Italian Bean & Legume Varieties

Borlotti, cannellini, ceci, lenticchie — the humble legumes that power Italian comfort food.

Cannellini

Must-See
TuscanyWhere/Type
The Tuscan white beanKey fact

Creamy, mild, the classic for ribollita and fagioli all'uccelletto. Tuscans are called "mangiafagioli" (bean eaters) for a reason.

Borlotti

Must-See
Northern ItalyWhere/Type
The cranberry beanKey fact

Pink-speckled, creamy when cooked. Essential for pasta e fagioli. Fresh borlotti in summer are a revelation.

Lenticchie di Castelluccio IGP

Must-See
UmbriaWhere/Type
Italy's finest lentilKey fact

Tiny, earthy, no-soak-needed. From the Sibillini mountains. Eaten at New Year for luck and prosperity. IGP protected.

Ceci (Chickpeas)

Must-See
Southern Italy/LiguriaWhere/Type
The Mediterranean stapleKey fact

Base for farinata (Liguria), panelle (Sicily), pasta e ceci (Rome). Italian ceci are smaller and nuttier than Middle Eastern varieties.

Fave

Must-See
Puglia/SicilyWhere/Type
The broad beanKey fact

Fresh in spring with pecorino (fave e pecorino). Dried for macco di fave (Sicilian fava puree). A southern Italian staple.

💡 Pro tip: Dried Italian beans from small producers are dramatically better than supermarket ones — look for current-year harvest (raccolta 2025/2026) on the package. Old beans never cook properly.

Where to start

Eat pasta e fagioli in a Venetian bacaro, ribollita in a Florentine trattoria, and macco di fave in a Sicilian osteria — three bean dishes, three completely different worlds.

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