The Best Escarole And Beans (Scarola E Fagioli)

If you’re looking for an authentic Italian dish to cozy up with, look no further than Escarole and Beans!

Escarole and Beans is an iconic Italian dish of garlicky white beans and leafy greens in a savory chicken broth. Not quite a soup, this brothy dish is often called “Beans and Greens,” or Scarola e Fagioli. Escarole and Beans is a humble dish, a classic Italian peasant food, with a slim ingredient list—much of which comes straight from your pantry shelves. There’s nothing too fancy about Beans and Greens, but that’s the beauty of it.

You can serve it up as a delicious Italian side dish or a lighter entrée. For a heartier meal, add slices of sweet Italian sausage. No dish of Beans and Greens is complete without crusty Italian bread for sopping up with broth.

What is Escarole and Beans?

Escarole and Beans is a classic Italian peasant dish of white beans, leafy greens and chicken broth. Known as “Beans and Greens,” or Scarola e Fagioli, this classic comfort food is super simple to make with just a few ingredients. Extra virgin olive oil is infused with fresh garlic cloves and red pepper flakes. The broth, leafy greens and beans are slowly simmered together in this garlicky oil. The resulting dish is a beautiful, brothy masterpiece.

Why You’ll Love This Escarole And Beans Recipe

You’re going to love this classic Italian dish of Escarole and Beans for a couple of reasons. For one, it’s a super simple dish to whip up. This dish is prepped in just 5 minutes and done in a total of 20 minutes. Not only is it quick to cook up, but Escarole and Beans requires just a few ingredients, many of which can be found in your pantry. The fresh leafy greens and cloves of garlic really give this brothy bean recipe the fresh flavors it needs to shine. In addition to all of the culinary logic here, Greens and Beans are just delicious and filling and ready to warm you up any night of the week. They can be served on their own or with a protein. They can be made with a vegetable broth for a vegetarian entrée or side dish. There are so many ways to love this iconic Italian dish.

The Ingredients You Will Need To Make Escarole And Beans

Escarole: The fresher the escarole the better. These greens hold their shape and flavor when being cooked. It’s the preferred leafy green for this recipe.

Extra virgin olive oil: Always choose a great extra virgin olive oil—preferably one from a single country of origin. For recipes like these (with just a few ingredients), every ingredient counts.

Garlic and red pepper flakes: Up the fresh garlic and the chili pepper flakes to give your Escarole and Beans recipe more of a kick.

Broth: The standard is chicken broth, but for a vegetarian-friendly meal or a Meatless Monday creation, go for the vegetable broth.

Beans: Cannellini beans are a nutty, tender white bean—the perfect addition to this garlicky greens masterpiece.

Seasonings: Salt and pepper this dish to your tastes. We also recommend a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for a salty kick.

How To Make Escarole And Beans

Prep the escarole. Clean and cut the leafy greens into 1-inch strips.

Infuse the oil. Heat the olive oil and add both the fresh garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan. This will infuse the oil with that spicy, garlicky goodness. Discard the cloves after they become golden and fragrant.

Cook the escarole. Add the broth and the escarole to the pan. Simmer together on a medium-high setting for about 15 minutes.

Add the beans. Once the escarole has wilted and become tender, add in the beans. Cook together to marry the flavors.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add some Parmesan for an extra cheesy kick.

Top Tips

Escarole and Beans is a super simple recipe, but here are some tips for preparing the best.

• Be sure to prepare the escarole properly. The leaves are very wavy and can hold a lot of dirt. Cleaning is important.

• Cover the pan while simmering so that the liquid doesn’t evaporate!

• Don’t be afraid to tailor the recipe to your tastes. Add more garlic or spicy red pepper flakes to up the heat. Try slices of Italian sausage to make it a heartier meal.

• This is a dish best served right as it is made. It’s not one of those make-ahead recipes. The texture will suffer upon reheating. Eat it hot!

• Don’t forget to serve with crusty bread. We love Italian bread for this Italian dish. It’s perfect for sopping up the liquid.

Substitutions And Additions

To create a vegetarian dish, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

To make it heartier, serve up with sliced Italian sausage—sweet or hot, it’s up to you.

To give it a more robust flavor, add more garlic and spicy red pepper flakes.

To give it a richer savory flavor, add some pancetta or some type of pork fat.

To add a dimension of salty savory flavor, add anchovies to the garlic when infusing the extra virgin olive oil.

What To Serve With Escarole And Beans

Escarole and Beans can be served on its own as an entrée or a side dish. Any simple grilled or roasted meats are a nice complement. Chicken is a great protein for this purpose. You can also serve these brothy beans over pasta for a heartier meal. Don’t forget to bring out the crusty Italian bread. Bread is a must for this stew-like Italian dish.

Escarole And Beans: FAQ

Is Escarole And Beans Italian? Where Did The Dish Originate From?

Escarole and Beans, also known as Beans and Greens, is a humble Italian (or Italian-American dish) that is said to have originated in the U.S., not Italy. More specifically, this dish seems to have flourished in the immigrant neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. That said, it quite possibly came from Southern Italy, where many of these immigrants are from. But it is all up for debate. Whether here or there, this filling peasant dish is embraced by those all over the world!

What Is Escarole?

Escarole is a leafy green vegetable that is part of the chicory family. In flavor, escarole is pleasantly bitter and earthy. It is leafier than its trendy cousin, kale, with short, broad, wavy leaves. Escarole is sold in bunches at the grocery store, like lettuce, and is used often in Italian dishes like Pasta Fagioli and Italian Wedding Soup. It is great in broths and soups because it cooks down to become tender, but doesn’t get slimy like spinach.

What Does Escarole Taste Like?

Escarole is slightly bitter and earthy. It isn’t as sharp as some of the other bitter greens (endive, radicchio, etc.), but more bitter than, say, Romaine lettuce.

Where Do I Buy Escarole In The Grocery Store And How Do I Store It?

You can find escarole in bunches along with the other leafy greens like collards and kale. To store escarole, keep the fresh bunch wrapped in paper towels in a loosely closed plastic bag in the refrigerator. We recommend the crisper drawer. It can be stored this way for up to 5 days, depending on how fresh it was in the store. Do not wash or prepare the escarole in advance of using it. The moisture will kickstart the degradation process.

How Do I Clean And Cut Escarole?

Cleaning and preparing escarole is easier than you think! Just follow the tips below.

• Remove the outer leaves of the escarole bunch if they aren’t super fresh and crisp. The outer leaves will wilt in the refrigerator in a short amount of time. This is natural.

• Cut the end stem off of the escarole.

• Separate the leaves and then clean them in a colander, as they will collect dirt in their crinkles.

• Once cleaned, drain the leaves well. There is no need to pat the leafy greens dry.

• Chop the leaves depending on your preference or recipe. This Escarole and Beans recipe calls for the escarole to be cut in 1-inch strips.

How Do I Cook Escarole So It’s Not Bitter?

The easiest and quickest way to remove the bitterness from escarole greens is to submerge the leaves in hot water for about 2 minutes. Quickly place the escarole in a bowl with cold water to stop the cooking process. Leave the escarole here for about 5 minutes. This isn’t necessary for this recipe, but if you are very adverse to any bitter flavor, you can try this step before cooking the greens.

Escarole And Bean Soup Vs. Stew - What Is The Difference?

This Beans and Greens recipe can be made with a thicker consistency like a stew or to be more brothy. For a brothier Escarole and Beans dish, just add more broth. This will make it more like a soup. This is the only difference between an Escarole and Bean soup, versus the classic stew-like dish. You may need more seasonings, however, to flavor the broth.

Is Escarole And Beans Healthy For You?

Escarole and Beans is a dish loaded with low-calorie plant protein. Escarole itself is high in fiber, folate and Vitamins A and K. These nutrients support heart health, eyes, skin, reproductive system and bones. Likewise, cannellini beans are an excellent source of nutrition. They are fat free and a great source of folate, fiber, iron and magnesium. The other key player here is the extra virgin olive oil. This heart-healthy pantry essential is part of the famed Mediterranean diet and boasts a number of its own health-boosting properties that you can read about here.

Can I Make This Dish Ahead Of Time?

Unfortunately, no part of this dish is suitable for making ahead. Even washing the greens ahead of time can cause them to degrade quickly. The good news is that the whole dish of Escarole and Beans takes just 20 minutes to prepare, so be sure to make it when you’re ready to enjoy.

The Best Escarole And Beans (Scarola E Fagioli)

• 2 large bunches escarole, thick stems removed and chopped into 1-inch strips
• 3 tablespoons DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can DeLallo Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
• DeLallo Sea Salt Grinder
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. In a large saucepan with a lid, heat olive oil over a medium-high setting. Add smashed garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté until garlic becomes golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Discard cloves.
2. Stir in escarole and broth. Cover and cook together for about 15 minutes, until greens are tender and wilted.
3. Add beans to the pan, stirring to combine. Cook together for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Salt and pepper to taste.

You might also like...

Shop related products...

Shop related products...