This escarole and beans recipe is the perfect side dish. Leafy escarole is boiled, and then sautéed with beans and garlic. The result is a hearty dish that pairs well with red meat, or eggs, or is a filling dish all on its own.
My mom makes escarole and beans quite often, and my nonna in Italy makes it too (pretty sure that’s where my mom got the recipe)! So that’s how I got the idea to make this recipe for the blog. I saw the escarole at my favorite produce store and the idea to make escarole and beans came to me right away. Escarole and beans is exactly what it sounds like – a dish that combines escarole and beans (and olive oil and garlic). That’s it. 4 ingredients. But the ingredients work so well together. It’s a simple dish, one that gets almost creamy from the cooked beans. It makes for a hearty side dish at dinner, or is amazing topped with poached eggs to make a great one-bowl dish.
Here’s a little more information on escarole:
What is Escarole?
Escarole is a dark, leafy green that is part of the chicory family, which means it’s related to greens like radicchio and endive, but its appearance resembles a head of romaine lettuce. Escarole is not common in North American cooking, but instead more common in Italian cooking.
What Does Escarole Look Like?
Escarole looks a lot like lettuce, romaine lettuce or green-leaf lettuce specifically. It has broad outer leaves that are large and dark in color, and become smaller and lighter in color towards the center. Its leaves are smooth, and not curly.
What Does Escarole Taste Like?
Since escarole is part of the chicory family (which includes endive and radicchio), it does have a slight bitter taste to it, but it’s not as bitter as its other endive family members like radicchio or belgian endive. Boiling the endive will remove it of any bitter taste, and in fact, in this escarole and beans recipe, the endive is boiled, so it’s not bitter at all.
When Is Escarole in Season?
Escarole can be grown year-round, but it’s typically associated with and sold in the colder, winter months.
Are Romaine and Escarole the same thing?
They may look very similar, but no, escarole and romaine lettuce are not the same thing. Romaine lettuce is harder and crunchier than escarole, and is more adapt to be eaten raw. Escarole can be eaten raw (especially the sweeter center of the head of escarole), but it’s more commonly cooked down, like in this escarole and beans dish.
How to Make Escarole and Beans – Step by Step
Fill a large pot with water (to fit the escarole), and with the lid on, bring it to a boil (photo 1)
Add the escarole to the boiling water along with a pinch of salt (photo 2), and with the lid off, boil escarole until tender. About 6-8 minutes.
Just before the water for the escarole starts to boil, on medium heat, heat the olive oil in a large pan. Once olive oil is hot, add garlic and sauté until fragrant (photo 3)
Add beans and liquid from the can of beans and cook beans until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste (photo 4)
Once escarole is cooked, drain it well in a colander (photo 5)
Add the escarole to the pan with the beans and garlic, and cook all ingredients together for about 5 minutes. Add more salt and pepper if needed (photo 6)
Plate, and finish with additional olive oil and chili flakes if desired.
Extra Tips to Make this Escarole and Beans Recipe:
- Cannellini beans or red kidney beans both work really well in this dish. It’s a matter of personal preference; I like both and it just depends on what I have in my pantry!
- Don’t skip out on the liquid from the canned beans. It adds so much flavor to the dish.
- The amount of escarole listed in the recipe (2 heads of escarole, or 16 cups!) may sound like a lot but once it’s boiled, it will reduce greatly in size and volume.
More Healthy Recipes You Might Like:
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4-Ingredient Escarole and Beans
This escarole and beans recipe is the perfect side dish. Leafy escarole is sautéed with beans and garlic. The result is a hearty dish that pairs well with red meat, or eggs, or is a filling dish all on its own.
Ingredients
- 16 cups chopped and washed escarole (cut into bite-size pieces) about 2 heads escarole
- 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more to garnish
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/4 cup canned beans, rinsed I suggest to use cannellini beans or red kidney beans
- 4 tbsp reserved liquid from the canned beans
- salt and pepper to taste
- (optional) chili flakes for garnish
Instructions
Fill a large pot with water (to fit the escarole), and with the lid on, bring it to a boil.
Add the escarole to the boiling water along with a pinch of salt, and with the lid off, boil escarole until tender. About 6-8 minutes.
Just before the water for the escarole starts to boil, on medium heat, heat the olive oil in a large pan. Once olive oil is hot, add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add beans and liquid from the can of beans and cook beans until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste.
Once escarole is cooked, drain it well in a colander.
Add the escarole to the pan with the beans and garlic, and cook all ingredients together for about 5 minutes. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
Plate, and finish with additional olive oil and chili flakes if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Cannellini beans or red kidney beans both work really well in this dish. It's a matter of personal preference; I like both and it just depends on what I have in my pantry!
- Don't skip out on the liquid from the canned beans. It adds so much flavor to the dish.
- The amount of escarole listed in the recipe (2 heads of escarole, or 16 cups!) may sound like a lot but once it's boiled, it will reduce greatly in size and volume.
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