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cannellini aglio e olio

Recipe picture

  • Serves: 2
  • Time: 10 min
  • Date added: 2026-04-08

Description

Not hungry for anything in the fridge, I rummaged a can of beans from the cabinet and decided to pretend they were spaghetti, cooking them aglio e olio-style, i.e. in garlic and oil. Unquestionably simplest classic pasta preparation, aglio e olio hails not from New York (insert your best “all-ul” or Beastie Boys reference here) but Naples. Sliced or minced garlic is lightly sauteed in olive oil, often with dried red chili flakes (technically making it spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino), and finely chopped parsley and grated parmesan and pecorino are often added as garnishes, although cheese is verboten in some traditional recipes.

None of this matters on a Monday afternoon, however, when I added all of the above and then chopped artichoke hearts, one can over in the cabinet. The result was a warm, almost creamy bean salad that you can eat with a fork straight from the skillet a bowl, or ladle over a couple slices of baguette, toasted hard. It was so good, I did the only rational thing and ate it for lunch again today.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
  • Salt and red pepper flakes
  • 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 3/4 cups)
  • Half a 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
  • .25 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Grated parmesan or pecorino romano

Directions

Heat oil, garlic, and a pinch or two of pepper flakes over medium-low in a medium skillet. Let cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until garlic is just barely golden at the edges. Add drained cannelini beans and stir to combine. Add salt, to taste. Cook beans in garlic oil for 3 to 4 minutes, adding a tablespoon of water if it looks dry. Stir in artichoke hearts and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, just to warm. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper, if needed. Stir in parsley. Eat as-is, ladled over firm slices of toast, and/or finished with parmesan or pecorino cheese.

Source

smitten kitchen

Comments

  • 2026-04-08: I made it with the full 14-oz can and that also worked.