Buttery White Beans with Miso & Spring Greens
Spring is finally here at Tumbleweed Farm! After months of relying on storage crops, freezer veggies and lots of meat, we can finally have some fresh ingredients from the 2021 season! Damn it feels good!
This meal (yes, I’m calling this bowl of beans a complete meal) has so much flavor with minimal ingredients that I feel like I’m somehow missing something. But the truth is, between the creamy beans, butter, miso and fresh greens this bowl is jam packed with all of my favorite combinations. Everything is locally sourced including the miso paste which I’ve fallen in love with over the past few years. Jorinji Miso is a Portland based company run by Earnest Migaki, who is a third generation Japanese American born and raised in Portland, OR and his wife Yuri Migaki, who is Japanese and moved to Portland in 2015. The back story of how Jorinji Miso came about is really touching and you can read about it here.
The beans I used in this recipe are from my go-to Sungold Farm– based in Forest Grove, OR. I love their beans because they’re fresh and have the best texture. I didn’t realize how old and stale beans could be (especially from the bulk bins at the grocery store) until I found Sungold. Of course, any white bean you can get your hands on will work but be mindful that cooking times will very depending on the freshness of your beans. As a side note, you can whip up your beans in advance to make this weeknight meal a breeze to prepare. The beans are the only time consuming part but it’s all hands off time and SO worth it.
I love serving this bowl of beans with a hard or soft boiled egg and a slice of toasted sourdough bread. You can even top your bread with the beans for a hearty slice of fancy toast. However you choose to serve these beans just know they won’t last long. This combination is awesome!
Happy spring eating everyone!
Buttery White Beans with Miso & Spring Greens
Prep Time: 8 hours Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 4
- 1 cup dried white beans (cannellini, navy, Great Northern or butter beans)
- warm water for soaking
- 2 Tablespoons white miso
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- handful of microgreens, pea shoots, arugula, spinach or any other fresh spring greens
- 3-4 radishes, thinly sliced
- hard or soft boiled eggs for serving
- olive oil for drizzling
- squeeze of fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar for finishing
Preparation
- Cover the beans with warm water by about 2 inches. Leave in a warmish spot in your kitchen anywhere from 8-24 hours. Drain and rinse the beans and place in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 2-3 hours or until cooked. Check the beans every 30 minutes and add more water as necessary.
- In a small bowl whisk together the miso with 1/4 cup of water until dissolved.
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and starts to foam add the garlic and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often for about 1 minute. Add the cooked beans and toss to coat them in the garlic and pepper flakes. Pour in the miso mixture and give the pot a good stir. Keep on low heat until the beans are warmed through and the flavors have had a chance to meld together. About 5 minutes. If the mixture gets too dry add a splash of water.
- Meanwhile prepare your eggs your favorite way. I cook mine in boiling water for 7 minutes. Remove, drain and rinse under cold water before peeling.
- Remove the beans from the heat and toss in the greens and radishes. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice or a dash of red wine vinegar. Serve with eggs and a pinch more of crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
Use this recipe as a guide and adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. Adapted from the NYT cooking blog
This dish was so delicious! I’ve been struggling to feel inspired with cooking recently, and this recipe full came along at just the right time. Radishes are my favorite vegetable, so any recipe that calls for them will always catch my attention. I was surprised at how flavorful this was, especially given how little work was required. I will absolutely make again! I’m glad I just restocked my bean supply.
This dish was so delicious! I’ve been struggling to feel inspired with cooking recently, and this recipe came along at just the right time. Radishes are my favorite vegetable, so any recipe that calls for them will always catch my attention. I was surprised at how flavorful this was, especially given how little work was required. I will absolutely make again! I’m glad I just restocked my bean supply.
This one is delicious! I am always happy to see my favorite veg — radishes — incorporated into recipes, and this one comes at a time when I am lacking inspiration in the kitchen. I was knocked over by how flavorful these beans are, yet so simple and minimally effortful that I’ll likely be able to make the recipe from memory in the future. I’m glad I just restocked my bean stash!
Well I feel silly — the comment page kept glitching and I didn’t think the posts were going through. I do think this recipe was good enough to warrant three thumbs up! (But feel free to delete excess comments, Andrea.)
You’re all good!! So glad you loved this!!
This has been my favorite new spring dish, it’s so delicious and easy. It was a great way to use some fresh duck eggs and a new (to me) local breed of beans.
I even made it for a dinner party upgraded with your deviled egg recipe (instead of soft boiled) and got so many delightful nummy sounds and compliments. Thanks Andrea!
Just made this – phenomenal