Cannellini Bean and Escarole Stew

Cannellini Bean and Escarole Stew

Mia

This rustic Cannellini Bean and Escarole Stew is a beloved staple of Tuscan cuisine, where simple, wholesome ingredients transform into deeply satisfying comfort food. The creamy cannellini beans provide a rich, velvety base while the slightly bitter escarole adds a sophisticated counterpoint that perfectly balances the sweetness of tomatoes and the aromatic depth of garlic. This is cucina povera at its finest—peasant cooking that proves humble ingredients can create extraordinary flavor.

The beauty of this stew lies in its simplicity and the way each component enhances the others. As the escarole wilts into the fragrant broth, it releases its earthy, slightly peppery notes, while the beans break down just enough to thicken the liquid into a silky, spoonable consistency. A generous shower of Parmesan cheese adds a salty, umami punch that ties everything together, while crusty whole grain bread serves as the perfect vehicle for soaking up every last drop.

This one-pot wonder exemplifies the Mediterranean diet's emphasis on plant-based proteins, healthy fats, and abundant vegetables. It's the kind of dish that Italian nonnas have been making for generations—economical, nourishing, and deeply comforting. Whether you're looking for a warming weeknight dinner or a soul-soothing meal on a chilly evening, this stew delivers authentic Tuscan flavor with minimal effort and maximum satisfaction.

Nutrition

40 minutes
None servings
285 calories
Fat 9.50g
Carbs 38.00g
Protein 13.00g

Ingredients

3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
1 mediumyellow onion, diced
5 clovesgarlic cloves, minced
1/2 tspred pepper flakes
1 can (14.5 oz)canned diced tomatoes, with juices
4 cupsvegetable broth
2 cans (15 oz each)cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 large head (about 1 lb)escarole, roughly chopped
2 sprigsfresh rosemary
1 tspsalt
1/2 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cupParmesan cheese, freshly grated
6 sliceswhole grain bread, toasted
2 tbspextra virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)

Equipment

Cutting board
measuring spoons
measuring cups
wooden spoon or spatula
ladle
chef's knife
can opener
colander
toaster or toaster oven
large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
grater for Parmesan

16:8 Diet

This nutrient-dense stew is ideal for the 16:8 eating window, providing sustained energy from complex carbohydrates in beans and whole grains, plant-based protein, fiber-rich vegetables, and healthy fats to maintain satiety during the fasting period.

80/20 Diet

This recipe fits the 80/20 principle with over 80% of ingredients being nutrient-dense whole foods (beans, escarole, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, whole grain bread) while allowing the modest indulgence of Parmesan cheese for flavor and satisfaction.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

This stew is rich in anti-inflammatory ingredients including extra virgin olive oil, garlic, leafy greens (escarole), fiber-rich legumes, and anti-inflammatory herbs like rosemary, while avoiding refined sugars, processed foods, and unhealthy fats.

Clean Eating

This recipe exemplifies clean eating with whole, minimally processed ingredients including fresh vegetables, canned beans (a pantry staple), extra virgin olive oil, whole grain bread, and real Parmesan cheese—no artificial additives, preservatives, or refined ingredients.

Daniel Fast

This recipe is Daniel Fast compliant when the Parmesan cheese is omitted, featuring only whole, unprocessed plant-based ingredients including cannellini beans, escarole, tomatoes, whole grains, olive oil, and herbs—with no animal products, refined sugars, or leavened bread if using unleavened alternatives.

Diabetic Diet

This recipe supports blood sugar management with low-glycemic cannellini beans providing steady energy release, high fiber content from beans and vegetables to slow glucose absorption, and balanced macronutrients with controlled portions of whole grain bread.

Flexitarian Diet

This recipe perfectly embodies flexitarian principles with its plant-based foundation of cannellini beans, escarole, and whole grains as the stars, while using Parmesan cheese as a supporting ingredient to add flavor rather than as the main focus.

Gluten-Free Diet

This recipe is naturally gluten-free when using gluten-free whole grain bread or omitting the bread entirely, as the stew itself contains only beans, vegetables, olive oil, and naturally gluten-free ingredients with no wheat, barley, or rye.

Heart-Healthy Diet

This heart-healthy stew features extra virgin olive oil for monounsaturated fats, fiber-rich cannellini beans to help lower cholesterol, abundant vegetables, whole grains, and minimal saturated fat—all supporting cardiovascular health while being naturally low in sodium when using low-sodium broth.

High-Fiber Diet

This stew is exceptionally high in dietary fiber, providing substantial amounts from cannellini beans (approximately 6-8g per cup), escarole, whole grain bread, and tomatoes—easily delivering 8-12g of fiber per serving to support digestive health.

Intermittent Fasting

This nutrient-dense stew is ideal for eating windows during intermittent fasting, providing sustained energy from complex carbohydrates in beans, high fiber content, plant-based protein, and healthy fats from olive oil to promote satiety throughout fasting periods.

Intuitive Eating

This satisfying stew supports intuitive eating principles by offering a balanced, nourishing meal that honors both taste and nutrition, featuring wholesome ingredients that provide satiety and pleasure without restriction or guilt-inducing language.

Mayo Clinic Diet

This stew follows Mayo Clinic Diet guidelines with its emphasis on vegetables (escarole, tomatoes), plant-based protein from legumes, whole grain bread, and healthy fats from olive oil, while avoiding processed foods and excessive saturated fats.

Mediterranean Diet

This recipe exemplifies Mediterranean Diet principles with its foundation of extra virgin olive oil, cannellini beans as plant-based protein, abundant vegetables (escarole), whole grain bread, and moderate use of Parmesan cheese. It emphasizes legumes, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats while avoiding processed ingredients and red meat.

MIND Diet

This recipe aligns with MIND Diet principles by featuring brain-healthy ingredients including leafy greens (escarole), beans (cannellini), whole grains, olive oil as the primary fat, and abundant vegetables, while limiting cheese to a moderate amount.

Mindful Eating

This recipe encourages mindful eating through its varied textures (creamy beans, tender escarole, crusty bread), aromatic depth from garlic and rosemary, and visual appeal, inviting slow, conscious consumption and sensory appreciation of whole, minimally processed ingredients.

Plant-Based Diet

This recipe is plant-based compliant when the Parmesan cheese is omitted or replaced with nutritional yeast, featuring cannellini beans for protein, escarole and tomatoes for vegetables, whole grain bread, and healthy fats from olive oil—all whole, minimally processed plant foods.

Vegan Diet

This stew becomes fully vegan by simply omitting the Parmesan cheese or substituting with nutritional yeast, while maintaining all the hearty flavors from cannellini beans, escarole, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs—providing complete plant-based nutrition with protein from legumes.

Vegetarian Diet

This vegetarian-friendly recipe features cannellini beans as the primary protein source, abundant vegetables, whole grains, and Parmesan cheese, with no meat, poultry, fish, or seafood—making it a complete and satisfying plant-forward meal.

Weight Watchers

This recipe aligns with Weight Watchers principles by emphasizing plant-based protein from cannellini beans, abundant non-starchy vegetables (escarole), whole grain bread in controlled portions, and minimal added fats, creating a satisfying yet nutrient-dense meal.

Instructions

1
2 min

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.

2
6 min

Add the diced onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5-6 minutes.

3
1 min

Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pot. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant.

4
4 min

Pour in the canned diced tomatoes with their juices, stirring to combine with the aromatics. Cook for 3-4 minutes, allowing the tomatoes to break down slightly.

5

Add the vegetable broth, drained cannellini beans, and fresh rosemary sprigs to the pot. Stir well to combine all ingredients.

1 min
6
3 min

Increase heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer.

7

Add the chopped escarole to the pot in batches if necessary, stirring as it wilts down to make room for more. This should take about 2-3 minutes total.

3 min
8

Season the stew with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir well to distribute the seasonings.

9
15 min

Continue simmering the stew uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the escarole is tender and the flavors have melded together. The broth should thicken slightly.

10

Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs. Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.

1 min
11

Ladle the hot stew into individual bowls. Top each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and an optional drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

1 min
12

Serve immediately with toasted whole grain bread on the side for dipping into the flavorful broth.

Frequently Asked Questions