Italian white beans and escarole, also known as beans and greens, is a delicious recipe that uses a lesser known leafy green vegetable! It’s typically served like a thick stew with crunchy bread and can be a main dish, side, or appetizer.
Are you familiar with beans and escarole? Growing up in a part-Italian family and in a region with really good Italian food, I was lucky enough to be exposed to this delicious recipe!
White beans and escarole is a stew-like dish with a creamy texture and plenty of garlic and red pepper flakes. Even though it can be eaten like a soup, I like to keep it thick by using less broth and adding the white beans with their juices (instead of draining them). This makes the liquid super creamy and the whole dish easier to spoon over crunchy bread, which is the best way to serve it in my opinion!
What is escarole?
If you aren’t familiar with escarole, it’s a leafy green vegetable that looks like lettuce but with wider, wavy leaves. Escarole belongs to the chicory family, which also includes Belgian endive and radicchio. These veggies typically have a bitter taste, but they taste delicious when cooked with the right seasonings.
Ingredients 1x2x3x
- ▢ 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ▢ 1 head escarole – washed and chopped
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic – minced
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ▢ Salt – to taste
- ▢ Freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- ▢ 1 cup vegetable broth – divided
- ▢ 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans – with their juices
- ▢ Seeded Italian bread – for serving
- ▢ Freshly grated parmesan cheese – for
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped escarole, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for a few minutes until the escarole is wilted. Pour in ½ cup vegetable broth, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Add the can of white beans with the juices and another ½ cup vegetable broth. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste, and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Divide the beans and escarole into serving bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired. Spoon the dish over crunchy bread, or eat it with a spoon and have bread on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Look for escarole in the section with other heads of lettuce at the grocery store. Be sure to rinse the leaves thoroughly to remove dirt.