Braised White Beans & Greens

We are transforming the humble white bean into something very tasty today. Braised up in stock with plenty of greens, herbs, and lemon, because it's spring and I can't stop with lemon everything!

Made with basic and budget-friendly ingredients, prep is straightforward and the meal can be ready and on the table in less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Just perfect for midweek dinners!

Here are the ingredients you need to make Braised White Beans & Greens:

And a few ingredient notes:

• White beans - I used canned cannellini beans but you can use any white beans such as lima beans, butter beans, navy beans, or great northern beans. You can even use home-cooked dried beans.
• Leafy greens - I think kale works best because it's sturdy and flavourful but you can use any other leafy greens such as collard greens, chard, mustard greens, beet leaves, or even broccoli raab. If using spinach though add it in the last 5 minutes.
• Dried herbs - I like thyme or rosemary but you can use any sturdy herbs that you enjoy the flavour of. If you've got fresh herbs you can use those instead.
• Chili flakes - Sometimes called red pepper flakes. These are to give a little tiny kick. There is no real heat in this recipe but feel free to omit them if you need to.
• Stock - Make sure it's a tasty one. This is such a simple recipe that a good flavour is important.
• Lemon - This is essential to amp up the flavour and give some brightness.

Expert Tip - For a special occasion use ½ to 1 cup (120 to 240ml) white wine in place of some of the stock.

It's such a simple recipe. Just perfect for midweek. Here we go:

1. Saute the onions and garlic.
2. Add the beans and give them a bit of a smash with a potato masher.
3. Add the greens, stock, seasonings, and lemon zest.
4. Simmer for a bit then add the lemon juice right before serving, so we conserve its zingy vibrancy.

Recipe Video

Recipe

Braised White Beans & Greens

Author: Melanie McDonald

5 from 5 votes

Comfy, cozy, healthy Braised White Beans & Greens ready in less than 30 minutes. Serve with rice or crusty bread for an easy, budget-friendly and super delicious meal!

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PREP TIME: 10 minutes minutes

COOK TIME: 25 minutes minutes

TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients

  

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• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium onion , diced
• ▢ 6 cloves garlic , minced
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes , optional
• ▢ 1 large bunch kale , or other sturdy greens, chopped into bite-sized pieces (about 6 cups)
• ▢ 2 x 15oz/398ml cans white beans , drained and rinsed (about 3 cups) (such as cannellini, lima, navy or great northern).
• ▢ 3 cups (720 ml) vegetable stock
• ▢ 1 medium lemon , zest & juice (divided)
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1½ teaspoon dried or fresh thyme , or rosemary
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons salt plus more to taste
• ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , plus more to taste

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INSTRUCTIONS

 

• ▢
  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• ▢
  Saute the onion for 6 to 7 minutes or until transparent.
• ▢
  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more.
• ▢
  Add the chopped greens and allow to cook for a few minutes until slightly wilted.
• ▢
  Add the beans and with a potato masher or a fork roughly mash about half of them.
• ▢
  Add the stock, lemon zest, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes until reduced and thickened to your liking.

  You can cook it longer on a really low heat if you need to, or even pop it in the oven on the lowest setting until you're ready for it.
• ▢
  Take off the heat, finish with the juice from the lemon, check the seasoning, adjust as necessary, then serve.

NOTES

For a special occasion use ½ to 1 cup (120 to 240ml) of white wine in place of some of the stock.

Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, vegan parmesan, crusty bread, baguette, toast, or rice.

Storing leftovers - This reheats perfectly and actually gets even better with time. Leftovers keep well for up to 5 days in the fridge or the freezer for up to 3 months.

NUTRITION

Serving: 1servingCalories: 258kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 15gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 1622mgPotassium: 938mgFiber: 11gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3707IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 225mgIron: 6mg

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