White Bean Ragout
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Searching for a meatless main that doesn’t compromise on flavor? This hearty white bean ragout is the answer.
If you’re trying to incorporate more meatless main dishes into your dinner routine, this garlicky ragout of white beans and cherry tomatoes is just the ticket. A ragout is a hearty French stew that can be either meat-based or vegetarian, and this veggie version is packed with vibrant summer flavor and freshness. Whether you use dried beans, soaked and cooked until tender, or canned beans for convenience, the result is delicious. Serve as a main dish with warm garlic bread to soak up the broth, or as a side to grilled chicken, grilled flank steak, or cedar plank salmon.
“I LOVE this recipe! SO simple and SO tasty!”
What You’ll Need To Make White Bean Ragout
- Olive Oil: Adds richness and helps sauté the onions and garlic.
- Onions And Garlic: Contribute a blend of sweetness and savory depth.
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Add a burst of sweetness and acidity.
- Cannellini Beans: The foundation of the dish, providing a creamy texture and hearty base. I suggest using dried beans if time allows (see recipe note).
- Chicken or Vegetable Broth: Adds moisture and depth to the sauce. Make sure to use the low-sodium variety of either type of broth.
- Tomato Paste: Intensifies the tomato flavor and thickens the sauce.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Adds a subtle tangy sweetness and depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Fresh Basil and Mint: Provide a bright and summery herbal note and a pop of color.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions.
Cook the onions, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown. Add the garlic and cook one minute more.
Add the tomatoes, beans, chicken broth, tomato paste, and balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a simmer and cook until tomatoes are slightly softened but still hold their shape, 3 to 5 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Right before serving, add the fresh basil and mint.
Stir to combine.
Transfer to serving dish, garnish with more fresh herbs if desired, and serve hot.
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White Bean Ragout
Searching for a meatless main that doesn’t compromise on flavor? This hearty white bean ragout is the answer.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ cups chopped yellow onions, from one large or two small onions
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ pound dried cannellini beans, soaked and cooked or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed (see notes)
- 1½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1½ teaspoons tomato paste
- 1½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute more. Do not brown.
- Add the tomatoes, beans, chicken broth, tomato paste, and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I use about 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, but it depends on what type of beans you use; canned will have some salt already.) Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until tomatoes are slightly softened but still hold their shape, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Note that the sauce may have a pronounced vinegar flavor initially, but it will mellow out. Right before serving, stir in the fresh basil and mint. Transfer to serving dish, garnish with more fresh herbs if desired, and serve hot.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This dish can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop before serving.
- Note: I suggest using dried beans if you can—they're easy to cook and offer a better texture—but canned beans will work fine in a pinch. Just be sure to use a brand you're familiar with. I've had good results with Goya, but others, particularly some organic brands, can be mushy because they don't contain firming agents. If you want beans with a nice bite and wish to avoid additives, soaking and cooking the beans yourself is the best option.
- To soak and cook dried cannellini beans: Rinse 1 cup of dried cannellini beans under cold water. Place them in a large bowl and cover with water by at least 2 inches. Let them soak for at least 8 hours or overnight (they will expand). Drain and rinse the beans before cooking. In a large pot, add the soaked beans and cover with fresh water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 1 to 3 hours, or until the beans are tender. Add more water if necessary to keep the beans submerged. Drain the cooked beans and they are ready to use.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 263
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Sugar: 8g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 11g
- Sodium: 37mg
- Cholesterol: 0mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I am not familiar with cannellini beans. Suggestions please?
Hi Andrea, Cannellini beans look like white kidney beans. They should be easy to find, but if not you can substitute Great Northern Beans.
Quick question – what is the best way to cook the dried beans. Haven’t done it before and when I looked online, I have found varying cook times – I don’t want them to get too mushy.
Thanks for putting this recipe together!! 🙂
Hi Tracy, In my experience, cannellini beans take about an hour to cook (after being soaked overnight). Keep the heat as low as possible so they don’t split and get mushy.
I’m new here too. Recipe sounds great. I may try rosemary instead of mint since that’s what I have on hand
Welcome! Rosemary will be delicious.
I just found your website, and I love the recipes I have tried so far. This one looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it.
So nice to hear, Carol. Please let me know how it turns out!
Please remember NOT to call a dish vegetarian if it has chicken broth in it. Chicken is not a vegetable.
Otherwise, sounds delish and will try it with vegetable broth or even water and seasonings.
My fault, Anne. I meant to write chicken or vegetable broth in the ingredient list. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
No problem, I’m married to a strict vegetarian so I’m hyper aware. A local restaurant waiter once greeted us (at a carefully pre-arranged birthday feast) by saying…”oh, you’re the vegetarian…would you prefer the fish or chicken?”
I, on the other hand, am an omnivore.
I bet the combination of flavors in this are out of this world. Can’t wait to try it!
Sounds great. Do you know if this would freeze well? Would be great to have some in individual containers for lunches.
Thanks
I do think it’d freeze well. Hope you enjoy!
Will definitely try this. Sounds great. I’ll just use a sprinkling of olive oil in the pan. You don’t say how much and I’m sure it doesn’t really matter
Oops! It’s a 1/4 cup. I’ll fix that…sorry!
Can’t wait to try this one and will make corned bread or muffins to go with. Yum!!!!
OMGOSH I just can’t wait to try this! How perfect for garden-grown tomatoes, mint and basil. And I happen to have grown them all! Yahoo!! Thanks so much for this terrific recipe!