Garlicky Mustard Greens and White Beans
The Italian greens-and-beans standard with a peppery twist: mustard greens wilted into sliced garlic and olive oil, simmered briefly with white beans until the pot liquor turns creamy.
Ingredients
serves 4From the garden
- 2 bunchs mustard greens, stems removed, leaves torn
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
From the pantry
- ¼ cup olive oil — plus more for drizzling
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 cans white beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 lemon, half juiced, half cut into wedges
- ½ cup parmesan, shaved or grated (optional)
- crusty bread (optional) — for serving
- salt — to taste
- black pepper
Steps
tap a step to dim it as you go- Warm the olive oil in a wide, deep skillet over medium heat and cook the garlic slices 1–2 minutes until just pale gold — pull back the heat before they brown. Stir in the pepper flakes for 30 seconds.
- Add the mustard greens in big handfuls with a pinch of salt, tossing each batch until it wilts, 3–4 minutes total. Their raw horseradish bite mellows to a gentle pepperiness as they cook.
- Add the beans and stock and simmer 8–10 minutes, mashing a few beans against the pan, until the liquid turns creamy and coats the greens.
- Finish with the lemon juice, season with salt and plenty of black pepper, and serve in shallow bowls with a drizzle of olive oil, parmesan if using, lemon wedges, and bread for the brothy bottom of the bowl.