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Lupini Beans and Olives, An Italian Christmas Tradition (How to Cook & Eat Lupini)

A super nutritious, healthy and addictive traditional Italian snack. Lupini beans and olives are usually served at Christmastime in Italy.

Cook Time
mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 20
Calories: 113 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 14 oz lupini beans dried beans (look for beans without blemishes)
  • 1 Tbsp salt Kosher or sea salt
  • 20 oz olives green (like Castelvetrano, with pits are traditionally used in Italy) or black olives, with the liquid

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Rinse and sort (take out any bad looking beans) the lupini, then soak them overnight, a minimum of 12 hours. Make sure to put a few inches of water above the beans so they don't dry out when you're trying to rehydrate them.
  2. Rinse the beans, then put them into a large pot with fresh water, covering the beans with at least a couple inches of water above them.
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45-50 minutes, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon.
  4. Remove from heat, drain, and place into a large bowl and fill to cover with water.
  5. At this point, just keep rinsing the lupini for about 30 seconds at a time, 3 to 4 times a day, for about 5 days (fewer, if you change the water more often.)
  6. The bowl can be kept on the counter; it does not need to be refrigerated.
  7. I kept track of how many times I changed the water over 5 days, and the total count was 18. Yes, this is necessary or you will have bitter beans.
  8. At the end of the fifth day, taste a bean, or part of one, to check for bitterness. The bean will not taste good/sweet yet, but you are only checking for bitterness, nothing else. If the lupini beans are still bitter, continue to change the water until they are no longer bitter.
  9. Next in the process is to add some salt, probably about one teaspoon of Kosher salt to the lupini in the water (do not drain the beans after this.) You can also add a can of green (this is the Italian style) or black olives, liquid and all (not under oil). Stir well and taste after about three hours. If it needs more salt, add some. If you make the lupini too salty, just add a little more water.
  10. DO NOT CHANGE THE WATER ANYMORE and refrigerate, once the salt has been added.
  11. Now the lupini are ready to eat! Use a mini sieve or slotted spoon to put some lupini and olives into a serving bowl.

Notes

  • Nutrition info is just for the lupini.
  • Lupini can be kept in salted water in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (without olives.)

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 113kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 13g (4%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 3g Sodium 796mg (33%) Potassium 186mg (5%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 125IU (3%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 36mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 20Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 113

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 113kcal 6%
Carbohydrates 13g 4%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Sodium 796mg 33%
Potassium 186mg 4%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 125IU 3%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 36mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.