Italian Greens and Beans Recipe Escarole

5 from 5 votes

This simple, satisfying soup with beans, escarole and creamy cannellini beans is fragrant, comforting & so delicious!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time28

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 332kcal

Author: Paige

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
1 large Shallot, chopped fine about a ½ cup chopped
3 cloves Garlic, fresh, crushed
1 bunch Escarole, washed, outside leaves and stem removed, chopped into 1-2" pieces
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon Pepper, freshly ground
2 cans Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed approx. 14-15 ounce cans
1 tablespoon Miso, white or yellow, mellow
¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 32 ounce container Vegetable Broth, low sodium if possible
1 Juice of one small Lemon, seeds removed
2 tablespoons Olive Oil, for serving
2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, for serving

Add the olive oil and butter to the dutch oven or soup pot and add the chopped shallots, cook for 3- 5 minutes on medium heat until the shallots look soft and translucent. Add the garlic and stir and cook for another minute.
Add the chopped escarole to the pot with the salt and pepper, stir to combine. Let this cook down for 3-5 minutes, then add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, miso, pepper flakes, the vegetable broth and the juice of one small lemon.
Stir occasionally on medium heat at a low simmer for 15-18 minutes.
Taste the soup at this point with a clean spoon and see if it needs more salt. Add another ¼ teaspoon if you prefer.
The soup is ready when the foam on the top subsides, about 18-20 minutes.
Serve this soup with grated Parmesan Cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

If you've never used miso paste, it gives any soup you make just a wonderful, deep flavor that makes it taste like it's been cooking all day, without the cooking part. Use mellow white or yellow miso, and find it in the cold section of the grocery store. It's worth seeking out!
That said, if you can't find miso or don't want to, add a reduced sodium vegetable bullion cube instead.
Fresh lemon takes the bitterness out of the escarole, and gives a fantastic balance of flavor to this soup!
If you have a rind of Parmesan cheese laying around, add it to the pot for even more flavor!
Use homemade chicken stock instead of vegetable broth if you prefer.