I’m the first one to extol the virtues of a pot of beans slowly cooked from dried — and particularly the rich, starchy, deeply flavored bean stock that results. (I have been known to call it “liquid gold,” and I stand by that.)
No one but you will know these brothy beans started in a can
Active time:25 mins
Total time:35 mins
Servings:4
Besides, as this recipe from Bri Beaudoin’s “Evergreen Kitchen” proves, there are ways to get more flavor into canned beans. By sauteing garlic and shallot with tomato paste and fresh thyme, you give an aromatic, umami-filled base to vegetable broth. Simmer beans briefly in this liquid, stir in a little miso (for more umami) and Swiss chard, drizzle with olive oil, and you’re done.
The result: brothy beans that taste like they took a lot longer to cook than they did.
Especially when I’m so otherwise busy, that makes these beans the stuff of dreams. I eat them over rice, noodles, roasted potatoes — or, best of all, as a stew with crusty bread.
Shortcut Brothy Beans
Storage Notes: Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for optional drizzling
- 2 large shallots (4 ounces each), thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 5 cloves garlic, pressed or finely grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cups Scrappy Vegetable Broth or store-bought, no-salt-added vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 2 (15-ounce) cans butter or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons white miso (shiro miso)
- 3 cups (5 ounces) packed chopped Swiss chard or spinach
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Grilled crusty bread or focaccia, for serving (optional)
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the shallots and tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the broth, pepper and salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the flavors meld, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, stir to combine, cover and cook until they are warmed through, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the miso until fully dissolved. Stir in the Swiss chard. Taste, and season with more salt as needed.
Drizzle the beans with olive oil, if you’d like, and serve them hot with lemon wedges on the side and bread for dipping, if using.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (1 cup)
Calories: 302; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 711 mg; Carbohydrates: 37 g; Dietary Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 8 g; Protein: 8 g
This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.
Adapted from “Evergreen Kitchen” by Bri Beaudoin (Penguin Canada, 2022).
Tested by Joe Yonan; email questions to voraciously@washpost.com.
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Source: WP
