Braised White Beans with Garlic and Arugula
Arugula adds brightness and a peppery flavor to this simple and healthy recipe for Italian braised white beans with garlic and tomatoes. It's a satisfying side dish for all sorts of meals, especially grilled or seared lamb chops or steak.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 225kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- kosher salt
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 15-oz cans white beans
- 2-3 cups chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 5-6 cups young arugula, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and a sprinkle of kosher salt and saute for 1-2 minutes, lowering the heat if the garlic starts to brown.
- Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for about 30 seconds. Add the cans of beans with their liquid, 1 cup of the chicken stock, and the bay leaf. Bring the beans to a simmer.
- Let the beans cook down, stirring occasionally, adding more of the chicken stock as needed to keep the beans saucy and not dry. Braise the beans for 20 minutes.
- Add the chopped arugula and cook until the arugula is wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and serve.
Notes
- I usually use small white beans, but I have also made this with cannellini beans and butter beans.
- You can substitute spinach or kale for the arugula, though it won't have the same peppery flavor.
- For a smokey, meaty flavor, use bacon fat in place of the olive oil.
- Exactly how much arugula you want to add is going to depend on how spicy your arugula is. Young arugula from the supermarket is quite mild and you can often use 5-6 cups. Local arugula will often be a bit older and stronger so start with less and add as needed. And that really spicy arugula from your neighbor's garden may be so much you can only add a handful.
Nutrition
Calories: 225kcal