Spicy Tomato Beans and Greens: A Cozy Dinner for Two
I’m joining a few friends to share our favorite cozy dinners today. Lately, I’ve seen this recipe from NYT Cooking for spicy tomato beans and greens all over social media, with people raving about how good it is. I found it hard to imagine that everyday ingredients and a few cans of beans could really be that good, but we decided to give it a try anyway.
We were amazed by how such simple ingredients could blend together to make a rich, complex, and flavorful meal. We cook quite a bit, and some recipes are good, some are great, but very few reach what we would call amazing! But this one did. The last time we raved about a recipe like this was a few years back when we tried Alison Roman’s caramelized shallot pasta, another NYT Cooking recipe.
We were so surprised by how good this recipe is that we actually cooked it a second just to be sure it was as good as the first time. And it was.
So, for your next cozy dinner for two, try this recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
The kitchen tools you’ll need
- Medium skillet (regular skillet, cast iron skillet, or Le Creuset Dutch oven)
- Medium bowl
- Zester
- Sharp knife
- Measuring cups
- Wooden spoon
The ingredients for spicy tomato beans and greens
- Olive oil
- Cannellini beans (or other tender white beans)
- Tomato paste
- Onion
- Salt and black pepper
- Garlic
- Red pepper flakes
- Jarred sun-dried tomatoes
- Heavy cream
- Lemon (the juice and zest)
- Pecorino or parmesan cheese
- Panko bread crumbs
- Baby arugula
- Baguette or other crusty bread (buttered and toasted)
Directions for spicy tomato beans and greens
For the spicy tomato sauce
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet or Dutch oven, add the chopped onions, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the tomato paste and stir until combined. Cook until the tomato paste is dark, red-brick red, and begins to caramelize.
- Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup water, sun-dried tomatoes, and cannellini beans and stir until everything is combined. Let is simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Mix in half of the cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
- While the beans simmer, prepare the lemony arugula salad.
For the lemony arugula salad
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, add two tablespoons of olive oil and add the bread crumbs. Using a wooden spoon, spread them evenly over the bottom of the pan and stir constantly until they are evenly browned and toasted.
- Pour the Panko crumbs onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- In a medium salad bowl, whisk the lemon juice, lemon zest, and two tablespoons of olive oil until combined. Add the baby arugula, toasted Panko crumbs, and 1/3 cup cheese, and toss.
To serve
- Ladle the desired amount of beans into each bowl. Top the bean mixture with the tossed greens in the center. Serve immediately with some toasted bread.
Spicy Tomato Beans and Greens: A Cozy Dinner for Two
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cans of cannellini beans (or other tender white beans)
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1 medium onion chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup jarred sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 lemon (4 teaspoons juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest)
- 2/3 cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
- 2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 4 cups (packed) baby arugula
- Baguette or other crusty bread (buttered and toasted), is optional but helps complete the meal, in my opinion. Plus, it’s just good.
Instructions
For the spicy tomato and beans
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet or Dutch oven, add the chopped onions, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the tomato paste and stir until combined. Cook until the tomato paste is dark, red-brick red, and begins to caramelize.
- Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup water, sun-dried tomatoes, and cannellini beans and stir until everything is combined. Let is simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Mix in half of the cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
- While the beans simmer, prepare the lemony arugula salad.
For the lemony arugula salad
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the bread crumbs. Using a wooden spoon, spread them evenly over the bottom of the pan, and stir constantly until they are evenly browned and toasted.
- Pour the Panko crumbs onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- In a medium salad bowl, whisk the lemon juice, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil until combined. Add the baby arugula, toasted Panko crumbs, and 1/3 cup cheese, and toss.
To serve
- Using two medium flat bowls, ladle the amount of beans desired into each bowl. In the center of the bean mixture, top with tossed greens. Serve immediately with some toasted bread.
Oh my this sounds absoolutely fabulous and right up my alley! I am going to make it this week!
Hi Annie — I am also a huge NYT Cooking fan. I thought I had made this recipe, but it must be something similar, because I don’t remember topping it with the arugula salad (which sounds amazing). Definitely going to cook this one now. Thanks for including me in this group post. I always enjoy joining you ladies!
Can’t wait to make this, Annie. Looks healthy, too!
Good Morning, Annie,
My darling husband is slowly loosing his sense of taste. We’re discovering that most spicy foods delight his taste buds so we’re going to give the beans a try this weekend.
One of my Sunday pleasures is clicking on emails by you, Cindy, and Mary Ann. Saturday is now headed by “Molly in Maine”. What a treat to find Molly included in this mid week post. Thank you.
Longing for any kind of cozy on Mercer Island,
Diney