At the end of a long day, it’s hard to find the energy to make a nutritious meal (we get it!). Inspired by our fiber-loving pal Dr. Will Bulsiewicz (@theguthealthmd), these super nourishing beans and greens combine two of our favorite budget-friendly foods in a quick and easy dish!
While delicious on its own, we recommend pairing with grains or protein for a satisfying meal! Savory, comforting, and just 8 ingredients, 30 minutes, and 1 pan required. Let us show you how it’s done!
Why Beans and Greens?
This combo is a no-brainer! Beans are a delicious source of complex carbs, protein, and fiber, while leafy greens add more fiber, PLUS some serious vitamin and mineral superpowers. Together they make a wholesome and healthful dish full of nutrient-dense, gut-loving goodness! We’re into it.
How to Make Beans and Greens
Okay, so we know it’s good for you, big whoop! But does it taste good? Heck ya! First things first, shallots and garlic sauté in olive oil with red pepper flakes for a savory and subtly spicy base. Next, the greens arrive at the flavor party and get cookin’!
Then it’s bean time! This recipe uses white beans for their buttery, soft texture and neutral flavor, but almost any bean would work well.
After combining the beans and greens, water and lemon juice are added so the flavors can meld and everything can lightly simmer and soften. And that’s it!
We hope you LOVE these beans and greens! They’re:
Savory
Wholesome
Quick & easy
Nourishing
Versatile
& SO satisfying!
They make a delicious light meal on their own but are also perfect for pairing with grains like quinoa or rice or a protein like Crispy Baked Tofu with Italian Herbs, Lemon Baked Salmon, or Easy Baked Chicken Breasts.
More Nourishing Recipes
- Nourishing Curried Lentil & Sweet Potato Bowl
- Chicken Noodle Soup (Classic or Immune-Boosting!)
- Easy Vegan Picadillo (Cuban-Inspired)
- 1-Pot Everyday Lentil Soup
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Super Nourishing Beans & Greens (1 Pan!)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 large shallot, finely diced (1 large shallot yields ~3/4 cup or 120 g)
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (omit or reduce if not a fan of spice)
- 1 bunch chard or other greens of choice, chopped (1 bunch yields ~5 cups or 200 g // mustard greens, kale, or collards would all work)
- 1 (15 oz.) can white beans (butter beans or cannellini), drained and rinsed
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4-1 cup filtered water
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or a large rimmed skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallot and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant and translucent. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1 more minute.
- Return the heat to medium and add the chopped chard (or greens of choice). Toss to coat the greens in the oil and distribute the shallot and garlic. Once the greens are just beginning to wilt, add the white beans and salt and stir to combine.
- Add the water and lemon juice then cover and simmer for 15-25 minutes, until the greens are tender, the beans have softened, and the mixture is a bit saucy but most of the water has evaporated. Add more water and cover as needed to achieve the desired consistency of your greens and beans.
Sarah says
Yum! I added some quinoa and chicken broth after cooking the onion and garlic, then followed the rest of the instructions after the quinoa had cooked. Delicious, and all in one pot! Loved this healthy recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sarah! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
C. Jones says
I made this recipe with collard greens and it was absolutely delicious! I love that it was so tasty with few ingredients to give it good flavor!
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Katy says
Made this for lunch today and it really hit the spot. I used all the ingredients listed. I had rainbow chard on hand. I threw in a few anchovies while the shallots were sautéing. For added heat and flavor I added a teaspoon each of chili onion oil and veggie better than bullion. And shout out to the person who recommended halloumi cheese – I had some sitting around my freezer. I sliced that up and threw into my grill pan and served on top of the greens/beans. Ate the whole thing over some pasta. What a lovely, decadent, AND nutritious lunch!!
Lovely! That sounds delicious, Katy! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
John says
Found this to be a delicious meal, the best part is that it can function as a great base that you can customize however you want. I used spinach and added a bit of cumin and hot sauce.
Thanks for a great recipe.
Yum! Thanks so much for the great review, John!
Emily says
With an abundance of rainbow chard in my garden I made this for dinner. It was delicious and oh so easy. A big winner. Have put it on the menu for a dinner I’m hosting in a few weeks!
Yay! Thanks so much for the wonderful review, Emily!
Jim says
Super
Nicole says
Made this with a small bunch of chard and supplemented with baby spinach. Used water, not vegetable broth, and it was delicious and flavorful. Served over half of a gluten-free everything bagel with an over-easy egg on top. Super easy for a weeknight meal!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nicole. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Christie Stafford says
Hi! I was curious if you could share an adaptation for an Instant Pot for this?
Hi Christie, we haven’t made this in the instant pot, but we do have smoky instant pot black eyed peas and greens, if you’re interested!
JJ says
At least for me, the simplest meals have always turned out the best, and this is one of the best. For a recipe with comparatively short ingredient list, I really appreciated the flavor profile. I’m a slow cook and I made this on a work night, stress free (thank you).
I’ll echo the other reviews and say that this recipe benefits from substituting veggie broth for the water. Other than that, no changes needed.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Megan says
This was so scrumptious. I had it with bread and used veggie broth instead of water. Perfect recipe size for one person, it gave me dinner and lunch the next day!
Woohoo! Thanks for the wonderful review, Megan. So glad you enjoyed!
Ivy says
So easy to make, and super healthy! It tasted okay but mild (I used spinach and butter beans). I might add some tomatoes and more onion next time just to add more flavour. It paired very nicely with rice but would also be great on its own!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ivy! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Dayna White says
When I made this I added Thai green chilies and leek, because I needed to use them soon and wow. Totally killer. I also added a Splash of cashew cream and topped it with some fried halloumi. 10/10.
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Dayna!
Meghan says
I made this just wanting to be healthy + up my greens and I was so pleasantly surprised with the depth of flavor and how much I enjoyed it! Excellent way to get in a variety of greens! Truly enjoyed and will make again both as a main dish served over a grain or a side dish.
Yay! Thanks so much, Meghan, we’re so glad you enjoyed!
Linny says
Thank you for this healthy and delicious simple recipe. We are new to the vegan life but you make it all easy and worthwhile. We feel like we aren’t missing anything. My husband and I certainly didn’t miss any meat in this recipe ❤️
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Linny! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Lisa says
Perfect dish for a cold winter day. I’ve made this recipe twice already (double batch both times). I added sliced cherry tomatoes as suggested by another commenter. And, as suggested by MB, I added the greens towards the end of cooking so they could wilt and get soft but still keep their vibrant color. I used kale for the greens and vegetable broth instead of water. Love this recipe! It’s tasty and very versatile.
We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Lisa! Thank you for sharing! xo
Lori Barber says
This was so good (and easy)! I altered a little by adding mushrooms to the shallots then followed the recipe as written. I ate it straight from the bowl, no rice etc was needed!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Lori!
Jan Spahn says
This was soooooo good! I used frozen kale and it had bits of stem in it which weren’t all that appealing (365 Whole Foods brand) so won’t use that again but I def will be making this again! Thank you for a very tasty dish MB❣️
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Jan. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Jan says
Forgot to leave a 5 star review for this recipe. Made it again last night with fresh chard and chicken bone broth. There were no leftovers! Yum!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jan. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Kate says
This was delicious- something about it is so satisfying. I’ve made it twice in a week, exactly as written, using rainbow chard and Northern Beans, then adding some pre-cooked chicken once and some avocado the next time. It’s amazing to me how such simple ingredients can make such a flavorful and almost addicting flavor.
We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Kate. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Rachel says
Delicious and super easy! My husband will be able to make this by himself next time. I served it with brown rice. First recipe we’ve made recently where we both were saying we would definitely eat it again.
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review, Rachel!
JB says
This is an awesome quick/balanced meal. I try to base my weekly meals on food items that I’ve purchased at a discount due to a close sell-by date, so this was perfect as this week I had tons of Chinese broccoli to use up. I also had some fresh mushrooms and thyme, so I popped those in too which was a nice addition. I served it with some vegetarian Parmesan. Yum :)
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications!
Ashley says
Yummy and simple! I made a couple subs with what I had— black eyed peas + kale, and added a handful of cherry tomatoes too. I served it with cornbread and it was delish! So comforting!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Ashley!
Eugenia says
I just made this today and used chicken bone broth instead of water for a bit more flavor and protein. It came out amazing! It is deliscious, healthy, so easy to make, and comes together in less than half an hour. I am definitely making this again. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Eugenia. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
noelle collura says
I made this recipe last night. Tasty and nourishing but visually different than the picture. After simmer for 20 minutes the greens are completely wilted, cooked down, and almost brown in color. With the long cook time, the beautiful green/red color of the greens was completely lost (not like in the pic!). Did I do something wrong?
Hi Noelle, sorry to hear the color wasn’t as appetizing, but glad you enjoyed the flavor! What type of greens did you use? That can make a difference. Another idea would be to cook for less time or add some extra greens toward the end of the cook time for extra vibrancy!
Nancy says
This was very tasty! I used cannellini beans and swiss chard and served it over brown jasmine rice. I’m looking forward to trying different beans and greens. Thanks for the recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nancy. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Margarita says
Delish! And super easy. Perfect for New Year’s Day. Since I’m in Texas, I used black-eyed peas instead of navy beans. Topped with sliced cherry tomatoes. Now that I know I like it, I’ll double the recipe next time.
Thank you.
Yay! Thanks for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Margarita!
Debby says
This will be our new go-to comfort food. So tasty and so easy! We didn’t need to add anything more because the beans make this dish so filling.
Love it! Thanks so much for the great review, Debby!
Hannah says
This was fabulous! I substituted with what I had- purple onion for shallots, and black beans for cannellini. I put it over cooked farro and topped with fried eggs and green chili sauce. I’m so glad I made a big batch because I will be eating it for breakfast tomorrow! The family liked it too, so I will be mkaing this again. Thanks so much!
That sounds extra amazing! Thank you for sharing, Hannah! xo
Anne says
Delicious ! I made it over baked potatoes and couldn’t find chard so used baby spinach instead and put a little bouillon powder in with the water. Completely tasty and super quick and easy weekend meal!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Anne!
Hilary Jones says
Looks amazing! Would it work with tofu instead of beans?
Hi Hilary, we haven’t tried it with tofu! The textures will be different and it will probably taste a little less creamy. Let us know if you try it though!
Susan says
Do you think this recipe would work with beet greens?
Hi Susan, beet greens have a stronger flavor that not everyone enjoys, but they should cook similarly! If you don’t love the flavor of beet greens, we’d recommend using half beet greens and half kale or chard. Hope that helps!
Julie Redl says
Looks yummy!
I don’t think “While delicious on its own, we recommend pairing with grains or protein for a satisfying meal! ” is a necessary comment, as it reinforces the myth that vegans are low on protein in their diet as well as the myth that foods need to be combined to make a “complete protein” (i.e. needing to add grains to this bean dish).
Hi Julie, we find it’s not very filling on its own (it’s only 230 calories per serving), but if you’d prefer to pair with something else, go for it!
Shannon Spalding says
Would I be able to sub Black eyed peas in this? It looks so amazing and want to try it for my new years dish ❤️
Hi Shannon, yes, canned black eyed peas would work similarly! Or homemade if cooking them first. We also have a black eyed peas & greens recipe here. Hope that helps!