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Rice, Beans, and Greens

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes

In How to Cook Everything Fast, recipe directions are separated into “prep” and “cook.” Here, we’ve made that distinction with italics for prep-work and plain text for cooking. This reflects the most efficient order and timing of tasks.

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans (one 15-ounce can)
  • 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
  • Salt
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 bunch greens (like escarole or lacinato kale; about 1 pound)
  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup grated)
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • Pepper

Instructions

  1. If you’re using canned beans, rinse and drain them.
  2. Put the beans and 1 1/2 cups rice in a large pot; add a big pinch of salt and enough water to cover by about an inch. Bring to a boil.
  3. Peel and slice 2 cloves garlic; add them to the pot.
  4. When the liquid boils, adjust the heat so it bubbles steadily but not vigorously. Cover and cook undisturbed until the rice is tender but not mushy, 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Trim the greens and cut the leaves and stems crosswise into ribbons.
    Grate 1/2 cup Parmesan.
  6. When the rice is tender, stir in the greens with a large fork, adding more liquid if necessary to keep the grains from sticking to the bottom. Turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and let sit for 3 minutes. Tip the pot; if any liquid remains, re-cover and keep cooking until the rice is dry, checking every minute or two.
  7. Stir in 3 tablespoons butter, the Parmesan, and some pepper with a fork to fluff the rice. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Fast