Braised White Beans and Greens With Parmesan Recipe (2025)

Discarding those stalks from the chard is such a miss. Think of chard as two vegetables in one - the stalk and the leaf. Cut them out {fold the leaf in half lengthwise and cut along the length of stalk to free the stalk from the leaf} and dice the stalks, then add to the onions and fennel to sauté.

Celery or leeks are a good sub for fennel and given the way this recipe is made I'd go with leeks for a more mild flavor profile. Celery is better as a substitute for raw fennel.

Gosh. This is about the most delicious bean dish I've made. No: it's the most delicious using canned beans. Living alone I need a few ways to use up leftovers so here are my plans: 1) add more stock and turn into soup, 2) drain some in a sieve overnight in fridge and smash into a ciabatta bun for lunch, 3) reheat and serve with a poached egg and baguette toast points.

It’s not a NYT recipe until there are hundreds of readers posting their spin on it, but here I am..! Just had to mention how easy and efficient this meal was. Had almost every single ingredient chilling in the refrigerator (post-galentine’s day) - ALL I had to pay was 55p for a baguette! Added (here we go..) some bacon for a fat/protein element and went easy on the seasoning and cheese. The lemon juice tied it all together. Yet another go to recipe in my NYT archives.

Don't be afraid to use other greens; dandelion, turnip, beet, collard, arugula, and foraged wild greens (Lamb's quarters, purslane, sorrel, chickweed, etc.) in the spring. This recipe is descended from "la cucina povera," the no-waste, make use of limited resources, use what you have on hand, "poor cooking."

I've been making this dish for 30 years. I like to add a little Arugula in for flavor. Puree any leftovers, makes a great dip!

This was great! I used chard and omitted the mozzarella.This recipe doesn't make four servings unless you're feeding toddlers or supermodels. At my house it made two generous adult servings. Next time I'll double it.

Adding bacon for protein makes as much sense as adding extra salt for the iodine.

What could you sub in for fennel? My family and I don't care for it... Thank you!

Add lemon zest as well as the juice for extra flavor.

I loved that the recipe included fennel--cooking it changes the flavor from when it is raw--it was such a flavor enhancer. I had both kale and spinach, & added both, so we had 2 different greens--one substantial & one tender. My husband loved the contrast. I cooked up my own cannellini beans, rather than using canned & they kept their shape well. I added some preserved lemon because I didn't have any fresh lemons, and that really added great flavor. Will make again!

I love almost all NYT recipes but this is one of the best. Full of flavor and healthy. We didn't change a thing.

Delicious and easy. Wonderful lunch! I sautéed a little pancetta and sprinkled on top. Also chopped up some fennel fronds and added a shallot and some green onions. Skipped the mozz. in the soup. If you want, rub the bread with olive oil and garlic, toast, top with cheese and pop under broiler. Then float the cheesy toast in the soup. I’ll double the recipe next time.

Not sure why recipes call for discarding (or simply not using) the Swiss chard stems. They can be trimmed and diced and added with the fennel and onion. Or replace the fennel altogether. Great choice for a Meatless Monday, although it's screaming out for pancetta or bacon or sausage.

Made this vegan for my girlfriend. Subbed in red onion, dried Rosemary, great northern beans, and finished with white balsamic because I ran out of lemons. She said it was her in her top 5 things I’ve ever made for her. Easy and Italian inspired weeknight dinner or side. Loved!

Easy, very tasty, healthy, hearty. The fennel, lemon and mozzarella add very nice dimensions.

The fresh fennel I used was tasteless. I added a TBSP or more fennel seed and lots of fresh lemon juice, significantly improving the flavor. I blended the beans into a smooth, creamy soup, adding the cooked kale afterward. I like this fresh take on bean soup instead of ones that reek of animal carcasses and bacon fat.

Cooked sausage first and removed. Kept 1c of beans out of dish

IT’S PERFECT.

We are long-time Beans au Vin fans, but I must admit this is equal or even slightly better! Made as described other than garlic omission, this is a fantastic dish. Enjoy.

This was really good made it with navy beans if cooked from dry, so the beans fell apart more than in the picture, but the flavors were so good. Definitely on the make it again list.

I always give recipes the benefit of the doubt and make them as written the first time. This recipe managed to take two things that are good on their own (chard and cannellini beans) and combine them in such a way that it ruined both of them. This was watery and bland and had an unappetizing consistency. I will not be making it again, even with "tweaks."

Add bay leaf. Takes longer to reduce than the recipe says.

This is a great recipe as written, but it’s an amazing recipe for dried beans and I’ve made it almost weekly for more than a year. Usually I soak the beans overnight, sauté the aromatics, fennel is the key, add the drained, soaked beans and water and cook in the slow cooker for 4 hrs on low. Sometimes I’ve forgotten the rosemary, sometimes I leave out the Parmesan to make them vegan. They bring in a pretty penny at bake sales “world’s best white beans” is what they’re called around town.

Ugh, this is SO GOOD. A weekly staple in my house and the leftovers make for a lunch I'm actually excited to eat. Love it!

Love this kind of recipe. To my fellow readers, don’t quibble about exactly following the recipe, it’s not necessary. It’s flexible and the sooner you learn that about cooking, the more you’ll enjoy it instead of agonizing over how many grams a small onion is. I used half a large red onion and escarole and put in too much black pepper which hardly mattered. Love these kinds of “cucina povera” recipes as one reader rightly called it. So easy, so flexible, so yummy. Also, meat is superfluous.

Omg! This dish was fantastic! Definitely making it again!😋

This is an amazing dish. I've made it several times, including as written. I almost invariably get charring when I'm trying to wilt the greens. A generous splash of white wine deglazes that and adds an incredible depth to this dish. Using dried beans is nice too but obviously adds a ton of time. I sometimes use a mix of Great Northern and cranberry beans. It's honestly so good so many different ways.

I made it as written but added some thyme which brought it over the top.

This has received a prize spot in family dinner rotation. I like to serve it with al dente rigatoni for something very similar to a recipe from my French family. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!