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Home » Appetizers » Italian Lupini Beans [A Step by Step Tutorial]

Italian Lupini Beans [A Step by Step Tutorial]

September 25, 2016 , Updated June 16, 2020 Maria 64 Comments

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A plate of Italian Lupini beans,

Italian Lupini Beans are truly a unique, healthy and delicious snack that can be eaten throughout the year. Lupini are also great for your appetizer or cheese boards. Whether you refer to them as lupini or lupins, come and see for yourself how easily they can be prepared at home.

A plate of Italian Lupini Beans

Italian Lupini Beans

Traditions are wonderful, aren’t they?

Growing up Italian in Montreal meant that I was privileged to experience and participate in some wonderful Christmas traditions. Naturally, there was all the baking and the cooking, but there were also so many other foods that were prepared.

Tradition would dictate that these lupini beans were brined  and enjoyed throughout the year -but especially at Christmas.

If you are of Mediterranean origin, chances are you are familiar with lupini beans.

If you are not familiar with this food, I will try to define them and then share how lupini are prepared, brined and eaten in an attempt to demystify this highly addictive food for you.

A close up view of Italian Lupini Beans

What are Lupini Beans?

Lupini (loo-pee-nee) beans are classified as legumes.

According to Wikipedia, Lupini (or lupin) beans are the yellow seeds of the lupinus plant.

Lupini are grown in Australia and southwestern Europe, and are extremely popular as a street food throughout the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries, as well as in Latin America. In Portugal, this popular bar food is referred to as tremoços and in Arabic they are referred to as termos.

Comparing a dry and cooked Italian Lupini Bean

Up close and personal with Lupini (Lupin) Beans:

As you can see, in their dry form (left), the seeds are very pale in color, are circular, and are quite flat. Once the lupini have been reconstituted (right), they become plump with a yellowish hue. Notice the transparent outer skin which becomes visible once the lupini have been soaked.

Please note that consumption of these Italian Lupini Beans is not recommended for individuals who have nut allergies.

Nutrition Facts for Lupini or Lupin Beans:

Lupin beans are a fantastic source of protein. In fact, as far as legumes go, only soy beans have more protein than they do. They are also high in fiber and a rich source of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, potassium and manganese (among others).

As an example, just 1 cup of these lupini beans will provide you with 26 grams of protein and 4.6 grams of fiber. Lupini beans are truly nutritional powerhouses.

It’s important to know that these innocent-looking seeds contain high levels of alkaloids, which are actually very toxic. In fact, it is these alkaloids which produce the extremely bitter taste.

The good news is that the simple daily repetitive action of soaking and rinsing (for a few weeks) will cause these molecules to leach into the water, transforming the lupini beans into a fabulous healthy appetizer or snack.

So to be extra clear: that means lupini beans are poisonous prior to soaking!! So don’t eat them before the soaking process is complete. 🙂

A bag of Italian Lupini Beans

How to Prepare Lupini Beans:

As with most traditional Italian recipes, the process is super easy but lengthy. It is possible for you to purchase ready-to-eat lupini beans in a brine solution. But I wanted to show you how easy it is to make your own lupini beans from scratch – gives you a greater feeling of accomplishment, and helps you avoid preservatives, to boot.

Dry lupini beans are easily accessible in local ethnic bulk or grocery stores. I will usually purchase a 14 ounce (400 grams) bag from an Italian grocery store.

Since we are brining our very own lupini, you need to be available every day, for just a couple of minutes, for a couple of weeks before you can enjoy the mild and nutty flavor of this legume.

Be warned: it does get a bit repetitive, but the rewards are well worth it.

So, let me show you how easy this is:

Italian Lupini Beans being soaked.

How to make Lupini Beans edible:

Day 1: Soaking the lupini

  • Sort and rinse your lupini beans. You need to get rid of any blemished or discolored beans.
  • Soak the lupini beans for 24 hours in cold water, so that they may become reconstituted. Place them in a glass bowl, ensuring that they are submerged by a few inches of water. Lupini can be kept on the kitchen counter at room temperature. I will usually place my bowl in my cantina.

Day 2: Boiling the lupini

  • Drain and rinse the lupini beans. Notice how the lupini beans have become plump after the 24-hour soak. They have also picked up a little bit of color.
  • Place the lupini in a large heavy-bottomed pot with cold water.
  • Cover your pot and bring to a vigorous simmer for about 20 minutes. If necessary, keep adding water to keep the beans completely submerged.
  • Skim the foam off the top as the lupini beans simmer.
  • Drain and rinse the beans with cold water.
  • Place the cooked (cooled) lupini beans in a large glass bowl and fill with fresh tap water.
  • Refrigerate.

 A close of lupini beans.

Days 3-17: Rinsing and soaking the lupini

  • Drain, rinse and refill with fresh tap water a couple of times a day. If possible aim for at least twice a day. The lupini beans are ready when they no longer have that bitter aftertaste; you can start to taste them after 5-7 days of changing the water. Sometimes, this can take up to 2 weeks. What we are looking for is a sweet and tender lupini.
  • During the rinsing and soaking stage, the lupini can be kept refrigerated.

Storing the Italian Lupini Beans: Once all trace of bitterness has been removed, place the lupini beans in large glass bowl and fill with cold tap water, add salt and refrigerate, until ready to be eaten. I will usually add 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt to 4 cups of water. The 2 1/2 cups (14 ounces) of dry lupini beans made about 6 1/2 cups of lupini beans. I added 8 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt.

Once brined, these Italian Lupini Beans can be kept in an airtight container (mason jars) in the fridge for about 2 weeks. It is no longer necessary to rinse the lupini beans.

Italian Lupini Beans ready to be served,in a plate.

How to eat Lupini Beans:

You will notice that lupini have an outer skin, much like chickpeas, but slightly thicker. Personally, I like to remove this outer shell, despite the fact that it is totally edible.

Pick up an individual lupini and take a tiny bite at one end of the bean (in essence you are making a tiny incision) while squeezing the other end.

The lupini will then “pop” out of its’ shell and into your mouth. Years of practice 😉

The true lupini experts can flip the beans in their mouth with just a flip created with their thumb and index finger.

Once again, the consumption of lupini beans is not recommended for those individuals who have nut allergies.

Recipes with Lupini:

As was mentioned, lupini make a great addition to any appetizer or cheese board. In fact, they are great with marinated olives.

Lupini are also a great healthy addition to any salad. This Lupini Beans and Baby Kale Salad truly makes the perfect summer salad.

A small plate of Italian Lupini Beans

Origins of the recipe for Italian Lupini Beans:

These Italian Lupini Beans would be prepared from October to April in my Italian-Canadian upbringing. This would usually coincide with big family reunions. I fondly remember my grandmother curing her very own lupini – rinsing the beans several times a day for weeks on end in order to eliminate the bitterness. There was always a batch of lupini in the preparation phase and a batch ready to be enjoyed.

I can remember not heeding to my grandmother’s warnings to wait for the curing process to be complete. I can attest to the fact that lupini are indeed very bitter. But in my defense, they were so easily accessible; it was hard not to be tempted to try them! After all, that’s what kids do best – the opposite of what they are told!

The lupini beans were kept in the cantina, where all the other goodies could be found – you know, the hundreds of jars of homemade tomato sauce, the pickled eggplants, the peppers, the prune marmalade… and of course, no cantina would be complete without the strung sausages and hung prosciutto in the process of being cured. My dad was a butcher by trade and he just loved his homemade salumi.

All of these homemade foods, including these Italian Lupini Beans, would inevitably become part of the lineup of appetizers served at large family gatherings. They were served simply on their own.

So the next time you are getting together with friends and family, make sure to include these Italian Lupini Beans… a great vegetarian appetizer (or snack) and a guaranteed conversation starter.

Thanks for dropping by,

Ciao for now,

Maria 🙂

A plate of Italian Lupini Beans

Italian Lupini Beans ready to be served,in a plate.

Italian Lupini Beans

Italian Lupini Beans are truly a unique, healthy and delicious snack that can be consumed throughout the year. Lupini are also great for your appetizer or cheese boards. Whether you refer to them as lupini or lupins, come and see for yourself how easily they can be prepared at home. 
5 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 14 servings
Calories: 98kcal
Author: Maria Vannelli RD

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces 400 grams of dry Lupini Beans
  • lots of water
  • 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
  • parsley optional for garnish
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Instructions

  • Soak the dry Lupini Beans for 24 hours in water; ensure beans are completely submerged.
  • Rinse and place in a large pot with cold tap water.
  • Bring to a vigorous simmer and boil for 20 minutes. If necessary, keep adding water to keep the beans completely submerged.
  • Drain and rinse with cold water.
  • Place par-boiled beans in a bowl or a large mason jar and fill with fresh water; ensure beans are completely submerged.
  • For the next couple of days, drain, rinse and refill with fresh tap water a couple of times a day. If possible aim for at least twice a day. The lupini beans are ready when they no longer have that bitter aftertaste; you can start to taste them after 5-7 days of changing the water. Sometimes, this can take up to 2 weeks. What we are looking for is a sweet and tender lupini.
  • During the rinsing and soaking stage, the lupini can be kept refrigerated.
  • Once the lupini are sweet and tender, place in a large airtight container (mason jar) with salt-water brine (see note).
  • To serve: Simply remove the amount of lupini beans required, drain brine water and place lupini in a bowl. Serve them plain. Garnish with parsley sprigs.
  • To store: Brined lupini can be kept refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

Please note that consumption of these Italian Lupini Beans is not recommended for individuals who have nut allergies.
You need to be available every day, for just a couple of minutes, for a couple of weeks before you can enjoy the mild and nutty flavor of this legume.
For the brine solution: add 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt to 8 cups of water.
One serving is calculated as 1/2 cup of lupini beans.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 13g | Sodium: 998mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @shelovesbiscotti or tag #shelovesbiscotti!

 

 

 

 

 

Appetizers, Vegetarian

About Maria

Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

Comments

  1. kevin shannon says

    March 1, 2021 at 13:10

    Can you use these beans in a batch of chili?

    Reply
    • Maria says

      March 2, 2021 at 14:16

      That is an interesting question Kevin. I have never tried. I imagine you could, but I’m not sure they would soften. Would love to hear about your results if you do decide to experiment with this.

      Reply
  2. Inas says

    December 20, 2020 at 21:34

    I am Lebanese and we usually get our Lupini beans ready to eat in only 4 days. After boiling them, we place the Lupini pot in the sink and we leave the cold faucet slightly open over night. Once the bitter taste in gone, we salt the water and refrigerate! This was my favorite snack as a kid!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      January 3, 2021 at 11:32

      Thanks so much for sharing Inas. I agree, it makes a great healthy snack!

      Reply
  3. Anne says

    September 21, 2020 at 19:40

    Hi, was curious if you know. After all the soaking and rinsing can they be ground and dehydrated into a flour texture?

    Reply
    • Maria says

      September 28, 2020 at 20:15

      That is a great question Anne. I honestly don’t know. Would be curious about your results if you decide to try it out. Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  4. Charles says

    September 11, 2020 at 02:28

    Maria, Regarding the precooked lupini that come in glass jars and brine, i pressure cook them for about an hour to soften the skins. Then they are completely edible
    Best wishes,
    Charles

    Reply
    • Maria says

      September 11, 2020 at 08:15

      Thanks so much for sharing Charles. I must try this!

      Reply
  5. Doris says

    July 5, 2020 at 17:27

    Hello, I’m wondering if you’ve ever experienced a slightly slimy surface to the beans during the rinsing process? My rinsing water was sort of gelatinous and the beans themselves never lost that slimy exterior no matter how much I rinsed. They taste ok but the sliminess is freaking me out a bit. I have cooked them before – the same bag of Lupinis – and didn’t experience the slime. Admittedly, it has been warm and I didn’t refrigerate the beans during the rinsing because the fridge isn’t big enough – could that be the problem? Thanks for your take on this…

    Reply
    • Maria says

      July 6, 2020 at 19:44

      Hi Doris, I would agree with you I think the lack of refrigeration is the cause. In my humble opinion, I would not eat them. The texture, as you describe them is never a good sign when it comes to food prep. Stay safe.

      Reply
      • Tom says

        August 8, 2020 at 12:53

        Inquiring minds want to know… how were they?

      • Maria says

        August 9, 2020 at 20:42

        Thanks for your interest Tom. I did not post because I did not like the results… too dry. I still need to play around with the temperature.

  6. Robin says

    June 4, 2020 at 15:35

    Can you put these in an Air Fryer and make them crispy?

    Reply
    • Maria says

      June 5, 2020 at 20:11

      That is a really great question Robin… I have never tried it. I am in the process of making a batch and I will definitely try it out!

      Reply
  7. Carol Zeidler says

    June 3, 2020 at 16:44

    Do the lupini beans need to be refridgerated from Step 2 thru 17 or can they be left at room temp on the counter while changing water 2x daily?
    FYI, my daughter wants these for her birthday instead of cake LOL!!!! Wish I knew about these when she was little, would have taken the place of candy.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      June 5, 2020 at 20:13

      What a great request! SO precious!!!
      I would keep them in the fridge as the weather is warming up. Happy Birthday to your daughter 🙂

      Reply
  8. Charles Carnese says

    April 4, 2020 at 20:37

    5 stars
    Good job Maria. My family method is similar to yours, but slightly different. We always soaked the lupini, after boiling, in heavily salted water. We also left the bowl of them brining on the kitchen countertop, without refrigeration, and changed water at least twice, and normally more times per day. Also, while the bitter beans can be slightly poisonour, I, too, as a youngster, couldn’t wait for the beans to ripen before grabbing them from the bowl. I still enjoy them when bitter–I just don’t overdo it. Then, when serving, I always salt them and sometimes serve them in olive oil with chile flakes. Bon Gusto.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      April 11, 2020 at 21:43

      Thanks so much Charles. Such a great snack food! Thanks so much for sharing, appreciate it!

      Reply
  9. Kelly says

    March 22, 2020 at 11:31

    Hi Maria, thank you for sharing your instructions for making your own lupini beans. I had been buying prepared beans and enjoying them so much I decided to buy a 10 pound bag of dried beans. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but after soaking and brining, my beans taste completely bland. I’ve been researching online and found a reference to there being different kinds of lupini beans, but not much else. Have you heard of this problem and have any suggestions? Thank you in advance if you do!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      March 22, 2020 at 16:30

      Sorry Kelly, I have not. Perhaps you can try drizzling them with a little olive oil and marinating with some herbs. Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  10. Bernadette Parrilla says

    March 17, 2020 at 20:55

    5 stars
    Love these cool little beans. So fun to pop in your mouth. Was introduced to them as a child by my Portuguese grandmother that would brine her own many years ago. Now i eat them while watching TV. Better then potatoe chips

    Reply
    • Maria says

      March 17, 2020 at 22:26

      Thanks, Bernadette, they really are a great snack. Thanks so much for stopping by.

      Reply
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I'm Maria: dietitian and full time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth, to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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