Recipe: White Beans and Greens – Inexpensive, Simple and Powerfully Good

I love the pairing of white beans and greens. When the weather turns chilly, it offers a flavor or sunny southern France or Tuscany. When the pandemic hit, I bought cases of white beans, and let’s just say, we ate a lot of white bean soup and stews as their sell-by dates loomed. Of all the versions I’ve made, this one is my favorite as it can be easily adapted to whatever leftovers you’ve got on hand. It’s a comfort food that’s budget-friendly, good for you and good for those extra bits in your fridge. 

Also, since you can start with canned beans, it doesn’t take long to prepare, either. It’s a terrific way to use up some of your random greens in your crisper drawer, too. I’ve made variations of this soup with just about every vegetable possible, but I always seem to return to the original combination of white beans and dark greens; they just complement each other.

Another tip – if you’ve got some leftover rotisserie chicken or random meats left over from a charcuterie platter, some leftover sausage, ham or even some leftover barbecue such as pulled pork or brisket, chop up a cup or so and add them in for a boost of flavor. 

White Beans and Greens = “Superfood” Combo

But beyond being a strikingly good flavor combination, white beans and greens is a one-two punch of nutrient-dense foods.

White beans, though simple, deliver a strong nutritional boost that has slowly earned a special place in my kitchen. They are full of plant-based protein and fiber, which help repair muscles, support digestion, and keep blood sugar steady, turning each bite into an act of self-care. Packed with important minerals like iron, magnesium, and potassium, these beans offer a humble yet effective boost for both energy and heart health.

Hearty greens like kale and collards remind me of a well-tended garden, inviting us to nourish ourselves with their fresh, earthy flavor. Loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, they help strengthen the immune system, improve skin health, and support proper blood clotting. With an abundance of antioxidants and essential minerals.

This is great with some crusty bread (like this no-knead version). If you don’t have stock in your freezer, check out my guide to making chicken stock or vegetable broth. Both work just fine in this recipe.

White Beans and Greens

A protein-packed nutrient-packed dish for cold winter days and beyond. Like most soups or stews, this is a flexible way to use up leftover vegetables. Use kale, collard or other hearty greens.

But feel free to add in other vegetables, I've used a fistful of leftover green beans sweet potatoes, zucchini. carrots and artichokes. This is the kind of recipes where I use that last bit of the bag of frozen veg. If using cooked vegetables, add them at the end of cooking so they don't overcook.

You can also add a bit of roasted chicken, leftover sausage, charcuterie, pot roast or smoked meats. I most recently made this with the last bits of pulled pork and brisket leftovers from a local BBQ. To avoid overwhelming the dish, don't add more than a cup or so of meat.

I offer this recipe using canned beans for convenience, but you can obviously include dried beans in their place; just simmer them until soft and then commence with the recipe. To make this properly vegetarian, simply swap vegetable stock for chicken.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine French

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

2 tablespoons oil1 medium onion, chopped1 carrot, chopped2 celery stalks, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

1 quart water

1 14 oz. can great northern or cannelloni beans, drained, rinsed

1 14 oz. can chopped and seeded tomatoes, or 2 cups fresh

1 to 2 cups other vegetables

1 tablespoon dried mixed Italian herbs

1/2 teaspoon cayenne or red chili flakes (for heat)

2 cups kale or collard greens, roughly chopped

Salt, ground pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, about three minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the stock, water, beans, tomatoes, vegetables (if raw), herbs, cayenne and pepper and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add greens simmer about 10 minutes. Add soft and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with grated Parmesan and a couple grinds of fresh pepper.

  To make this in an Instant Pot:

  Heat olive oil in the Instant Pot pan on saute. Add onion and cook until soft, about three to five minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the stock, water, beans, tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, cayenne, pepper and any other add-ins such as meats into a pressure cook for 7 minutes. It can stay on warm for at least an hour. Serve with grated cheese and fresh pepper.

Keyword beans, budget friendly, greens, kale, soup, vegetarian

This post was originally published in February 2009, and was updated in 2025. It may contain affiliate links.