Cannellini Beans with Tomatoes, Basil and Parmesan

These flavorful, creamy beans are comforting and rich, and vegetarian, too. We like to include a chunk of Parmesan rind with the beans as they cook; it infuses the dish with rich, complex flavor. If you don’t have a piece of rind, don’t worry—the shaved cheese at the end adds plenty of savoriness. We prefer cannellini beans, but smaller white beans such as navy and great northern work, too. Smaller beans require the same soaking, but set the cooking time for only 12 minutes if pressure cooking or 6 to 6½ hours if slow cooking. Serve the beans as a side to simply cooked chicken, pork or lamb, or make them into a meal by offering a salad and crusty bread alongside.