This rustic Tuscan bean side dish is deliciously creamy and loaded with both flavor and nutrition! It whips up pretty quickly too. Get some chicken or steak on the grill while you prepare this, and before you know it you’ll have a lovely weeknight meal ready to enjoy.
The following serves 4 (compliments of This Girl’s Gotta Eat):
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Pinch kosher salt to taste
- 1 (8 oz) package sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup of low-sodium, reduced-fat beef stock
- Kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced in half
- 2-3 oz fontina cheese, cubed (you want to use fontina because it melts really well)
- Fresh parsley, chopped
In a medium saucepan, heat a few Tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to soften, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring, a minute or so. Add rosemary, red pepper flakes and just a pinch of salt. Next add the mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, stock, olives and cheese. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cheese will melt nicely into the stock, creating a nice creamy dish.
Meanwhile in a large saute pan, heat some oil and saute kale until wilted and cooked, 5-10 minutes. You can make as much as you like, I filled the pan (remember it shrinks when it cooks). Transfer sautéed kale to the beans and finish cooking together the final 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Dish out beans, top with parsley and enjoy alongside a protein of your choice. I served with grilled chicken breasts.
This Girl’s Gotta Eat! 
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