This tasty bowl of simmered beans hits all the right notes for the perfect lunch or dinner. Served with a lemony arugula salad and good crusty grilled bread this dish will leave you feeling completely satisfied.
The ingredients for this recipe are ones that you likely already have, although you may need to take a quick trip to the market to pick up sun-dried tomatoes and arugula.
The sweet-tart flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes adds a welcome burst of flavor so don’t skip them. You can adjust the amount of red chili flakes to your taste, but again, don’t skip these either. They add a hint of heat that adds pop to this dish.
Panko bread crumbs are incredibly useful in so many forms. Here, they are seasoned and crisped up golden brown before adding to the arugula salad.
These creamy beans are best served warm. If you have leftovers, reheat to warm and slather on grilled sourdough bread for a tasty version of crostini which can be topped with arugula.
Creamy Spicy Beans and Greens
4
servingsAdapted from NYT Cooking
Ingredients
5 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium yellow or sweet onion (about 1 cup), finely diced
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/3 cup tomato paste
2 (14 ounce) cans cannellini beans or other creamy white beans, drained and rinsed
2/3 cups half and half
1/2 cup jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino
4 (packed) cups baby arugula, about 3-4 ounces
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest + 4 teaspoons juice
4 thick slices grilled or pan-fried sourdough bread for serving
Directions
- In a medium skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium low heat. Stir in panko, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 2 minutes. Immediately transfer panko to a paper-towel lined plate. Wipe out the skillet.
- Add a 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is softened (adjust heat as necessary to avoid burning the garlic). Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the tomato paste and stir until slightly darkened and mixture is combined, about 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium low. Stir in the beans, half and half, sun-dried tomatoes and 1/2 cup water, and simmer, stirring occasionally until flavors meld, about 3-4 minutes. Add a few more tablespoons water or half and half if the beans need a bit more liquid. Stir in half the cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper or red pepper flakes. Transfer beans to a low sided serving bowl.
- In a medium bowl, toss the arugula with the seasoned panko, lemon zest and juice, plus the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pile greens at the center of the bean mixture. Serve with grilled or pan-fried bread.
