This is not your ordinary side dish. It’s rich, hearty and {mostly} good for you. I say mostly because I used a secret ingredient that is the antithesis of healthy, but it’s so good. Braised Kale with White Beans and Tomato is a luscious, unctuous braise that’s perfect for holiday roasts like lamb, beef or pork, but equally good with a rotisserie chicken!
This dish takes a little planning, but only because you need to soak the beans. I put them in a pot covered with water overnight and they’re ready to go the next day. A low simmer will bring them to a tender, creamy texture. Just be sure to taste a bean to make sure its completely cooked. Depending on how long you’ve had them, dried beans can take from 1 hour to 3 hours to soften up. Generally, navy beans are small enough to only require about 1 1/2-2 hours to achieve the right doneness.
When the beans are just tender, add the tomatoes bay leaf, salt, oregano and red pepper flakes and let them braise on a low heat with the lid on the pot for another 10-15 minutes.
And now for the secret ingredient… Duck fat. Ok, ok. I know you probably don’t have a jar of duck fat hanging out in the pantry. Normally, I don’t either — but I recently made some duck confit — which is literally duck cooked in its own fat — and there was so much fat leftover, I saved it.
If you don’t have duck fat or have dietary restrictions — use butter for a vegetarian option or olive oil to make it healthier and vegan.
Mix in the kale, cover the pot and braise for another five or so minutes, just until the kale gets tender. I like to serve this with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
Want more really different side dishes? Also try this German-inspired braised cabbage or carrot and butternut squash puree.
Braised Kale with White Beans and Tomato
ingredients
- 1 pound dried navy beans
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- scant 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons duck fat can substitute olive oil or butter
- 2 cups finely chopped kale tough stems removed
Garnish:
- parmesan cheese freshly grated
instructions
- Sort through the beans, discarding any pebbles or stones that may have inadvertently gotten through the sorting process. Cover with one inch of water, cover with a lid and let rest 8 hours or overnight.
- Drain the water and rinse the beans. Add the beans back to the pot and cover with another inch of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover the pot and cook until the beans become tender, about 1 1/2-2 hours. There should still be about 1/4" of water covering the beans. If not, add more water until they're just barely covered.
- Stir in the diced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, bay leaf and tomatoes. Braise for 10-15 minutes, until the flavors start to meld.
- Add the duck fat and kale. Stir to combine and braise another 5 minutes or so, just until the kale is tender. Serve with parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
More Delicious Sides:
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- Cauliflower Mustard Au Gratin
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- Butternut Fritters with Lemon Chèvre
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Prep time is a little misleading. More like 10 hours. Otherwise, this is fantastic!!
Fair enough — the beans do need to soak overnight.
Turned out beautifully. I adjusted it a little. L due to what I had in my fridge. Used goose fat and a little sage – fresh instead of canned tomatoes. Thank you!
Thanks so much for letting me know how you liked it! Goose fat sounds like an excellent substitute!
Thrilled you enjoyed it!
Can I substitute beef tallow, lard, or bacon fat for the duck fat? I need more uses for all the animal fat I have stored up! Thanks!
Bacon fat will add a smoky flavor (which wouldn’t be bad), lard is neutral, so it would just add that unctuousness and mouthfeel of the duck fat. I’ve never worked with beef tallow, so I don’t know if it’s a strong beefy flavor or not. If it’s something you like, I’m sure it would add an umami kick. Add a little at a time until instead of all at once so you can judge the flavor for your palate.
8 servings? What amount…..1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1.5 cups?? The ‘Nutrition Facts’ label means nothing if we don’t know the amount per serving. Thanks! 🙂
About 3/4 cup is a serving.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I got to make it yesterday and it is delicious, even without the duck fat. So easy and healthy!
I’m glad you enjoyed it Deb!
I love bean dishes! I don’t have duck fat but I DO have bacon fat stored in my fridge. I have a feeling that would work wonderfully too! Awesome recipe, I can’t wait to try it!
Let me know how you like it, Christina!
Looks like I found a dinner idea for tonight! Thanks Lisa!
Mmmm I can’t wait to try this! So easy, warming and healthy. My body is craving something just like this!! 😀
Oooh this looks delicious! Just my sort of filling stew.
This might be a side dish but it’s screaming LUNCH at me! Delicious! Now to get my hands on some duck fat….
I need to live a life where I always have a jar of duck fat in my kitchen! This looks delightful 🙂
Ok, I don’t ALWAYS have duck fat. But I wasn’t about to throw it away after the confit!
This dish is a perfect way to get back on track in a satisfying way. Navy beans are one of my favorite bean varieties. They’re so creamy and so versatile to cook with. I also need more kale recipes in my life. I have some chops in the fridge that this would pair perfectly with!