Want to add more beans into your repertoire? Well, this dish may be one you want to try. It behaves like a baked “pasta” but without any gluten or gluten free pasta in sight!
This recipe comes from the cookbook, Cook This Book by Molly Baz who has a big following on social, but is new to me. I borrowed the book from the library and this recipe really appealed. When my cook group’s theme of “comfort food” was announced for our last meeting, I thought this was the perfect dish to bring along. A healthy-ish twist on mac and cheese. I’m in.
I say healthy-ish because there are two ingredients, heavy cream and 8 ounces of cheese in the recipe, but with all the greens and beans to offset the indulgent ingredients, I am good with that!
My friends really enjoyed this dish and it’s indulgent enough that it will fit into your game day menu either as a side dish or to offer to your vegetarian friends. I promise it will be a hit.
One note – I did not care for the way Molly wrote the recipe which was a bit convoluted so I have rewritten it in my hand and hope the directions are clear. It’s pretty easy to put together actually and lots of swaps are available for your greens and cheese.
I used Eden brand Butter Beans (pictured below) which are a white bean that is less dense and slightly larger than a cannelini bean. They are also readily available in the supermarket. I opted for broccolini and spinach for my greens, but broccoli rabe can be used and any other hearty green like kale, swiss chard or even mustard greens. I chose Gruyere for my cheese of choice, but feel free to use a sharp provolone or a nice cheddar.
One more note, I made the recipe through the addition of the beans ahead of time due to my schedule. Before I left for my friend’s house, I added the cream, cheese and breadcrumb topping and placed in the oven for the required cooking time. It worked really well. I considered placing all of the ingredients in a shallow baking dish, rather than keeping them in the Dutch oven called for, but I think having a deeper casserole allowed the stems of the broccolini to cook through if that makes sense.
I can’t wait to eat the leftovers! PS – I did and they reheated really well. My husband had a big serving for his lunch too.
Step one, toast panko breadcrumbs in olive oil until lightly browned. Step two, saute one onion until softened and slightly browned and then add 8 garlic cloves that are coarsely chopped. Add in broccolini and then spinach along with salt and red pepper flakes. The teaspoon of red pepper flakes does make the dish a little spicy which is a nice balance to the richness of the other ingredients but feel free to cut back if you’d rather…
Add the butter beans. This is where I stopped the recipe and placed the pot in my fridge until before serving. Next step is to add heavy cream and cheese and mix until combined. Top with an extra sprinkling of cheese and the toasted breadcrumbs and place in a 450 degree oven for 25 minutes…
The final result…
Before the recipe, here are some ideas for your Super Bowl noshing!
Skinny Cheesesteak Skillet for Eagles Fans!
Slow Cooker Turkey Ragu with Penne
One Pot Spicy Chicken and Rice
Amy’s Smoked Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
Until next time. Enjoy!
This recipe is adapted from Cook This Book by Molly Baz. I used broccolini, spinach and Gruyere in my version. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced in half moons
- 1 bunch broccolini or broccoli rabe, about 12 ounces, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 bunch kale, swiss chard or spinach (about 1 pound). If using kale or chard, strip the leaves and tear them into 3-4 inch pieces
- 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (sharp provolone or cheddar also work)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- Kosher salt
- 3, 15 ounce cans butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (you can adjust if you prefer less spice)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 cup panko and season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the panko is light golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the panko to a bowl to cool. Wipe out the Dutch oven.
- Heat 1/4 olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add the garlic and stir constantly for about a minute.
- Lower the heat and add the broccolini to the onions and cook, tossing often to encourage it to cook down and wilt, about 1 minute. Add the kale or spinach, 1 Tablespoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the greens turn bright green and lose some of their volume, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in 2 cups heavy cream and the drained beans. The mixture will look loose but will reduce significantly in the oven as it bakes.
- Working one handful at a time, stir in all but one large handful of the grated cheese into the pot. It won't fully melt at this point; that will happen in the oven.
- Scatter the reserved handful of cheese over the top, followed by the toasted panko. Transfer the Dutch oven to the oven and bake until bubbling and thick and a golden brown crust forms around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Val, These beans are delish! Also, thank you for all the great Kitchen Scout Super Bowl ideas !