Last updated on April 18th, 2024
Easy, wholesome meals can be hard to prepare during busy weekdays, but not with this quick Italian greens and beans recipe.
I’ve been living in Tuscany since 2012, whipping up seasonal, healthy meals based on la cucina povera or the “poor man’s way of cooking.” La cucina povera uses inexpensive, seasonal ingredients to create wholesome and filling meals.
This recipe for Italian greens and beans does all of this at an affordable price without sacrificing flavor or quality. It’s also a one pot meal with very little prep and cleanup!
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What Are Italian Greens And Beans?
Italian greens and beans is a one pot vegan meal served in Italy as a main course made from white cannellini beans flavored with seasonal greens, garlic, red pepper flakes and plenty of olive oil.
Where I live in Italy, Italian greens and beans are most commonly served in the winter when greens such as escarole, Swiss chard and kale are at their best. Cooked down into a thick soup with hearty cannellini beans, this filling stew is ideal for colder months.
Good To Know: Italian greens and beans are also delicious at room temperature, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil in warmer months.
Italian Greens And Beans Ingredients
Escarole (Or Other Greens)
To make Italian greens and beans, you need 1 large bunch of escarole (about (10 to 12 ounces) or other seasonal green of your choice such as swiss chard or kale, cleaned and with stems removed. You can also use a combination of mixed greens.
If you choose to use kale, the greens will take longer to cook than the escarole or swiss chard.
Cannellini Beans
Cannellini or white beans are easy to make at home with my instructions, making this recipe even more budget friendly. If you do this, you need to account for soaking and cooking time (around 10 hours total). This step can be done ahead of time.
For the quickest and easiest method of making Italian greens and beans, use 2-15-ounce cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed.
Can’t Get Enough of Cannellini Beans? Check out Homerun Italian Cannellini Beans Recipes For Dinner.
Garlic
Use whatever garlic you like, purple or white. You will need four cloves peeled and smashed. Read all about garlic, the different types and how to peel and smash it in How To Peel Garlic – Best Easy & Fast Ways + How To Chop And Store It.
Other Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½-2 cups vegetable, chicken broth or bean cooking liquid (if you have made your beans from scratch)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 parmesan cheese rind, optional
Selecting Olive Oil: Need help choosing an olive oil? Check out my favorites in 15 Best Italian Olive Oils – To Enjoy in Italy & Bring Home as a Souvenir and Best Italian Olive Oil Brands in America – Where to Buy Them and How to Store Them.
How To Make Italian Greens And Beans
Clean the greens by soaking them in water and spinning them with a salad spinner. Remove any stalky stems and chop roughly and set aside.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low heat. Peel and smash the garlic. Add it to the oil and let it infuse into the olive oil over low heat for 1 minute, being careful it does not burn. Add the red pepper flakes and let cook for another minute or so.
Add the greens (you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan) and a generous pinch of salt and gently cook until wilted, anywhere from 2-5 minutes.
Add the cannellini beans, 1 ½ cups of broth (or bean cooking liquid), the parmesan rind, if using, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and combine. Bring the Italian greens and beans up to a boil, turn down the heat to low and simmer gently until the broth has thickened, anywhere from 8-12 minutes, stirring periodically. While cooking, smash some of the cannellini beans with the back of a wooden spoon or fork, which will create a creamy texture. If it seems to dry, add another ½ cup of broth. Remove the garlic cloves.
Remove from the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice. Test for seasoning (this will depend on the type of broth you used and its sodium content) and season with salt and pepper accordingly.
Serve with crusty bread, parmesan cheese, if you like and a hefty guzzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Tips For Making Italian Greens And Beans A Snap
If you are looking to make this meal as affordable as possible, make your own cannellini beans, which cost a fraction of the price of canned beans. You can also make a big batch and use the leftover beans for other recipes such as minestrone, fagioli all’uccelletto and ribollita.
If you are looking to save time, however, opt for canned cannellini beans which make preparing these Italian greens and beans without any prep or pre-planning. If I am really crunched for time, I will also pick up pre-washed greens such as baby kale or swiss chard, which can further facilitate preparing a meal like this on busy weekdays.
This Italian greens and beans recipe is a great make-ahead meal. You can make it earlier in the day or several days in advance without compromising quality or texture. At most, add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice right before serving or even a spoonful of gremolata.
Italian Greens And Beans Substitutions And Variations
- If you don’t have olive oil, you can use canola oil or other neutral flavor. If this is the case, decrease the oil to 2 tablespoons.
- Use any combination of greens, not just one kind.
- If you choose kale, you will need to cook it longer compared to other greens such as swiss chard or escarole.
- Poach Italian sausages in the bean mixture, adding a bit more liquid if the Italian greens and beans get too dry or top with grilled or pan cooked sausages.
How To Serve Italian Greens And Beans
Italian greens and beans are a complete, wholesome meal that is best served with fresh bread. I often make schiacciata (Tuscany’s version of focaccia), which my kids love with this.
To make it even heartier, serve with sausages which can either be cooked separately or poached in the cooking liquid when you add the beans.
How To Store Italian Greens And Beans
Italian greens and beans can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, use a microwave on a medium power, stopping to stir halfway through. If you are reheating for the whole family, reheat over low heat in a heavy bottomed pan, stirring often to keep it from sticking or burning. Add a little water or broth if it gets too dry.
You can freeze Italian greens and beans in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months. When you defrost it, be careful not to mush up the mixture too much.
More Italian Soups: If you love Italian soups, consider making:
Pappa al Pomodoro
Ribollita
Italian Minestrone
Creamy Italian Kale Soup
Italian Greens and Beans
Italian Lentil Soup
Looking for kale recipes? Check out:
Polenta with Cannellini Beans and Kale
Creamy Italian Kale Soup
Italian Kale Salad with Gorgonzola
Tuscan Kale Crostini
Italian Kale Pesto
Creamy Kale Pasta
Popular Tuscan Kale Recipes
Italian Greens and Beans
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes plus more to taste
- 1 large bunch escarole or swiss chard cleaned and with stems removed (about 10-12 oz)
- 2 15-oz cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed (or 30 oz homemade cannellini beans)
- 1 ½ – 2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth (or bean cooking liquid, if you've made your beans from scratch)
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 parmesan cheese rind optional
Instructions
- Clean the greens by soaking them in water and spinning them with a salad spinner. Remove any stalky stems and chop roughly and set aside.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low heat. Peel and smash the garlic. Add it to the oil and let it infuse into the olive oil over low heat for 1 minute, being careful it does not burn. Add the red pepper flakes and let cook for another minute or so.
- Add the greens (you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan) and a generous pinch of salt and gently cook until wilted, anywhere from 2-5 minutes.
- Add the cannellini beans, 1 ½ cups of broth (or bean cooking liquid), the parmesan rind, if using, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and combine. Bring the Italian greens and beans up to a boil, turn down the heat to low and simmer gently until the broth has thickened, anywhere from 8-12 minutes, stirring periodically. While cooking, smash some of the cannellini beans with the back of a wooden spoon or fork, which will create a creamy texture. If it seems to dry, add another ½ cup of broth. Remove the garlic cloves.
- Remove from the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice. Test for seasoning (this will depend on the type of broth you used and its sodium content) and season with salt and pepper accordingly.
- Serve with crusty bread, parmesan cheese, if you like and a hefty guzzle of extra virgin olive oil.
