This recipe for brothy beans and greens recipe is an easy weeknight dinner recipe dream come true. It’s so easy to make and loaded with simple pantry staples.
If you’ve been following me for any period of time, you’ll know I’m a bean fiend and specifically, brothy beans! They’re my go-to quick, cheap, and easy meal.
This brothy beans and greens recipe is just that: super easy to make with not too much prep. The only things you have to prep for this recipe are:
- Onion
- Celery
- Zucchini
- Fresh basil or parsley
For this recipe, I rely on dry herbs to do the heavy lifting for flavor. To really amp up this dish, I use Taurus Mountain Thyme and Green Garlic Scapes, both of which are available to buy in my shop!
You can use your favorite dry or fresh thyme and you can use garlic powder in place of the dry garlic scapes. You can also mince fresh garlic instead or even use a spoonful of pre-minced garlic from the jar! This easy dinner recipe is all about being, well, easy…and un-fussy, so use whatever is easiest for you!
How to make brothy beans and greens:
First, prepare your ingredients. Dice the onion and celery and then dice the zucchini and mince the basil and set it aside.
Next, sauté the onion and celery. Add butter and once it’s bubbly and frothy, add the dry herbs along with crushed red pepper. Let the herbs bloom in the hot butter for about 45 seconds or until fragrant.
From there, simply add the beans and toss them to coat. Add water or stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta.
Once the pasta is a few minutes under al dente, add the zucchini, basil, and greens and continue cooking until the pasta is done.
Protip: If you’re not a fan of pasta swelling, cook the pasta separately and store it separately in the fridge. Simply combine when reheating!
That is it. It is SO easy to make and so flavorful. I know you’re going to love this one!
Looking for more vegetarian recipes? Check my archives!
If you made this brothy beans and greens recipe, please rate the recipe below and leave a comment to tell me how you liked it! If you take a picture of it, please tag me on Instagram so I can feature you in my feed!
Brothy Beans and Greens
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- 4 ribs celery trimmed and diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons Taurus mountain thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoons dry green garlic scapes or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Crushed red pepper to taste
- 15- ounce can of white beans drained and rinsed
- 8 cups of water or vegetable stock
- 8 ounces dry ditalini or use acini di pepe, pearl couscous, or another small pasta shape
- 2 small zucchini trimmed and diced
- .5 ounces basil leaves minced
- 5 ounces greens like baby kale, spinach, arugula, or a mix
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice optional, for serving
Instructions
Cook the aromatics:
- Heat the oil in a wide pot over medium-high. Add the onion and celery and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until they begin to soften.
Bloom the spices:
- Melt the butter into the onion and celery. Once bubbly, add the thyme, garlic scapes or powder, and crushed red pepper. Let the spices sizzle in the butter for 45 seconds or until fragrant, and then toss to coat the vegetables.
Simmer the beans:
- Pour in the water or stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, add the ditalini, and continue cooking for 8 minutes or until just shy of al dente.
Finish the beans and greens:
- Add the diced zucchini, minced basil, and greens to the pot and simmer over low heat for 5–10 minutes or until the zucchini is softened and the greens are wilted, and the pasta is al dente—taste and season once more to your preferences. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Ladle the beans and greens into shallow bowls. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a splash of lemon juice, if you like. Enjoy!
Is the garlic powder substitution for 1 1/2 teaspoons dry green garlic scapes also supposed to be 1 1/2 teaspoons? That seems a lot for a substitution of something that supposedly has a mild garlic flavor.
You’re correct! I’ve fixed the recipe. Thank you for flagging!
This is really good! I didn’t have fresh basil available so swapped in some dried instead, and I drizzled my bowls with a little red wine vinegar instead of lemon. I’m a big fan of your other brothy beans recipe, but wanted to try this one to get a few more veggies in. Very happy at the prospect of all my leftovers this week, and will make again!