Italian White Bean And Pasta Stew Plus 40 More Bean Food

ITALIAN PASTA-BEAN STEW

Steps:

• In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, onion, zucchini and pepper flakes; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add tomatoes and broth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 20 minutes.
• Using fork, break up larger pieces of tomato. Stir in pasta. Cover; cook 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir in beans, spinach, basil, vinegar and salt. Cover; let stand 2 minutes. Sprinkle individual servings with Asiago cheese.

ITALIAN PASTA AND BEANS (PASTA FAGGIOLI)

Steps:

• Cook pasta as box instructs, in boiling salted water.
• While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot.
• Add onion, carrot and celery and cook for 15 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add garlic and cook one minute more.
• Add beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and water and heat to boiling over high heat.
• Reduce heat to low-med heat and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes.
• Stir in drained pasta, cheese and parsley and cook until heated through.

CAJUN BEAN AND PASTA STEW

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients in a 2 quart saucepan.
• Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat.
• Cover and simmer 15 minutes, until macaroni is tender.

ITALIAN WHITE BEAN AND SAUSAGE STEW

Steps:

• Soak beans in cold water, 8 hours to overnight.
• Drain beans and set aside.
• Make a cut down the center of each sausage and peel off the casing. Transfer sausage into a dry soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown sausage, while breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Cook and stir until juices start to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan, creating a fond, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add onion and stir to coat in the rendered sausage fat. Cook until onion starts to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add white wine to deglaze the pot. Add black pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and water.
• Add drained beans, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt and continue to simmer until beans are tender, about 30 more minutes. Taste beans to be certain they are perfectly cooked.
• Smash about 1/4 of the beans with a potato masher to give the stew a creamy texture if desired. Stir in chopped kale, increase heat to medium, and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
• Ladle hot soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a pinch of red pepper flakes.