Description
White bean and kale stew is Tuscan peasant cooking: no wealth or complexity required. Cannellini beans simmered with lacinato kale, garlic, tomatoes, and a Parmesan rind until the broth turns silky and the beans start to break down into a natural thickener. It is the kind of bowl that costs almost nothing to make and tastes like it came from a grandmother who has been making it for fifty years.
Ingredients
Units
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 large bunch lacinato kale, stems removed, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Crusty bread for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots, and celery 6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Drop in the Parmesan rind if using. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the beans and kale. The kale will seem like too much — it wilts down significantly. Stir until the kale starts to wilt.
- Simmer 20 minutes, partially covered, until the kale is tender and the broth has thickened slightly. Mash a few beans against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken the stew naturally.
- Remove the Parmesan rind. Stir in the lemon juice.
- Ladle into bowls, drizzle with good olive oil, and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- Mashing a handful of beans against the side of the pot thickens the broth without adding any flour or cream — it is the traditional technique and works beautifully.
- A Parmesan rind earns its place here. It melts slowly into the broth and adds a deep, savory richness. Save your rinds in the freezer for exactly this purpose.
- Lacinato kale, also called Tuscan or dinosaur kale, is more tender and less bitter than curly kale and is the traditional choice for this stew.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 720
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 44
- Fiber: 12
- Protein: 16
- Cholesterol: 5