Braised White Bean and Fennel Stew

This braised white bean and fennel stew is Mediterranean comfort food at its simplest and best. Creamy cannellini beans simmer low and slow with sweet braised fennel, tomatoes, garlic, and a generous pour of extra virgin olive oil until everything melts together into a rich, velvety stew. A finishing flurry of fresh dill and lemon zest brightens every spoonful, while a drizzle of good olive oil right before serving ties it all together. Built entirely around the pillars of the Mediterranean diet, this dish leans on legumes as the star protein, uses olive oil as the primary fat, and skips meat entirely in favor of deeply savory vegetables and herbs. It's naturally high in fiber and plant protein, low in saturated fat, and endlessly adaptable with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Serve it with a hunk of crusty whole grain bread for dipping, a simple green salad, and a glass of red wine if you like, for a cozy, heart-healthy dinner that tastes like it simmered all day — even though most of the work is hands-off.

Ingredients

• 5 tbspextra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
• 1 largefennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
• 1 mediumyellow onion, diced
• 4 clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
• 1 mediumcarrot, diced
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 1 can (14 oz)crushed tomatoes
• 3 cans (15 oz each)cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cupsvegetable broth, low sodium
• 1 leafbay leaf
• 0.25 tspred pepper flakes, optional, to taste
• 0.25 cupfresh dill, chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 wholelemon, zested and juiced
• 1 tspsalt, plus more to taste
• 0.5 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
• 4 slicescrusty whole grain bread, for serving, optional

Method

No instructions listed.