The best cannellini beans are firm yet tender, and have a creamy, meaty texture. If you haven’t heard, beans are delightful. They can and should have a perfect texture and taste right out of the can. Good canned beans inspire us to make soups, stews, salads, and more. Cannellini beans are a perfect companion with tomatoes, onion, garlic, and herbs—so when it comes to good canned cannellini beans we want something meaty and mild. Something that can take on a lot of flavor.
I keep getting assigned canned beans tastings here at Sporked. I’m not complaining, just trying to figure out what about me screams, “What’s up?! I love beans! But, you already knew that.” You know what I’m saying? Anyway, this is another beans taste test I had a lot of fun with. I grew up eating a lot of cannellini beans, especially in an Italian-American household. I’ve got an affinity for cannellini beans, specifically. They’re mild, meaty, and have an almost nutty texture to them. I never really thought too much about what brand I was using. Though, after this taste test, that will surely change. As always, my favorite part about this job is learning something new. Check out the five best cannellini beans, and what makes them so great.
The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.
- O Organics Cannellini Beans
-
I’ll tell you what, after conducting multiple canned bean taste tests, I can say with confidence that O Organics consistently puts out a good product. Their canned cannellini beans are the perfect texture, firm yet creamy, and have the exact taste that I’m looking for. They’re neutral and clean tasting, yet still quite meaty. There’s a hint of sweetness on the back end, too. You’re going to hear me say this a few times, but these beans were refreshing. The best cannellini beans belong to O Organics.
Credit: Liv Averett/Instacart
- Carmelina Brands Cannellini Beans
-
More refreshing beans! Carmelina has the sturdiest white beans of the bunch. They’re firm (I almost want to say al dente), and maybe even need cooked a bit more. You might be saying, “What the hell? I want fully cooked beans.” But, here’s the thing—so many canned beans come mushy and flavorless. These aren’t that. While I completely prefer the firm-yet-creamy texture of O Organics, if you combined these with red wine vinegar, olive oil, and aromatics, you’d have an excellent bean salad. The acid from the vinegar would soften the beans a bit, too.
Credit: Liv Averett/Amazon
- Eden Organic No Salt Added Cannellini Beans
-
Eden Organic cannellini beans come packed with kombu seaweed, which adds both umami and helps the digestion process. So, if you find yourself too gassy from eating beans, this (in theory) should help alleviate some of those issues. This is the only can of beans on the list that added seaweed, so even if they’re not the best cannellini beans on the list, they’re certainly the most interesting. The beans themselves are deliciously creamy and fresh. I went back in for seconds, a wild thing to do with a straight up can of beans.
Credit: Liv Averett/Amazon
- Goya Low Sodium
-
Goya’s beans are the biggest of the bunch, and they have a buttery texture and flavor. These beans are also a bit firm, but, honestly, I prefer that al dente vibe to the mushy, overcooked beans you often see. These are low sodium, but they still have quite a bit of flavor and they don’t taste bland! I wasn’t expecting much from Goya, so these were a pleasant surprise. They’re not the best cannellini beans, but they deserve to rank for sure.
Credit: Liv Averett/Ralph’s
- S&W Cannellini Beans
-
Now, these are some salty-ass beans. You can eat these out of the can or add them directly to chili or soup. They’re not firm and more on the mushy side, but still provide good texture because they’re so damn big. Hard to complain with salt, and S&W has it. Their cannellini beans are creamy, seasoned, and delicious. Can’t go wrong here.
Credit: Liv Averett/Amazon
Best of the Best
Best for Bean Salad
Best for Digestion
Best Low Sodium
Best Salty
Other products we tried: Bush’s Best, Good & Gather, Great Value, Simple Truth, Progresso, Cento, Bush’s Best Reduced Sodium, Kroger.
Share your favorite foods with us using #SporkedTasteTest for a chance to be featured on our social pages!
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!