Borlotti beans

How to store Borlotti beans

Borlotti beans are best kept in their pods and stored in a bag in the fridge. They should last at least a week.

To keep them for longer, they can be dried by spreading the pods out on a rack in warm, airy room. Once properly dried they will stay good for a year.

Prep & Cooking tips

Open up the pods with your fingers and pop out the beans. There's no need to wash the beans (and the pods can be added to the compost).

Borlotti beans are best cooked on the stove with a little water and a few aromatics, such as bay leaves, onions and garlic. Simmer until the beans are soft and yielding, somewhere between 25-40 minutes.

View the full recipe for the perfect borlotti beans.

Easy ideas

1. Hearty stew

Add to a hearty stew with vegetables or meat. Chorizo and other pork products work especially well, but as the beans are high in protein, a veggie stew will be just as fulfilling. Wilt some greens straight into the stew just before serving.

2. Simple salad

Combine cooked borlotti beans with fresh red onion, parsley and vinaigrette. Tinned tuna is a good addition.

3. Puréed perfection

Purée cooked beans with garlic and olive and spread on toast - fried sage leaves are great on top of this. Or make an alternative to hummus by adding tahini and lemon juice to the mix.

Goes well with

Herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, tarragon, chervil)

Warm spices (nutmeg, cumin paprika)

Greens (kale, spinach, cabbage)

Dairy (cream, mozzarella & parmesan)

Garlic, onions & leeks

Lemon

Tomatoes

Chilli

Fennel

Squash