which are sweet, flavorful, and have low acidity; but they can be pricey (check out Costco for a decent everyday price). Feel free to sub in your favorite, flavorful canned tomatoes (whole or crushed) or even passata.
- Aromatics: Diced celery, diced onion, and minced garlic.
- Olive oil & plant based butter: For sautéing the veggies to bring out the flavors and add richness.
- Italian seasoning: Fresh sage, ground fennel, red pepper flakes, salt, and coarse ground black pepper.
- Vegetable broth: Choose a flavorful broth like Better than Bouillon (bland broth = bland sauce).
- Garnish: Fresh basil and parsley for a pop of color and flavor.
How to Make Italian Beans in Tomato Sauce
This is an easy, Tuscan bean and tomato sauce recipe. Hearty, nourishing, and rustic - it's cheap, easy, and delicious! Here's a quick overview of how to make these Italian beans (full step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below):
The night before: If using dry beans, you'll need to soak them overnight, then cook them in water or broth for ~30 minutes the following day. Make a double batch and freeze half to use later.
- Start with the soffritto: To build the flavor base, sauté diced onions, celery, and garlic together until tender and the onions turn golden. This takes up to 10 minutes to be sure you get maximum flavor and the veggie are soft so they almost disappear in the sauce. Then add the fresh herbs so their flavors are infused into the oil. Deglaze the pan to get up all the flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the tomatoes: Hand crush the whole tomatoes into the pot then add the juices from the can, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce up to a boil then reduce the heat and let the sauce actively simmer to develop the flavors. Using the back of a wooden spoon, press any chunks of tomatoes against the side of the pot to break them up (see photo). I like to add more veggie broth at this stage to loosen up the sauce.
- Add the white beans: Next add the beans and let the sauce simmer while it reduces, the flavors become concentrated, and the tomato and onions gets thicker. If the sauce gets too thick for you, stir in some vegetable broth. Alternatively, if you want a thicker sauce, keep simmering and stirring the sauce (no lid) until thickened to your liking.
- Season to taste: Finally, taste and adjust seasonings to suit your preferences.
- Garnish with fresh, chopped, Italian herbs.
Tips & Observations
If we were cooking this recipe together, these are some tips I would share with you - I hope they help!:
- Dry white beans: I love Rancho Gordo dry beans, but I usually buy my dry beans at the grocery store. It's difficult to find cannellini beans where I live so I buy white navy beans which are excellent. But cranberry beans, white kidney beans, and great northern beans are all firm, white beans that work for this recipe. For convenience, you can use canned beans which are softer than dry beans from scratch, but still delicious.
- Olive oil: I noticed when I was in Italy that the wine and olive oil pour freely there (heh heh). I cut back on the olive oil in this recipe, but you can add more or less to taste. Olive oil adds flavor, richness, and a velvety mouthfeel.
- Hand crushing tomatoes: Hand crushing the tomatoes is FUN but messy. Top tips: Keep your hand close to the pot, wear a bib apron, push up your sleeves, and don't wear a white shirt! Alternatively, you can use a potato masher or stick blender instead.
- Tomato sauce too thick or thin?: For a looser tomato sauce, add more broth or simmer the sauce for a less time. For a thicker sauce, simmer the sauce for longer (no lid).
- Is your sauce too acidic?: If your sauce is too acidic, follow this magic trick (whispered to me by an Italian grandma when I was a young girl): add a pinch of baking soda - not too much. You can also add a pinch of sugar to balance out the flavors.
- Allergy friendly: One of the best things about this plant based bean recipe is EVERYONE can enjoy it. It's nut free, dairy free, egg free, soy free, gluten free, fully vegan, and whole food plant based.
What to Serve with Tuscan Beans and Tomatoes
Whether you're vegan, plant based or just wanting to add more plant protein or fiber to your diet, these tuscan stewed beans are perfecto. Here's some ways to serve them:
- Salad: Beans add heartiness, heft, and plant protein to a big green salad making you feel satisfied.
- Roasted veggies: Serve with roasted broccoli, cauliflower or sweet potatoes.
- Side dish: An easy and delicious side dish served on a baked potato with a salad. Or serve with your favorite plant protein like Italian crusted tofu and some steamed broccoli.
- On toast: We love beans and tomatoes on toasted sourdough for a savory breakfast or lunch. The creamy white beans are packed with protein and fiber to keep you feeling full and satisfied.
- Bread: There's a term in Italian "scarpetta" which is the pleasure of sopping up sauce from your plate or a pot with bread. So bread is essential to sop up every last drop of sauce and beans! Try this Rustic No Knead Bread or Soft Breadsticks.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Tuscan stewed beans are great for meal prep! Store any extra beans in the fridge for up to a week. If storing for longer, transfer to a freezer friendly bag or container and freeze for up to several months.
To reheat the beans, just add to a saucepan, add a splash of veggie broth (or water) to loosen the sauce and heat over medium low until bubbling and hot.
Did you make this Fagioli All'uccelletto (beans in tomato sauce) recipe? Tag me with your photos on Instagram or Facebook. And please leave a comment and rating below! Appreciate it 🙏🏻
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Tuscan Stewed Beans in Tomato Sauce (vegan + gf)
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INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter (dairy free)
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4-5 fresh sage leaves, chopped fine
- 1 teaspoon fennel crushed seeds
- ½ - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground (more to taste)
- 1 cup vegetable broth (divided)
- 28 ounces San Marzano tomatoes
- 4-5 cups white beans, cooked (~800 grams)
- fresh basil and parsley, minced (for garnish)
INSTRUCTIONS
- FOR DRY BEANS: You'll need to prepare them the day before. Soak 4 cups of beans in a large bowl or pot filled with cold water 2" above beans. Leave to soak for 8-12 hours or overnight until the beans are rehydrated and double in size.
- Rinse the beans then add to a large stock pot along with cold water 2" above beans (no salt). Bring to a boil and let cook for ~40 minutes until the beans are tender. Rinse and they are ready to use.
- FOR CANNED BEANS: Just drain and rinse in a colander and they are ready to go.
- Start the soffritto: Heat the olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes until fragrant and taking on some color stirring to prevent sticking. Add in the garlic, sage, fennel, red pepper flakes, some salt and pepper, and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan: Add a splash of veggie broth to deglaze the pan. Stir it around to loosen any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the tomatoes: For whole, peeled tomatoes, squeeze them by hand into the sautéed veggies then pour the tomato juice from the can into the pot. Increase the heat to medium high to bring the tomato sauce up to an active bubble for 5 - 10 minutes while the tomatoes break down and the sauce reduces a bit. Stir from time to time, mashing up any large pieces of tomato by pressing with the back of a wooden spoon on the side of the pot (see photo above).
- Stir in the beans: Add the beans, taste and adjust the seasonings as the beans are cooking. I typically add the remaining broth now to loosen the sauce. Reduce the heat and simmer (no lid) until the sauce is thickened to your liking (~15 minutes) stirring as needed. Finally, season to taste adjusting salt, pepper, red pepper flakes as needed.
- Remove from heat and garnished with ribbons of fresh basil and chopped parsley. Serve with bread to sop up every last drop of sauce!
NOTES
This recipe is from simplyceecee.co food blog. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images or republish this recipe without prior permission. Thank you.
Scott
This dish is so good. Hearty and warm, perfect for a cold night. (Ironic considering the warm climate it's from?) I could eat a whole pot by myself!
Tracy Halasz
Thank you for the review - I'm so happy you enjoy the beans!
Mia
I made this tonight. It was amazing. I used onion shallot and leeks. Outstanding. I will be making this all the time. A really special dish. I served it with a nice toasted sourdough. Thank you for a great and simply recipe.
Tracy Halasz
Thank you so much for the review. I'm so happy you love the beans!