There are some dishes that were never meant to be fancy. Fagioli alla Contadina were born from the Italian countryside, where a pot of beans, a little pork, some tomatoes, and whatever was available in the pantry could feed an entire family.

Slow-cooked until rich and creamy, these Italian country-style beans with pork are hearty, rustic, and deeply comforting.

Borlotti beans simmer with pork rind, sausage, pancetta, tomatoes, and herbs until every spoonful is packed with old-fashioned flavor.

This is the kind of food Nonna would put in the middle of the table with a basket of crusty bread and simply say: Mangia!

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fagioli_alla_contadina_recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Main Course, Soup & Stew

Ingredients

For the Beans

• 3 cups cooked borlotti beans (about 500 g / 18 oz), drained
• 7 oz (200 g) pork rind / pork skin (cotiche), cleaned and cut into strips or pieces
• 8 oz (225 g) Italian sausage, casing removed and cut into chunks
• 3 oz (85 g) pancetta, diced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
• 1 small red bell pepper, cut into pieces
• 1 cup (240 ml) tomato passata
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups (480 ml) water or light vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small sprig rosemary
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼–½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt, to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

If Using Dried Beans

Use about 9 oz (250 g) dried borlotti beans. Soak overnight, drain, then simmer in fresh water until tender before adding them to the recipe.

How to Make Fagioli alla Contadina

1. Prepare the Pork Rind

Place the pork rind in a saucepan of boiling water and cook for about 15–20 minutes.

Drain and allow it to cool slightly, then cut into bite-size pieces or wide strips.

This first boiling softens the cotiche and removes some excess fat.

2. Build the Soffritto

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat.

Add the pancetta and cook for 3–4 minutes, until it begins to release its fat.

Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.

Cook gently for about 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.

3. Brown the Sausage

Add the sausage pieces and cook for another 5 minutes, turning them occasionally so they brown lightly on all sides.

Add the red pepper and cook for another 2–3 minutes.

4. Add the Tomato

Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for about 1 minute.

Add the passata, rosemary, bay leaf, oregano, crushed red pepper, and a little black pepper.

Pour in the water or broth and stir well.

5. Add the Cotiche

Add the prepared pork rind.

Bring everything to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes.

The pork rind should become very tender.

6. Add the Beans

Stir in the cooked borlotti beans.

Continue simmering uncovered for another 25–30 minutes, stirring gently from time to time.

If the beans become too dry, add a splash of hot water.

Some of the beans will naturally begin to break down and thicken the sauce.

7. Rest Before Serving

Remove the rosemary sprig and bay leaf.

Taste and adjust the salt only at the end because the pancetta and sausage already contain salt.

Turn off the heat and let the beans rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Finish with chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Nonna’s Tips

Don’t rush the cooking. Fagioli alla contadina should simmer slowly. That is what gives the sauce its deep, rustic flavor.

Borlotti beans are ideal. Their creamy texture and slightly nutty flavor work beautifully with pork and tomato.

Use good cotiche. Ask your butcher for fresh pork rind with most of the excess fat removed.

Make it spicy. In Southern Italy, a little peperoncino is almost mandatory. You can even add a small spoonful of ‘nduja for a Calabrian-style version.

Let it rest. Like many bean dishes, this tastes even better after sitting for a while—and it’s fantastic the next day.

What to Serve with Fagioli alla Contadina

This is practically a complete meal on its own, but the traditional companion is rustic Italian bread.

Toast thick slices and rub them lightly with garlic, then place them at the bottom of the bowl before spooning the beans and sauce over the top.

You can also serve the beans with:

• grilled country bread
• focaccia
• friselle
• sautéed bitter greens
• roasted peppers
• a simple green salad

Variations

Without Pork Rind

If cotiche are difficult to find, omit them and increase the sausage to about 12 oz (340 g).

With Spare Ribs

Small pieces of pork ribs can be simmered with the beans for an even richer version.

Vegetarian Fagioli alla Contadina

Leave out the pork and sausage and add diced potatoes, mushrooms, and extra vegetables.

Calabrian Style

Add 1–2 teaspoons of ‘nduja along with the tomato paste and use plenty of peperoncino.

Extra Creamy

Mash about ½ cup of the beans with a fork and stir them back into the pot during the final 10 minutes.

How to Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

The sauce will thicken considerably as it cools. When reheating, add a splash of water or broth.

Fagioli alla contadina can also be frozen for up to 2 months, although the texture of the beans may become slightly softer after thawing.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on the sausage, pancetta, pork rind, and beans used.