Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Fagioli all'Uccelletto (Tuscan Baked Beans)
A hearty, rustic Tuscan side dish or vegetarian lunch of creamy cannellini beans stewed in tomato sauce, garlic, and fresh sage.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- dried cannellini beans (soaked overnight) or high-quality canned beans
- fresh sage leaves (essential)
- garlic cloves
- canned crushed tomatoes
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and black pepper
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven (terracotta preferred)
Instructions
- 1
Cook Dried Beans (If Using)
If using dried beans, boil them slowly with a bay leaf until tender but intact. Do not salt the water until the very end, or the skins will toughen.
- 2
Flavor the Oil
In a heavy pot, heat a generous amount of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add smashed garlic cloves and a large handful of fresh sage leaves.
- 3
Fry the Sage
Sizzle the garlic and sage gently until the garlic is golden and the sage is crispy and highly fragrant. Do not burn the garlic.
- 4
Add Tomatoes
Carefully pour in the crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and lots of black pepper.
- 5
Simmer Sauce
Simmer the tomato sauce for 15 minutes to thicken.
- 6
Add Beans
Add the cooked, drained beans to the bubbling tomato sauce. Stir gently so as not to mash the beans.
- 7
Stew
Lower the heat and let the beans stew in the sauce for another 15-20 minutes, allowing them to absorb the flavors of the sage and tomato.
- 8
Serve
Serve warm, with a heavy drizzle of raw olive oil on top, accompanied by thick slices of toasted Tuscan bread.
Cooking Tips
- The name means 'beans in the style of little birds', because this exact garlic, sage, and tomato sauce was traditionally used to cook small game birds.
- Fresh sage is absolutely mandatory; dried sage will not provide the correct flavor profile.
Variations
- Add Sausages: Add cooked, sliced Italian sausages to the pot during the last 15 minutes for a complete, hearty meal.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A staple in Florence, where the locals are historically nicknamed 'mangiafagioli' (bean eaters).
Nutrition Estimate
250 calories · 10g protein · 35g carbs · 8g fat · 9g fiber per serving
