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4.95 from 35 votes

Easy Italian White Bean Stew

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 ounces bacon or ham, diced small about 4 strips of bacon
  • 1.5 cups yellow onion, diced about 1/2 medium onion
  • 1 cup celery, diced about 2 stalks
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp crushed chili flakes
  • a splash of white wine (if you have some open, you can omit) about 3-4 tbsp is a splash to me...
  • 2 [15-ounce] cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed (no salt added) cannellini beans + white kidney beans work here as a sub
  • 1 [32-ounce] carton of vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 1 parmesan cheese rind
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary you can sub 1 fresh sprig of rosemary if you have it!
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tsp kosher salt, or more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, or more to taste
  • 3 cups baby spinach you can omit this if you don't have it.
  • juice of 1 lemon about 2 tablespoons

Optional, for serving:

  • grated parmesan cheese
  • flat leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions

  • Heat a dutch oven (or large soup pot) over medium heat.
  • Add the olive oil and bacon and cook, stirring, until the bacon is almost cooked, 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the onion, celery, garlic, and chili flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the white wine and continue to cook, stirring and scraping up any of the browned bits on the bottom, until the wine has reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the beans, broth, cheese rind, rosemary, oregano, bay leaf, lemon zest, salt, and pepper and bring contents to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a light simmer (about medium-low heat), cover, and cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in spinach, if using, and the juice of a lemon. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Continue to cook, uncovered and simmering, for about 5 more minutes.
  • Serve in bowls and top with a tiny drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of grated parmesan and parsley. Enjoy.