Italian Baked Beans

Italian Baked Beans made with white beans, turkey bacon, rosemary, crushed tomatoes, Italian dry red wine and Asiago and Pecorino Romano cheeses.

Summer is a time for grilling and barbecues. One popular menu item can usually be found at most gatherings…baked beans. I never particularly cared for the pork and bean variety so I generally never made them myself.

However, my mother in law makes a great version using chorizo that’s fantastic too! That is until I was reading the June issue of Food Network Magazine and saw a recipe from Jeff Mauro for Tuscan Stovetop Baked Beans.

They looked delicious and had many of the flavors I love like garlic, tomatoes, rosemary, wine, cheese and lemon. He even added some balsamic drizzle over the top and they looked amazing! But as I started to look at the recipe to duplicate it, I decided to make a few changes.

Since I didn’t have pancetta or white wine in the house, I used turkey bacon and used up an open bottle of Chianti. I started out cooking them on the stove, but they were still a little too loose for my liking, so I thickened them up a bit and cooked these Italian Baked Beans in the oven. 

Ingredients Needed

For this recipe you’ll need the following ingredients: 

• 1/2 pound turkey bacon; small dice
• 1 tablespoon EVOO
• 1/3 cup small diced red onions
• 2 stalks celery; small dice
• 1 large carrot; peeled and small dice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 cloves garlic; minced
• 3/4 cup dry red Italian wine
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese
• 4- (15-ounce)cans small white beans; rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water

These Italian Baked Beans were INCREDIBLE! Now as you’re looking at the ingredient list, you’re probably thinking there are A LOT of ingredients, but most of them you should already have in your pantry . ~Enjoy!

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Italian Baked Beans

Carrie's Experimental Kitchen

Italian Baked Beans made with white beans, turkey bacon, rosemary, crushed tomatoes, Italian dry red wine and Asiago and Pecorino Romano cheeses. 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 16

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 pound turkey bacon, small dice
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/3 cup small diced red onions
• 2 stalks celery, small dice
• 1 large carrot, peeled and small dice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dry red Italian wine
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese
• 4- (15-ounce)cans small white beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat; then add in the bacon. Stir until crisp about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• In the same pan, add the onion, celery, and carrots and allow to soften for about 5-7 minutes; then add in the garlic, rosemary and the cooked bacon and cook for another minute.
• Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to simmer down until reduced by half; then add in the tomatoes, lemon zest, chicken broth, both cheeses and beans. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat allowing some of the liquid to absorb.
• Combine the cornstarch and water together and gradually add it to the beans until they have thickened (you may not need all of it); then transfer to a 2 quart oven safe baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until the beans are hot and bubbly.

Keyword baked beans, beans

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

*Originally shared July 2013/Updated December 2021