20-Minute Creamy Garlic White Bean & Spinach Skillet
A luscious, fast weeknight skillet featuring tender cannellini beans simmered in a velvety garlic-infused cream sauce with wilted baby spinach, parmesan, and a bright touch of fresh lemon.
Ingredients
- •2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- •1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- •1 medium shallot, finely diced
- •6 garlic cloves, finely minced
- •1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- •0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- •2 cans cannellini beans (15 oz each), rinsed and drained
- •0.5 cup low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
- •0.75 cup heavy cream
- •5 oz fresh baby spinach
- •0.5 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
- •1 teaspoon lemon zest
- •1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- • to taste kosher salt
- • to taste freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- 1.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat until the butter is melted and foaming.
- 2.
Add the diced shallot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, chopped thyme, and red pepper flakes, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant without letting the garlic brown.
- 3.
Pour in the broth and heavy cream, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- 4.
Add the drained cannellini beans to the skillet. Using the back of a fork or potato masher, gently crush about a quarter of the beans directly in the pan to release starches and naturally thicken the sauce.
- 5.
Simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly reduced and creamy.
- 6.
Add the fresh baby spinach in two batches, stirring until the leaves are just wilted and tender, about 2 minutes.
- 7.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice until smooth and fully incorporated. Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, then serve immediately.
Tips
- 💡Mashing a small handful of the cannellini beans releases natural starches, giving the sauce an exceptionally rich and velvety texture without adding flour.
- 💡Serve alongside thick slices of warm, toasted crusty sourdough or garlic bread for dipping into the creamy sauce.
- 💡For a dairy-free variation, substitute full-fat canned coconut milk or cashew cream for the heavy cream and use nutritional yeast in place of parmesan.
Recipe from TheCookbook.ai
Created by Basil Roux