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Fagioli all’uccelletto Italian Baked Beans

Fagioli all’uccelletto are essentially Italian baked beans, they are flavoured with sage & garlic and are a perfect side or even lunch recipe!

Portrait image of Fagioli all’uccelletto or Italian Baked Beans served with a pork loin steak and crispy fried sage leaves

Italian Baked Beans

This recipe is a relative newbie in my cooking line up and I want to know why I only recently discovered it.

Being British baked beans from a tin was as much part of growing up as any other foodstuff.

Fagioli all’uccelletto is a stupidly simple approach to baked beans and *whisper mode on* I don’t bake them!

The simplicity also means they are healthier than sugar-laden beans from a tin. Not that I am particularly bothered by that sort of stuff.

We have just 7 ingredients and 3 of them are salt pepper and oil. But you will not believe the amount of flavour this recipe delivers.

If you like this recipe, you must try my pork chop casserole which mirrors many of the flavours found in these baked beans!

Portrait overhead image of Fagioli all’uccelletto or Italian Baked Beans served with a pork loin steak and crispy fried sage leaves

Frequently Asked Questions.

Can I make Fagioli all’uccelletto with tinned or canned beans?

Yes! In fact, that is what I usually use because it makes this recipe really convenient to throw together.

If I use dried beans how many do I need?

As a rough rule of thumb, dried beans double in weight and volume when cooked. So to make the same-sized recipe as here as I do soak 125g or 3/4 of a cup of beans and then cook them.

What is tomato Passata?

Depending on where you are in the world what you have access to in terms of tomatoes varies. Passata is classically pureed “uncooked” sieved tomatoes. It is available and labelled passata in much of Europe.

If you are in the US or Canada you will likely find that the cooked version is called tomato puree. Puree is typically a tomato concentrate in Europe.

At a push, you can make passata from tinned tomatoes by passing them through a sieve to get rid of the seeds.

Do I need to use fresh sage?

Fresh is definitely better but you can use dried sage at a push. I would use half a teaspoon of dried sage to sub for the 6 leaves that this recipe calls for.

If sage isn’t your thing, these are equally good made with basil, in fact, I use the sauce form these as a base for my stuffed pasta shells recipe.

Portrait close up image of Fagioli all’uccelletto or Italian Baked Beans served with crispy fried sage leaves

Serving Suggestions.

This Italian-style baked beans recipe is so incredibly versatile. I’ve cooked it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and even as a drunken snack!

In the pictures, they are served with a simple pork loin steak because the sage in the recipe plays really well with pork. It would be equally good with my pork belly strips.

I’ve also served them alongside my very British cheese and potato pie!

For breakfast, I have served it alongside both my Irish Boxty recipe and as part of a fry-up with my British bangers recipe.

As for lunch or a snack, just toast off some bread and boom a Britsh classic… Beans on toast baby and you could even go fancy and make your own ciabatta!

Landscape image of Fagioli all’uccelletto or Italian Baked Beans served with a pork loin steak and crispy fried sage leaves

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Stovetop.
  • 15cm or 6″ saucepan with a lid.
  • Weighing scales and or measuring jug cups and spoons.
  • Stirring and serving spoons.
  • Chopping board.
  • Kitchen knife.
Square image of Fagioli all’uccelletto or Italian Baked Beans served with a pork loin steak and crispy fried sage leaves
Yield: 2 Servings

Fagioli all’uccelletto Recipe

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes

Us Brits love baked beans and Fagioli all'uccelletto are an Italian variant of white beans in a tomato sauce. Flavoured with sage and garlic they are simple to make and taste fantastic!

Ingredients

  • 250g (1½ Cups) Cooked Cannellini Beans
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 6 Sage Leaves
  • 175ml (¾ Cup) Tomato Passata
  • 50ml (3 Tbsp + 1 Tsp) Olive Oil
  • Salt to Taste
  • Pepper to Taste

Instructions

  1. Peel the garlic cloves and bash them with the side of a knife to increase the surface area.
  2. Heat the oil on a medium-low heat in a 15cm or 6" saucepan.
  3. Add the garlic cloves and sage leaves to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. The aim is not to crisp or colour but to flavour the oil.
  4. Add the beans along with the tomato passata and stir to coat.
  5. Have a taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
  6. Cover with a lid and cook on medium-low for 30 minutes.
  7. Remove the lid and reduce to the desired thickness.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 394Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 302mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 9gSugar: 2gProtein: 13g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

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