These anchovy beans are simultaneously my easiest, but also classiest bean recipe. And I know that’s hard to believe, especially if you’ve made my chimichurri beans or my butter bean salad, but it’s true. These anchovy beans are rich, comforting, incredibly filling, bold with flavor, but require no “cooking” cooking. You just need to heat up some olive oil on the stove, pour it over your ingredients, then mix and serve.
This recipe is my fool-proof hack for an easy weeknight dinner or a lazy meal prep, and you can mix-and-match how you serve these beans to fit your mood. It’s hot and summery right now, so pairing them with crispy cucumbers and white rice felt like the best dinner, but you can also pair them with whatever you have available. These anchovy beans are a chameleon of a recipe, making them a perfect meal to add to your kitchen’s rotation.
Table of contents
Ingredients for these anchovy beans
- 1 tin of anchovies, packed in oil
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
- 1 lemon for zest and juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil, heated in a small pot to 300F
- 1 can of navy beans rinsed and drained
- 1 large handful of fresh parsley, about 1 cup, stems included and very finely chopped
- 2 Persian cucumbers or pickling cucumbers, quartered and sliced
- 1 cup of cooked white rice for serving
Optional
- 1/8 tsp ground paprika, for garnishing
- 1 sprig parsley, for garnishing
How to make (and sizzle) these anchovy beans
In a large heat-proof bowl, add the anchovies, caraway seeds, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, grated garlic cloves, and lemon zest and juice from the whole lemon.
In a small saucepan or butter warmer, bring the olive oil up to 300F, you’ll know it’s at this temperature when you start to see it ripple under the surface.
Pour the hot oil over the anchovies and seasonings. Let it sizzle, then immediately take a small whisk and whisk vigorously. The anchovies will stay in whole pieces at first, but as you whisk you’ll begin to see them “melt” into the hot oil. This will create a thick and smooth anchovy-oil sauce.
Add the beans directly into the anchovy mixture. Toss to coat all the beans in an even coating of the glossy anchovy oil.
Add in the parsley and stir again. The mixture should be well combined.
To serve, add a portion of rice to each bowl, then add the chopped cucumbers, and top with the beans. Drizzle any remaining anchovy oil on top. Garnish black pepper, paprika and any leftover parsley!
Looking for other bean recipes?
Here are a few of my most recent favorites:
And that’s it for this anchovy beans recipe!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you.
Anchovy Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tin of anchovies packed in oil
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves grated or finely minced
- 1 lemon for zest and juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil heated in a small pot to 300F
- 1 can of navy beans rinsed and drained
- 1 large handful of fresh parsley about 1 cup, stems included and very finely chopped
- 2 Persian cucumbers or pickling cucumbers quartered and sliced
- 1 cup of cooked white rice for serving
Optional
- 1/8 tsp ground paprika for garnishing
- 1 sprig parsley for garnishing
Instructions
- In a large heat-proof bowl, add the anchovies, caraway seeds, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, grated garlic cloves, and lemon zest and juice from the whole lemon.
- In a small saucepan or butter warmer, bring the olive oil up to 300F, you’ll know it’s at this temperature when you start to see it ripple under the surface.
- Pour the hot oil over the anchovies and seasonings. Let it sizzle, then immediately take a small whisk and whisk vigorously. The anchovies will stay in whole pieces at first, but as you whisk you’ll begin to see them “melt” into the hot oil. This will create a thick and smooth anchovy-oil sauce.
- Add the beans directly into the anchovy mixture. Toss to coat all the beans in an even coating of the glossy anchovy oil.
- Add in the parsley and stir again. The mixture should be well combined.
- To serve, add a portion of rice to each bowl, then add the chopped cucumbers, and top with the beans. Drizzle any remaining anchovy oil on top. Garnish black pepper, paprika and any leftover parsley!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was everything I wanted it to be! Quick, simple, delicious & nutritious. A perfect summer throw together dish
Quick, easy, healthy and so so tasty. My BF said it was the best meal he ate all month!
I’m so glad you liked them! Thank you for coming back to leave this comment 🙂
I have to admit I was a little hesitant about this recipe, but it was more amazing than I ever thought it could be! So delicious and the perfect blend of flavors! Will definitely be making this along with other Justine snacks recipes in the future!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice comment, I really appreciate it!
These look delicious and I can’t wait to try! Have you ever made them with anchovy paste instead of whole anchovies? Currently quarantined and trying to work with what I have.
I have not but if your anchovy paste is just anchovies and olive oil, I don’t doubt that it would work!
That was very tasty! I made it with yellow Indian beans from Rancho Gordo and it really hit the spot. I will definitely be making it again. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so glad you liked it!!
She did it again! Delicious and filling Mid-week meal— wait it’s still Monday
Hahah omg I love this – so glad you liked!
poruing the hot oil onto the anchovies is both a sound and experience over and over again wow
WOAH. I put this over some toasted sourdough with a fried egg on top and woah. Insanely delicious! Thank you!
I’m so glad you liked it! And that combo sounds delicious, I might have to add an egg next time bc YUM
Let me begin by saying, “I am a detailed oriented human”.
I love that this recipe isn’t! I can make it in a matter of minutes and there is such balance in the dish! It’s a great addition to my lunches or even something to dump over a bed of lettuce when I’m feeling especially lazy. I make a double batch and then have it available for a between zoom call, “omg I need to eat” moment. Thank you! Your flavor combos help me to expand my existing flavor pairings and reach new heights!
Omg this comment made me so happy! And the call back to the video – I love it. I’m so glad you made these and I’m so glad you love them!
This meal was so…cool! I’ve never combined these ingredients and this is one of the first times I have eaten anchovies. All of it was delicious. When I was reading the recipe, the cucumber confused me–but when I tasted it, I found it was the perfect complement to the beans. Justine knows what she is doing!
I was sceptical as It seems like a very random combination of ingredients but it worked !!!! It was super tasty, filling, cheap and nutritious. I had it on its own – no rice as had no time to make, but it was fine without rice or any sides. Will for sure try with cucumber next time.
thank you !! what an amazing recipe !!
this is really phenomenal. best dinner I’ve made this year. i was skeptical about the cucumbers but they are perfect! I ate mine over isreali cousocus instead of rice.