Recipe

Ree Drummond’s White Beans and Greens

The Food Network star and Oklahoma native shares her solution for a quick winter meal

Recipe by Ree Drummond

January 3, 2024

A red bowl with beans and greens inside topped with bread and cheese. Behind the bowl on the table is a tray with crustry bread and chopped pancetta

Photo: Ed Anderson

Eating this delightful cross between a soup and a stew will make you feel like you have accomplished something in your life. At least for that day. First of all, it’s hearty and comforting. Second, it could be argued that it’s pretty healthy! Third, it’s a super-speedy thing to pull together. Fourth, you can make the (absolutely addictive) croutons while the pot is simmering, so they don’t add any extra time to the process. Fifth, the croutons are doused in butter before they’re baked, so that might negate my second point above about it being pretty healthy. —Excerpted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinner’s Ready!, a new cookbook from Food Network host and author Ree Drummond. Read our interview with Drummond and find more of her recipes here.

Ingredients

White Beans and Greens (Yield: 6 servings)
- 4 oz. chopped pancetta
- 1 medium onion, medium-diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and medium-diced
- 1 celery stalk, medium-diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
- 2 tsp. minced fresh oregano, plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- ½ cup white wine (or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- Two 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups thinly sliced hearty greens (such as kale or collards), stems removed
- 1 small loaf sourdough or ciabatta bread
- 3 tbsp. butter, melted
- Grated white cheddar cheese, for serving
- Red pepper flakes, for serving

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat, then add the pancetta if you’d like. Cook it for a few minutes, until the fat is mostly rendered and the pancetta is slightly crisp. Remove the pancetta and set it aside. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the pan. Stir and cook the vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the wine, scraping the pan to deglaze as you go. Simmer for a few minutes to let the wine reduce by about half, then add the broth. Dump in the beans and greens and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes while you make the croutons.

Bake the croutons: Tear the bread into chunks and place them on a sheet pan. Pour the melted butter on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss with your hands to coat. Bake the croutons for 7 to 8 minutes until they’re golden and crisp around the edges. (Again, these are addictive!)

Season and serve: Taste the beans and adjust the salt and pepper, then dish it up in a bowl. Sprinkle on a little cheddar, some fresh oregano, pepper flakes, and a few pieces of cooked pancetta. Add croutons to the top and dive in!

Excerpted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinner’s Ready! by Ree Drummond. Copyright © 2023 by Ree Drummond. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow Cookbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

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