Herby White Bean Stew
Herby White Bean Stew. So it’s snowing out...like a lot. I don’t exactly love the snowy weather today but this stew kind of makes a snowy Monday night pretty perfect. These beans are super herby, topped with plenty of Parmesan cheese, paired with toasty bread. It’s a simple recipe but it’s a cozy, hearty, feel-good, warm your bones kind of meal. And that’s exactly what’s needed on cold snow day...and maybe a glass of wine because it’s a snow day, you know?!
It’s a snow day here in the North East, and while I might not be the biggest fan of snow, I am all for a cozy soup to make a snowy night seem pretty perfect. We haven’t had too many snowstorms here this winter, for which I am grateful for. But whenever we do get that winter wonderland feeling outside, a cozy meal is totally necessary.
Soup is always our go to on Monday nights especially a snowy Monday night. This one is super hearty and so so delicious. Like I said it’s a simple dish, but I’m a BIG fan of white beans and pretty any soup with white beans so you can probably guess that I love this dish.
The key to this dish is serving it with extra toasty bread, tons of parmesan cheese, and a touch of olive oil and herbs for garnishing. It’s as simple as that, but it totally gets it done for a feel-good, comfort meal.
Ingredients
For Soaking & Cooking the Beans
3 tablespoons salt
4 quarts water
1 pound dried cannellini beans
1 onion; halved
3 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove; smashed
For the Stewy Beans
1/3 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove; minced
2 tablespoons sage; chopped
cooked beans; drained
Salt and pepper to taste
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
Red pepper flakes
Bread, freshly grated Parmesan, and olive oil for serving
Directions
Soak the beans in the water with salt overnight. Drain and rinse.
In a large stock pot add the drained beans onion, thyme, bay leaf and garlic. Cover with water and cook on high heat until boiling. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes until beans are cooked through. Drain removing onion, thyme, bay leaf and garlic.
Meanwhile heat the oil with the garlic and sage until garlic sizzles and starts to brown. Add the beans and combine, stirring for a few minutes. Add the stock a little at a time until you get a good consistency. You may not use all the stock depending on how thick you prefer the soup. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Add red pepper flakes and top with parmesan cheese and extra olive oil. Serve with bread.
