The Turkish pantry

Beans (borlotti, cooked)

Tender cooked borlotti beans are ready for a gentle olive-oil braise. Drain them well and add them carefully so their skins do not split from vigorous stirring.

Last updated: 17 October 2026

Cooked borlotti, also called cranberry or Roman beans. The nutrition reference describes beans boiled without salt; canned beans may contain added salt and have different label values.

A speckled tan stoneware bowl of plain cooked pinkish-tan beans, a few with wrinkled or split skins, on a pale stone counter, with a bright window and blurred shelves of white jars behind.

Types & forms

Plain boiled beans

Already tender and drained, ready for the next stage of the recipe.

Canned beans

Check salt and other additions, then drain or rinse as directed. The can’s nutrition label is the best match for that product.

What to look for when buying

For canned beans, choose intact cans without bulging or leaking and check the ingredient list. Confirm the beans are already cooked.
If cooking dried beans yourself, use a method written for dried beans and allow enough time to make them fully tender before this recipe.

Prepare & cook

Drain cooked beans and check that they are tender. If the recipe calls for rinsing canned beans, rinse gently and drain again.
Add to the braise at the stated stage and stir carefully. Avoid giving already cooked beans the long cooking time needed by dried beans.

Store it well

Refrigerate cooked beans promptly in a covered shallow container at 40°F or below. Use within 3–4 days or freeze.
After opening a can, transfer unused beans to a clean covered container in the refrigerator. Reheat leftover cooked dishes to 165°F.

Substitutions depend on the dish

Cooked white beans

Can suit a recipe that allows them, but flavor, skin and size differ.

Dried borlotti beans

Not interchangeable by weight or timing. Cook them separately until tender before using a cooked-bean method.

Nutrition

Borlotti beans, boiled and drained without salt ^[1]

Per 100 g edible portion
Nutrient	Amount
Energy	136 kcal
Protein	9.34 g
Total fat	0.46 g
Saturated fat	0.12 g
Carbohydrate	24.5 g
Dietary fiber	8.6 g
Total sugars	Not reported
Sodium	1 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg
Calcium	50 mg
Iron	2.09 mg
Potassium	387 mg
Vitamin D	0 µg

USDA reference per 100 g of boiled borlotti beans without salt. Not salted canned beans, dried beans or an olive-oil dish; use the product label for canned beans. Values are rounded for readability; “not reported” does not mean zero. A “<” value is below the source’s measurement limit.

Nutrition values come from the reference source named above. They are published reference values, not our own measurements. Actual products and cooking methods may change the values.

At the Turkish table

Zeytinyağlı Barbunya uses cooked beans with vegetables and olive oil. Starting with tender beans keeps the braising stage focused on combining the flavors rather than hydrating dry seeds.