Creamy, savory and satisfying, white beans braised in a generous quantity of olive oil and Harissa make for a delicious weeknight vegetarian meal.
We used our favorite Royal Corona Beans from Rancho Gordo (available for purchase in our Oakland and Albany retail shops), but any white bean will do, such as cannellini.
Wilt your favorite variety of greens into this dish, such as mustard greens, baby kale, spinach or collard greens.
You can use Harissa Powder or a prepared Harissa Paste (see our quick recipe). Store-bought Harissa pastes vary quite a bit in heat level, so it's worth starting small and tasting as you go.
The heat level of this recipe is mild to medium, but you can increase the quantity of Harissa for a spicier dish. Or serve with a small bowl of the Harissa paste at the table for garnish.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if desired and spoon onto slices of good crusty bread.
Braised White Beans and Greens with Harissa
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
1 white or yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon flake salt
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons Harissa Paste or 1 tablespoon Harissa Powder
½ cup dry white wine
3 cups cooked white beans (such as cannellini), or 2 cans of white beans
2 cups vegetable stock
4 cups chopped greens, such as mustard greens, baby kale or spinach
Juice of half a lemon
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions:
Heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add onion. Sauté until golden brown, about 7 or 8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary to avoid burning. Add Harissa, salt and garlic; cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Add wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add beans, stock and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook on low, covered, until the beans are becoming soft and creamy, about 20-30 minutes. If you like more of a stew consistency, smash some of the beans with the back of your spoon. Add greens and simmer until tender, about 5-10 minutes depending on the heartiness of the greens you use.
Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parmesan and serve with crusty bread.
Who would think that a recipe of beans and greens could be so elegant. This is yummy—prepared exactly as the recipe says. I’m inclined to serve it to guests. I would also take it to any potluck.
Just made this with the Harissa paste recipe. Doubled the recipe. Used spinach. Perfect meal! Also served over rice. Yum. Tossed in some veggies sausage too. Everyone enjoyed it
Hi Valeria, thanks for the comment! You’ll want to use cooked white beans, cooked however you prefer. I tend not to soak my beans (including Rancho Gordo), but I know many people who prefer to presoak.
If using Gordo dried beans .. wouldn’t you soak first?
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Angela
November 01, 2022
Simple yet absolutely delicious! I also used your Harissa Paste recipe, which was easy and worth the extra bit of effort. I would say there’s no need to measure or chop your greens-just tear into bite-size pieces and add as much/little as you feel like. And if you cook your own beans, you can use the bean broth mixed with a bit of miso & bouillon for the stock.