White Beans with Arugula! Perfect for cozy weeknights, this recipe also perfect for meal prep, making it a dependable staple in any healthy dinner rotation.
This White Beans with Arugula dish bursts with savory depth from sautéed onions and garlic, layered with bright herbs, and lifted by the tangy kiss of tomato. Each creamy bean blends harmoniously with peppery baby arugula, delivering a satisfying balance of hearty comfort and fresh greens in every bite. The result is a nutritious, protein-packed meal that feels indulgent yet light, with notes of thyme, sage, and rosemary that keep your palate excited.
Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Hi there, Ameera here!
This flavorful white beans with arugula is a fast and healthy dish the whole family loved. Quick to prepare, this recipe comes together in under 35 minutes, making it a dependable go-to when time is tight but flavor can’t be compromised.
You gotta give this one a try—your weeknights just got a delicious, nourishing upgrade.
Tips for Success:
- Flavor Profile: This White Beans with Arugula dish is bursting with onions, garlic, herbs and spices, flavored with tomato and peppery baby arugula.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda is often used as a neutralizer for dishes that contain a lot of acidity, typically from tomatoes. We use it in this dish to remove some of the tomato acidity (from the tomato paste) without losing the tomatoey flavor. When you add it, the mixture may bubble up, then settle down as it neutralizes the acidity. If you prefer that tinny taste that is typically associated with canned tomatoes, feel free to leave it out or only add a pinch.
- White Beans: We used cannellini beans. Feel free to use your favorite white beans or butter beans.
- Baby Arugula: We used baby arugula, chopped into ½ inch pieces. You can easily substitute with your favorite greens with the understanding that the flavor and texture will change accordingly.
- Health Benefits of Arugula: Arugula is considered a superfood. Arugula is full of health benefits due to its rich nutritional profile, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and cognitive decline, while also supporting bone health and potentially lowering blood pressure. It is packed with vitamins A, C, and K as well as minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium. It improves liver function and has anti-inflammatory compounds. The lemon juice in this recipe promotes the absorption of all the healthy benefits.
- Greens: Greens such as arugula, spinach and kale are natural spice/herb neutralizers. A soup/stew/dish can taste perfectly seasoned before adding the greens, then once the greens are added, the flavor mellows requiring more seasoning.
- Dried Crushed Thyme Leaves: If you can’t find dried crushed thyme leaves, you can use ground thyme but use half the amount.
- Dried Rubbed Sage: We used an Albanian Sage. It has delicious flavor. It has an almost fluffy texture (kind of like a shredded cotton ball) when it comes out of the jar. Feel free to use your favorite brand of rubbed sage. If your dried sage is ground to a powder, consider using less than the recipe amount.
- Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
Leftovers and Freezing:
Leftovers will generally keep 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator, undressed. Store in a covered air-tight container.
This dish can be frozen. However, the broth can get slightly watery if frozen. This dish is best when served immediately after making.
Pantry Products:
- Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients. Feel free to use your favorite vegetable broth.
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Kitchen Equipment:
- Large skillet
If you try this flavorful dish, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
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White Beans with Arugula
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Total Time: 35 Minutes
- Yield: 4 Cups 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This White Beans with Arugula dish bursts with savory depth from sautéed onions and garlic, layered with bright herbs, and lifted by the tangy kiss of tomato.
Ingredients
Skillet Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion, fine dice
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth *
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda *
Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder (+/-)
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried rubbed sage *
- Pinch dried rosemary powder
- ½ teaspoon dried mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried crushed thyme leaves *
- ¼ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
- 1 bay leaf
Other Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 – [ 15.25 oz. cans ] white beans, drained and rinsed *
- 2 cups (2 oz.) slightly packed, chopped fresh baby arugula *
Instructions
- Place all the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the bay leaf) in a small bowl, mix to combine, set aside.
- Place the diced onions in the large skillet, sauté over medium heat until perfectly tender, about 7 to 9 minutes, adding a splash of water if needed to avoid burning.
- Push the onions to the sides of the skillet, then add the minced garlic and tomato paste to the center of the skillet. Sauté for one minute, stirring constantly.
- Next add all the remaining skillet ingredients (except the baking soda) and the Spice/Herb Mix, stir well, bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Add the baking soda, stir well to incorporate. Tuck in the bay leaf. Simmer for 8 minutes.
- Add the beans, chopped baby arugula, and lemon juice, stir well to combine, heat over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf (discard), then serve with crusty bread, toast, pita, or naan, or serve alongside quinoa or rice.
Notes
Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Products Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Equipment Used.
Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Serving: 4 (makes 4 cups)
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