Cannellini Bean and Fish Puttanesca

This Cannellini Bean and Fish Puttanesca shows how easily pantry staples can turn a simple white fish into a rich, deeply satisfying meal. Tender cod fillets poach right in a bubbling sauce of burst cherry tomatoes, creamy cannellini beans, salty capers, and briny olives. It all comes together in one skillet in 30 minutes, making it an easy option for any night of the week. Serve it straight from the pan with plenty of crusty bread to scoop up every bit of the broth.

The Culinary Chase

Cannellini Bean and Fish Puttanesca

Cod poached in a quick puttanesca sauce with cherry tomatoes, cannellini beans, capers and olives. A one-pan dinner ready in 30 minutes.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 white fish fillets such as cod, halibut, or haddock, about 5–6 oz each
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional) Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can cherry tomatoes
• 1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olive pitted and roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp capers drained
• 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley finely chopped

Method

 

1. Pat the white fish fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides lightly with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a wide, shallow skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped anchovies, sliced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring gently, until the anchovies melt into the oil and the garlic becomes fragrant.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and let it simmer until reduced by half (about 2 minutes).
4. Add the canned tomatoes (with their juices), drained cannellini beans, torn olives, and capers. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook uncovered for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
5. Nestle the seasoned fish fillets into the simmering bean and tomato sauce. Spoon a little bit of the pan sauce over the top of each fillet. Cover the skillet with a tight lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and poach for 7 to 9 minutes, depending on thickness, until the fish turns opaque and flakes easily.
6. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with fresh lemon zest and chopped flat-leaf parsley. Serve warm straight from the skillet onto plates.

The Culinary Chase’s Note

Rinsing the canned cannellini beans thoroughly prevents excess starch from clouding the bright tomato broth, keeping the sauce balanced and clean.