Beans and Greens
Loaded with nutrient-dense vegetables, this greens and beans recipe is almost addicting. The sauce is light and flavorful while the veggies offer a ton of healthy vitamins our bodies crave. Perfect any night of the week, this easy recipe will keep you satisfied and coming back for more.
About this Beans and Greens Recipe
What I love most about this meal is how easy it is to make. You only need one pan, and 40 minutes until you’ll have a delicious dinner. Enjoy this dish with a side of buttery garlic toast. However, a side of pasta would work well too. For a lighter version, skip the bread and pasta entirely.
When prepping this dish, you’ll want to slice the chicken sausage into coins. This makes it easy to eat. Since most chicken sausage is already cooked, you’ll just want to ensure it’s heated through before enjoying it. Alternatively, you could add ground sausage to this recipe as well. However, you’ll need to saute it in a separate pan and drain off any excess fat before adding it to this recipe. Personally, I like using the Italian chicken sausage because it is easier to work with and a little better for you.
This beans and greens recipe makes five light appetizer servings and 3-4 dinner servings. Please see below for the nutritional information. Also, please leave a review if you enjoy this beans dish. I always appreciate hearing your thoughts and feedback on my recipes.
Storage
Save any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through, stirring to ensure the beans don’t dry out.
Can You Freeze Beans n’ Greens?
Yes! You can freeze greens and beans. Like any good comfort food, it freezes well without losing any of its freshness. Since I’m not typically cooking for a large crowd, I will freeze it in individual portions. This allows me to make a large batch of it all at once. Reheating is easy – simply pop it in the microwave until heated through.
If you want to avoid some of the extra condensation that comes from a frozen meal, you can pop it on the stove and stir frequently on low until heated through. As a bonus, this lets some of the flavors infuse extra while it’s coming out of its frozen state. You’ll want to keep the lid off, for this one though – covering it will allow condensation to build up and make the dish a little more watery.
Is This Recipe Healthy?
Yes, greens and beans are a healthy vegetarian side dish or main course. You’re sure to find something you love in this dish, whether it’s the greens or the beans. Not only is this dish heart-healthy thanks to the nutrients found in the greens, but it adds a nutrient-dense vegetarian option to the dinner table that will keep you satiated thanks to the beans. This is also a great option for any home chef that wants a quick and easy dish that will be a hit with the kids, too.
Where Did Greens and Beans Originate?
There’s some argument over where exactly this dish originated. Some will tell you that it originated in the United States, while others talk about its roots in Southern Italy.
In either case, it’s not too hard to pull these two main ingredients together into one delicious dish. Wherever this American-Italian dish originated, it’s no secret that it’s a great comfort food.
There are a million ways to modify this greens dish owing to the many home-made versions, so if you feel a flash of creativity – indulge in it!
Is This Recipe Good to Make Ahead?
Yes, greens and beans are perfect as a make-ahead meal. Not only does it freeze well for long-term storage, which is helpful for meal prepping, but it lasts in the fridge for up to four days easily. The longer you let this dish simmer on the stove, the better the flavors infuse, too – making it the perfect dish to make on a slow Saturday morning in preparation for the week. Typically, I like to make it in large batches so I can portion it out into smaller meals for those days when I’m craving something hearty.
Looking for more delicious meals? Try my homemade wedding soup or my plant-based tofu parmesan. If you put your own creative spin on this dish, let me know in the comments! I’m always looking for a fun new twist on classic comfort foods.
Beans and Greens
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 can diced tomatoes with juice, 15 ounce can
- 1 cup chicken stock , vegetable stock works well too
- 1 can ranchero beans, 15 ounce can, rinsed and drained
- 1 can cannellini beans, 15 ounce can, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 2 links Italian chicken sausage, Smart Chicken brand is delicious, cut into coins
- salt, to taste
- cracked black pepper, to taste
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- 6-8 leaves kale, remove stem, chop into small pieces and massage before adding
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Equipment
- 3.5 quart saute pan
Instructions
- Grab a 3.5-quart sauté pan and place it over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil, butter, diced onion and garlic to the pan.
- Once the onions are translucent, add 1 can of diced tomatoes with the juice.
- Then, add one cup of chicken or vegetable stock.
- Next, you’ll add the rinsed and drained cannellini and ranchero beans. Stir well.
- Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Then, you’ll add the sliced chicken sausage coins, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese. Stir well.
- As a final step, you’ll add the chopped kale. Let everything simmer over medium low heat until the kale is tender.
- Top with remaining parmesan cheese and serve hot.
2 Comments on “Beans and Greens”
Amazing! My family loved this! I definitely will make this again!
Left the chicken sausage out and made it as a side for Easter dinner. It was insanely good! My 18 year old nephew raved about it. I’ll be making this more often!