Summer savory minted escarole with beans is a fantastic vegetarian meal.
But, it’s so easy to add meat, that one dish can satisfy two different dining styles in one home!
This easy to create a meal is sure to become one of your favorites because of its versatility.
Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies.
However, mint, that just transplants itself everywhere is a whole other thing!
Instead of tossing out all the unplanned crops of mint, I cook with it.
Today’s recipe is light, easy, and so savory.
Mint plays nice with escarole and the flavor of both accompany each other well.
You might not expect a summer savory recipe, but it’s light and tasty.
The beans I am about to share with you, add a nice serving of protein.
There are no meats in the summer savory Minted Escarole with Beans, but of course, you could add some in.
A simple vegetarian dish and I make it often.
Serve my summer savory Minted Escarole with Beans with a nice glass of Pinot Grigio with patio dining and you’ve got the perfect summer meal.
Enjoy. !~ Dana XO
Minted Escarole with Beans
Escarole
Escarole is a great fiber to add to your daily dining.
In fact, escarole is a relative to radicchio and it’s a bit bitter, which makes it all the tastier (IMO).
Loaded with micronutrients and readily available without a huge price tag, it’s perfect!
Escarole can be eaten raw, steamed, fried, etc.
Really, escarole is a versatile green and the more you work with it, the more combinations you will apply it to in recipes.
Soups are a perfect way to experiment with escarole, like Tortellini and Sausage Soup, or Beans and Greens.
The sky is the limit with escarole as your basic ingredient.
Add it steamed to couscous, or rice, or mix it with spinach and pasta.
Clean escarole thoroughly because it can be ‘gritty’ or dirty.
Cut, rinse, repeat.
Mint for minted escarole with beans
Mint runs rampant in garden areas once planted.
It reseeds and spreads.
Containing can be as simple as putting it into buckets in the ground.
However, since it reseeds if it flowers and those flowers blow, etc, you might have more than you care to have.
Mint can be used in iced tea and so many different recipes.
Don’t be afraid to cut it back!
DO rinse mint if you bring it in from your garden.
Also, taking the leaves off of mint sprigs is just a matter of holding the sprig at one end, and riding our 2 fingers down the stem.
All the leaves will come off!
For my minted escarole with beans, do not chop the mint leaves, leave them whole.
In this recipe, I have used spearmint (I have peppermint too, but prefer spearmint in this particular combination).
Spearmint is great for digestive disorders, did you know that?
Want another Escarole Recipe? Try my Godzilla’s Fungus, it’s amazingly delish!
For those who want meat – fry sausage and crumble and ADD It after you are done cooking! Yum.
Beans
In order to gain protein from this meal, I added in Lupini beans.
There’s plenty of fiber from the escarole.
Lupini beans offer fiber, water, and protein.
Therefore, you’ll find this recipe to be low calorie and a great summer savory dish.
Light, tasty, and healthy.
Recipe For Minted Escarole With Beans
Summer Savory Minted Escarole with Beans
Ingredients
- 1/4-1/2 C of Olive Oil
- 3 Cloves of Garlic peeled and sliced.
- One Medium to Large head of escarole washed and chopped.
- 12 long stems of Spearmint
- 2 Teaspoons of Salt cuts the bitter
- 1/2 may need additional 1/4 C of Water + 1 Cup for rice (may want an additional 1/4 C of water )
- Vegan Chicken-Less Seasoning Salt Trader Joe's Item *Optional but adds a boost of flavor
- A cup of Rice use water from above
- 1/2 C of Lupini Beans
- Parmesan Cheese to taste --as much as you like
Instructions
- Coat bottom of frying pan (should have a covered frying pan for this) with olive oil.
- Heat level medium Low. Enough to steam, but not to overflow in the pan with cover.
- Add the garlic.
- Next the escarole.
- Then 1/2 C of water.
- Mint.
- Then Salt.
- Cover to let it steam (15 minutes)
- Check on it frequently and stir (every 5 minutes to 15 minutes).
- Add additional water up to 1/4 C if water begins to evaporate, you are steaming this portion of the ingredients. You don't want it to fry.
- Once steamed, add the rice and the additional cup of water.
- Stir.
- Add Vegan Chicken Less Seasoning (optional) You could also add a vegetarian boullion flavor if you wanted or you can omit this step completely.
- Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes and allow the rice to absorb water (if necessary, add an additional 1/4 C of water).
- Cover. Turn off the stovetop and allow the rice to continue to absorb water*
- (if you prefer more soupy-like consistency, add more water, otherwise, make sure there is enough liquid for the rice to absorb and cover the pan.
- Leave on the burner that is OFF. Allow rice to continue cooking/absorbing liquid.
- After 5 minutes check on rice and greens.
- If the consistency is soupy ladle it into a bowl.
- For those that cooked it longer without the soup-like fill, dish it.
- Add Beans atop and grated Parmesan.
- Serve
- *However, you could also leave it to cook a bit longer on low.
- Store ANY leftovers in the refrigerator.