Kale with White Beans
Last Updated on May 29, 2023 by Heather Reseck
Beans and greens go together in cuisines around the world. Combine these two ordinary foods for a winning combination of flavor, color, and nutrition.
How to Quickly Remove Kale Stems
Grasp the base of the kale stem with one hand. Use the other hand to strip the leaf from the stem, starting at the base of the leaf, tearing off both sides of the stem at once. The stripped stems will look like the ones on the right.
Submerge the leaves in water and swish around to dislodge dirt. Drain in a colander. Chop kale into small pieces, about 1-inch or smaller. You should have about 10-12 cups of chopped kale.
All that kale–one pound–will cook down into about 2 to 2½ cups. Add the beans and you’ll end up with about 4 cups.
Serve these garlicky greens and beans with pasta or a whole grain for a more substantial dish, or over toast for breakfast.
Or make garlicky chard and stir into a bowl of white beans. It’s a beautiful color combination and tasty too.
Kale with White Beans
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 2 bunches kale about 1 pound
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons water
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3-4 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 15-ounce can white or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (1½ cups)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Mince or press garlic and set aside to allow the cancer-fighting compounds to develop.
- Remove the stems from the kale. (See tip.) Submerge the leaves in water and swish around to dislodge dirt. Drain in a colander.
- Chop kale into small pieces, about 1-inch or smaller. You should have about 10-12 cups of chopped kale.
- Place onion and 2 tablespoons water in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Cover, and cook, stirring once or twice, until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the lid. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in 3 tablespoons water, salt, and the greens. Stir constantly until greens start to wilt, about 1 minute. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and cook until tender and water has evaporated, another 1-5 minutes, depending on the desired tenderness.
- Add the additional 1 tablespoon water if needed. Stir in white beans and heat through.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the oil and lemon juice. Season with salt to taste.
- Makes about 4 cups. Makes 4 servings.
