This is a thick skillet dish rather than a soup: white beans simmer in tomato with softened fennel, garlic, and a little stock. Serve it with toasted bread or spoon it over polenta. The fennel should be sliced thinly so it softens evenly.
Serves: 4
Prep: 12 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock or water
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 cups chopped kale, optional
- 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
- Toasted bread, to serve
Method
- Warm the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, beans, stock, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If using kale, fold it in and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until tender. Stir in the vinegar and taste for seasoning.
- Serve warm with toasted bread. For a creamier texture, gently mash a few beans against the side of the skillet before serving.
Variations
Use baby spinach instead of kale and stir it in just before the vinegar. Replace the fennel with two sliced celery stalks if you prefer a milder flavor. Add a little extra water if the skillet becomes thicker than you like.
Storage and reheating
Cool and refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container, then use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until steaming; add a splash of water if the beans have thickened.
The pantry-first meal planning guide and fridge-first meal planning guide can help you choose what to cook next. Keep track of staples in the Lucru Home pantry.
