Tuscan-style Beans and Greens

A Lesson in Beans and Greens, Learned in Tuscany

While working toward my gastronomy degree in Italy, I traveled to Tuscany to try the famous red wines of Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. The trip included a visit to Spannocchia, an agriturismo and magical agrarian utopia in the hills near Siena, where one foggy evening my classmates and I enjoyed what felt like a never-ending meal.
I ate many delicious things that evening, but the one I remember best was a shallow bowl of tender white Sorana beans and onyx ribbons of cavolo nero, Tuscan kale, both soused in olive oil, shining in the candlelight. 

Since that meal, I often simmer a pot of dried white beans with garlic and sage. I throw in a few handfuls of greens for a few moments at the end. Then I ladle up both with a shallow pool of their broth and drizzle them with peppery extra virgin olive oil and a salty snowfall of Pecorino Romano. 

This version is weeknight-quick, thanks to canned beans, but it doesn’t taste like a shortcut. Simmering them in stock adds savory flavor, as do a few finishing touches. The result is a tumble of beans and greens that’s wonderfully pure in its simplicity. Serve with a slab of crusty bread or focaccia and a glass of Chianti, and I promise you’ll understand why the memory of this dish stays with me.

How to Make Beans and Greens 

• Prep the kale and beans. Wash 1 bunch of lacinato kale, remove leaves from central stems, and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. Drain and rinse 2 (14-ounce) cans cannellini beans (or measure 3 cups cooked white beans).
• Sauté aromatics. In a large skillet or Dutch oven set over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil until shimmering. Add 1 small diced onion and sauté until translucent and fragrant but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add 3 sliced garlic cloves, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and 2 sprigs (about 6 leaves) fresh sage; stir for 30 seconds.
• Add the kale. Add the chopped kale to the skillet, stir to coat with the oil and aromatics, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the leaves begin to wilt. Season with a pinch (about 1/2 teaspoon) kosher salt.
• Add the beans. Stir in the drained beans and pour in 1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock or vegetable broth and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and let simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the kale is tender and the beans are warmed through. 
• Finish and serve. Remove from heat. Season with freshly-ground black pepper. Ladle into shallow bowls. Sprinkle each with freshly-grated Grated Pecorino Toscano or Parmigiano-Reggiano and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
  

To Start with Dried Beans

If you have the time, cooking dried beans from scratch for this greens and beans recipe will reward you richly. Though not as fast as canned beans, they are super creamy and hold their shape better than canned beans. What’s more, you’ll end up with velvety bean broth that makes a gorgeous stand-in for the stock. 

Soak 1 pound of dried cannellini beans in water overnight, then drain them and simmer them in 4 cups of either fresh water, chicken stock, or vegetable broth with a few crushed garlic cloves, a few sage sprigs, and a generous pinch of salt until they’re completely tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Use the beans and their broth in place of canned beans and store-bought stock.

Basic cannellini beans are great, but if you can, choose Tuscan Sorana beans or golden Zolfini beans. Both varieties are originally from Italy. They cook up porcelain-smooth and have wonderfully thin, tender skins. 

Recipe Variations: How to Customize Beans and Greens

• Add fennel: Swap the onion for a small bulb of finely diced fennel, or use both. Sautéed in olive oil, fennel softens into something sweet, and it has a natural affinity for white beans and sage that feels deeply Italian.
• Turn up the heat: In place of (or in addition to) the red pepper flakes, drizzle the finished beans and greens with a spoonful of jarred oil-packed Calabrian chili at the end. It adds a tomatoey, immediate heat, but go easy on it! A little goes a long way.
• Stir in sun-dried tomatoes: Add a handful of sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped, along with the beans, or stir in a heaped spoonful of Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto. Either one will add a concentrated tomato flavor that deepens the whole pot and gives the broth a beautiful red-orange color.
• Change up the greens: Lacinato kale is my first choice, but you can use other types of kale, Swiss chard, baby spinach, escarole, and even those “power greens” salad blends will work. Adjust when you add the greens based on how sturdy they are. Use Swiss chard the same way you would kale. Stir more tender escarole, spinach or baby greens in at the very end. 
• Finish with pesto: Right before serving, drizzle a spoonful of basil pesto on top and swirl it through. It adds a hit of fresh herb flavor that makes the whole bowl smell like summer.

Perfect Pairings

• Add crusty bread: Personally, the best pairing for this recipe is rich garlicky focaccia. Because the only carbs in the soup are those in the beans themselves, I think that adding bread here rounds out the meal. 
• Add antipasti: Ribbons of prosciutto or salami, a few slices of creamy fontina, roasted peppers, a wedge of taleggio, or some olives; you could easily serve this recipe as a meal with friends if supported by a few things to nibble on ahead of time. Tangy roasted tomato bruschetta would also be a great way to start. 
• Add something sweet: Never, not once did I have a meal in Italy that didn’t conclude with un caffè—an espresso—but my personal preference is to finish off a meal with a little bite of something sweet. I love baci di dama, little bite-sized cookies filled with chocolate hazelnut spread. Buttery pignoli cookies, with their craggy crown of pine nuts, would also be a sweet way to wrap things up.