Meatless Monday: Tuscan Kale and White Bean Stew with Breadcrumb Topping

This entry was posted on Jan 11, 2016 by Charlotte Bell.
meatless mondayMeatless Monday: Savory Kale, Mushroom and White Bean Stew

Soups and stews are my wintertime go-tos. I love being able to make a meal and enjoy it again later after the flavors have integrated. Soups and stews fit that bill perfectly.

Today’s recipe, Tuscan White Bean Stew with Breadcrumb Topping, is warm and savory, but I especially enjoyed the crunch of the breadcrumb topping. I used Great Harvest Multigrain Sourdough bread, but of course you could use any type of bread that suits you, including gluten-free bread. If you are vegan, you can omit the butter and Parmesan cheese.

Because I don’t have a shallow Dutch oven, I transferred the stew into a baking dish in order to broil the topping. It worked out quite well. When I reheated the leftovers in the oven the following day, the consistency was less like a stew and more like a casserole. Both times we ate it, it tasted great.

I found this recipe in Vegetarian Times.

Tuscan Kale and White Bean Stew with Breadcrumb Topping

Serves 4

30 minutes or fewer

This quick riff on an Italian classic gets multi-layered flavors from mushrooms, garlic, and a splash of lemon.
  • meatless monday1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
  • 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered (2 cups) (I substituted shiitakes.)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
  • 2 bunches Tuscan kale, stemmed, torn into bite-size pieces (8 cups)
  • 1 15.5-oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice

1. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and 2 tsp. oil in small bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil and butter in large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms; increase heat to medium-high. Stir, cover pan, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until mushrooms are lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

3. Uncover pan, add garlic, and stir 30 seconds. Add kale, and cook 2 minutes, or until wilted. Add beans, broth, and 3/4 cup water. Cover, and simmer 6 to 8 minutes, or until liquid has reduced by about three-quarters. Stir in 1 tsp. lemon juice, and remove from heat. Add 1 more tsp. lemon juice, if desired.

4. Heat broiler to high. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over stew, and broil 3 minutes, or until topping is golden.

October 2014 p.26

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About Charlotte Bell
Charlotte Bell discovered yoga in 1982 and began teaching in 1986. Charlotte is the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice and Yoga for Meditators, both published by Rodmell Press. Her third book is titled Hip-Healthy Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Guide to Protecting the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Pain (Shambhala Publications). She writes a monthly column for CATALYST Magazine and serves as editor for Yoga U Online. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte plays oboe and English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony and folk sextet Red Rock Rondo, whose DVD won two Emmy awards in 2010.

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