Braised White Beans and Greens With Parmesan
Updated October 20, 2024
Julia Gartland for The New York Times (Photography and Styling)
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and small-diced
1 small yellow onion, small-diced
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or thyme
5 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 large or 2 small bunches escarole, kale or Swiss chard, stems removed (10 to 12 ounces)
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed
2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup shredded mozzarella (optional)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving
Toasted country bread, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
106 grams carbs; 21 milligrams cholesterol; 781 calories; 13 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 25 grams fat; 18 grams fiber; 1696 milligrams sodium; 36 grams protein; 12 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the fennel, onion and rosemary, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Step 2
Begin adding handfuls of the greens, cooking and stirring until leaves wilt.
- Step 3
Add the white beans, broth and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer, mashing some of the beans with a wooden spoon, until the liquid has reduced and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Step 4
Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, then the mozzarella, if using, and Pecorino Romano. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide among shallow bowls and top with more Pecorino Romano. Serve with toasted bread and a dish of red-pepper flakes on the side.
Private Notes
Comments
Discarding those stalks from the chard is such a miss. Think of chard as two vegetables in one - the stalk and the leaf. Cut them out {fold the leaf in half lengthwise and cut along the length of stalk to free the stalk from the leaf} and dice the stalks, then add to the onions and fennel to sauté.
Gosh. This is about the most delicious bean dish I've made. No: it's the most delicious using canned beans. Living alone I need a few ways to use up leftovers so here are my plans: 1) add more stock and turn into soup, 2) drain some in a sieve overnight in fridge and smash into a ciabatta bun for lunch, 3) reheat and serve with a poached egg and baguette toast points.
Celery or leeks are a good sub for fennel and given the way this recipe is made I'd go with leeks for a more mild flavor profile. Celery is better as a substitute for raw fennel.
Used kale. Added about 1 t. salt to the dish during final simmer, why is there no salt until the very end?? Used Parmesan. Turned out more soupy than I expected but delicious, I might decrease the liquid slightly next time.
Swiss Chard tints the sauce pink by Day 2. It’s what I had & flavor was not an issue. Just a visual eh. Subbed Manchego for Mozzarella. Sautéed Guanciale. A flexible recipe ⭐️
This was a symphony of flavor. I’ve never had restaurant greens and beans this tasty. I omitted the mozzarella, used both rosemary and thyme, and added lemon zest and Italian sausage.