Slow Cooker Gigante Beans with Pancetta and Tomato
Creamy white beans braised low and slow with pancetta, San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, onion, and thyme. The beans absorb rich pork fat and tomato essence over hours, yielding tender legumes in a savory broth. Finish with crusty bread, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, and olive oil for a rustic, warming bowl.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce dry white beans
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 clove garlic
- 2 onion, whole or halved
- ½ can San Marzano tomatoescanned crushed tomatoes1:1tomato
reduces sweetness, increases acidity
- 3 sprig fresh thyme
- 2 ounce pancetta, diced or chopped
- 4 cup water
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oilneutral oil1:1oilneutral
2
- kosher salt, to taste(optional)
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste(optional)
- Parmigiano-Reggiano, to taste, shaved or grated(optional)aged Pecorino Romano1:1cheesesheephardeggs-free
sharper, more mineral finish
- bread, toasted, to taste(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Add dry white beans, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, garlic cloves, onions, thyme sprigs, and pancetta to slow cooker.
- 2
Add San Marzano tomatoes and water, then drizzle in olive oil.
- 3
Cook on high for at least 6 hours or on low for 8 hours or longer.
- 4
Remove lid and add salt to taste (1 to 2 tsp recommended for this quantity).
- 5
Continue cooking 2 to 6 more hours as time permits, checking liquid levels periodically.
- 6
Ladle broth into bowls over toasted bread or serve bread on the side.
- 7
Top with freshly ground black pepper, drizzle additional olive oil, and shave or sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano as desired.
Tips
Check liquid levels every 1 to 2 hours during the final cooking period; add water if beans are drying out.
For firmer beans, cook 6 to 8 hours total; for very tender beans that break down slightly, extend to 12 to 14 hours.
Pancetta can be diced small for even distribution or left in larger pieces for easier removal.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days. Freeze broth and beans together up to 3 months.
Prepare through step 2 the evening before; refrigerate covered, then transfer to slow cooker and begin cooking as scheduled.
Ladle into bowls with crusty toasted bread. Serve family-style with additional olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and black pepper at the table.
Common Mistakes
Do not add salt until after 6 to 8 hours of cooking to avoid toughening beans.
Do not neglect liquid checks in final hours; dry beans scorch easily and develop sulfurous flavor.
Do not use fresh thyme with leaves already stripped; stems alone impart little flavor.
Substitutions
sharper, more mineral finish
reduces sweetness, increases acidity