Description
This hearty, vegetarian White Bean Stew combines hearty comfort food with bright spring flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb. dried white beans (such as navy beans), soaked overnight, drained
- 4 cups best quality vegetable broth such as Aneto Natural Vegetable Broth
- 1 onion, trimmed, peeled, halved through core
- 3 ribs celery, trimmed, halved
- 1 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 head of garlic, halved
- 1 bay leaf
- 2” piece of parmesan cheese rind
- 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
- ¾ cup parsley leaves with tender stems
- ¾ cup basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill leaves
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- bunch medium-size asparagus, woody stems removed and discarded, tips trimmed and reserved and tender stems sliced into 1/4 inch thick coins
- 1 10-oz. bag frozen peas, thawed
- Freshly ground pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste
- Garnishes: thinly sliced radishes, lemon wedges, grated parmesan cheese, toasted sourdough bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place white beans in a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottom pot with a lid. Add vegetable broth, 4 cups of water, onion, celery, mushrooms, garlic head, bay leaf and parmesan cheese rind. Add one tablespoon of salt. Place pot on stovetop over high heat and bring to a simmer. Cover pot with lid and transfer to oven.
- Bake beans in the oven until they are creamy and tender but still in tact, about 1 hour. Remove pot from the oven and use tongs to discard the onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf and parmesan rind. Leave pot on stovetop until shortly before serving time.
- Meanwhile, make the pesto: combine parsley leaves, basil, dill, lemon zest, garlic clove and 1 teaspoon of salt in a food processor. Turn on food processor and slowly drizzle olive oil into the mixture in a stream. Pulse until herbs are evenly chopped and combined.
- Just before serving, return beans to a simmer on the stovetop over medium heat. Add peas and asparagus and cook until they are bright green and just barely tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste generously with salt, freshly ground pepper and red pepper flakes (if desired).
- Serve stew garnished with a dollop of pesto, radish slices, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and toasted sourdough bread, as desired.
Keywords: Spring, Stew, Soup, White Beans, Vegetarian