I ate an amazing, white bean stew at a friend’s wedding. This Great Northern bean stew is my best effort at recreating it. It’s a simple, quick, and delicious stew using white beans and some tasty vegetables.
I went to a wedding last weekend and they served some fantastic white beans at the reception. I decided I needed to experiment with some when I got home. So I made this stew with Great Northern beans.
This is the best thing I’ve cooked in weeks.
It took less than 30 minutes and it was an amazing mix of flavors.
Jump to RecipeGreat Northern Bean Stew
Start by putting the mushrooms, greens, and herbs into a big pot. Put a lid on the pot and cook on low until the greens have wilted and the mushrooms have released a lot of their liquid. This should take about ten minutes.
Remove the lid and increase the heat a bit. Continue to cook on medium-low until most of the liquid has evaporated from the pot.
Stir every couple minutes. That prevents the mushrooms from sticking to the bottom of the pan and avoids burning the herbs.
Once the mushrooms and greens are cooked and most of the liquid is gone, add two cans of Great Northern beans and one can of diced tomatoes.
Stir, increase the heat, and keep it on the stove until the beans and tomatoes are hot.
The stew is done.
For serving, I boiled some gnocchi and added it to the pot.
The Gnocchi were really tasty, but they definitely weren’t necessary. Or my healthiest choice.
If you’re eating carbs, you could throw it on top of any pasta, serve it with bread, or pour it over a baked potato.
If you’re currently on the low-carb side of things, you could serve it alongside some fish or a nice, grass-fed piece of steak.
Or just eat it on its own. It’s tasty.
Some Notes
Great Northern Beans
I chose Great Northern beans for a few reasons.
A white bean tends to have a milder flavor that allows the rest of this simple stew to shine.
When we tested Great Northern beans against cannellini bean (another white bean), the Great Northern won in the flavor department. The cannellini beans were a little bland.
You can use whatever bean you want, but I liked the results with Great Northerns.
Canned versions are available at most grocery stores. If you can’t find it, then just use whatever white beans you can find.
Canned vs. Dried
I was hungry and didn’t want to spend an eternity cooking beans. So I went with the canned version.
If you’re motivated and want to cook the beans from scratch, then go for it. They’ll have a little more flavor and a bit of a firmer texture.
I just wanted to eat dinner.
So Tasty
This is the best thing I’ve made in weeks.
It took under 30 minutes from start to finish, including the pasta.
If you like beans, you should give this a try.
Great Northern Bean Stew with Mushrooms, Greens, and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 pound mushrooms sliced
- 2 handfuls greens chopped, see note*
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 15-ounce cans Great Northern beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
Instructions
- Add the oil, mushrooms, greens, soy sauce, and flavorings to a large pot. Put a lid on the pot and cook on low until the greens begin to wilt, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and increase the heat slightly to med-low. Cook until most of the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir every minute or two to prevent sticking.
- Once most of the liquid has evaporated, add the beans and the tomatoes. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until everything is hot. Stir to prevent sticking.
- Serving Suggestions:Serve over rice or pasta.Serve alongside a nice piece of meat.