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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Comments
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Hi Jen, I am making this recipe again ( and again) because it is a tried and true favorite. My only quibble is that your embedded ad/recipe video can’t be turned off or closed. When I try to hit “close” or the stop play button the I am redirected to the first photo of the pan on this page. I then have to go back to recipe page and the cycle starts again, and I invariably get a message that this page is using significant power…. any suggestions? I am using a Mac Safari browser.
Thank you
Rochelle
Rochelle, thanks for your feedback about this and for giving a detailed description of what you’re experiencing; that definitely should not be happening and I will report it to my ad network. I’m sorry for any frustration. (I wish I didn’t have to have any ads at all…it’s a balance between user experience and the high cost of running a site. Thanks again for the feedback.)
Can I make this in the morning, and then reheat on the stove for dinner that night?
Sure!
All your recipes are delicious, but I think this is my favorite! It is everything I love in a recipe – vegetarian with some good protein (when you use vegetable broth instead), easy, and freezes and reheats beautifully! Also love that I end up with no “leftover” ingredients – as I’m not much of a cook I hate it when I end up needing half a bunch of carrots, or only a few scallions, because then the rest inevitably go bad. The only substitution I make is to use dried spices instead of fresh, and rosemary instead of mint as other reviewers recommended. Just made another batch to go in my freezer, for some easy lunches to bring to work!
Soo, I soaked my dried navy beans overnight. Then, ended up having to cook this thing for hours, to get the beans to soften. What did I do wrong?
Hi Kitt, Sorry to hear you had a problem with the beans. After soaking them overnight and cooking them for an extended period, they should have definitely softened, so that’s a bit of a head-scratcher. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
Your beans may have not been very fresh. A pressure cooker is the only way to be sure they will cook perfectly every time. That is my life experience of cooking beans.
Delicious and easy to make!
Add 1/2 cup more broth, then add 8 oz of cooked ditalini pasta and you will have a rustic version of pasta Fazoola. Don’t forget the grated cheese 🧀.
I’m always looking for great bean recipes, and this one is easy and satisfying. Yum!
This recipe is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! Not to mention the fact that it is vegan (assuming you use vegetable stock, instead of chicken). I serve it with toasted bread, and I *highly* recommend adding arugula when it is cooking!
These were delicious! I soaked my beans overnight and cooked them in the instapot with a my homemade chicken stock, bay leaf and half of an onion. I roasted my tomatoes just like another reviewer had suggested. My daughter, who is 6, ate seconds. I omitted the mint just for our preference. I know this one will become one of my staples!
I LOVE this recipe! SO simple and SO tasty! The balsamic vinegar adds a irresistible tang!
My son went vegetarian while he was away at university, so I’ve been looking for more meatless recipes that even my confirmed carnivore husband will eat.
I’m so happy to have found Once Upon a Chef – everything I’ve made has turned out beautifully! It’s a relief to find internet recipes that are professionally written, dependably tested and delicious.
I didn’t change a thing for this recipe and it’s perfect as is. I love it on its own or served on a bed of spinach (or with a green side salad). I’ll even serve it with pasta for my carb-loving girls, and as a side with fish or chicken for the carnivores. My absolute favourite.