Borlotti Beans

What are Borlotti Beans?

Brownish red when cooked, borlotti beans are a pantry staple across the Mediterranean where they’re prized for their rich, nutty flavour and smooth, creamy texture. They’re an obvious choice for hearty, slow cooked stews and soups, where they absorb flavours while holding their shape - Fagioli all’uccelletto from Tuscany and Portuguese Feijoada are classics. Borlotti beans make wonderful protein dense salads, tossed in crispy leaves and dressed up in sharp, lemony vinaigrettes.

Borlotti beans are also known as cranberry beans, Roman beans or Saluggia beans and like all beans they’re deeply rooted to the Americas, Columbia in this case. Indigenous communities added them to cooking pots long before Spanish explorers loaded them up into ships, along with dozens of New World ingredients destined for 16th century European markets and dinner tables. Growing conditions in Italy and Portugal are especially favourable to the humble borlotti and both countries showcase cherished culinary histories with the beans. Today borlotti beans are also immensely popular in Greece and Türkiye, where they’re enjoyed braised in olive oil or fresh from the pod in simple mezze plates.