Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew

Published March 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

In Tuscany, creamy, flavorful beans transform rustic soups and stews into something special. We were determined to avoid tough, exploded beans.

Recipe Testing

Simmer Down

The bubbling action of stew simmered on the stovetop caused our beans to fall apart. Cooking the beans at a near-simmer in a covered pot in a 250-degree oven kept them intact.

Simmered on stovetop

Near-simmered in oven

Step-by-Step

Keys to Tender, Flavorful Beans

SALTWATER SOAK

Soaking the beans in salt water overnight helps them cook up creamy, with tender skins.

2. LOW-TEMPERATURE OVEN

Cooking the beans at a near-simmer in a 250-degree oven leads to fewer exploded beans in the finished stew.

3. WAIT TO ADD TOMATOES

The acid in tomatoes can interfere with the beans’ tender texture. Add them toward the end of cooking, after the beans have already softened.

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