Name: Brothy White Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Ingredients: 2 cups (400g) dried navy beans or other white beans*; ½ yellow onion, peeled and halved; 4 small shallots, peeled and halved; 2 heads garlic; 2 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more for serving; 6-8 cups (approx. 1.5L-2L) water or vegetable broth; 2 dried bay leaves; 6 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 ½ teaspoon salt; Freshly ground pepper; ½ lemon, freshly squeezed

Brothy White Beans

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Author: Delphine Fortin
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Category: Mains
Diet: Vegan

These brothy white beans infused with fresh herbs make a cozy meal packed with flavors. Easy to make (no soaking time needed), they’re delicious on their own, served with a side of crusty bread.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups (400g) dried navy beans or other white beans*
½ yellow onion, peeled and halved
4 small shallots, peeled and halved
2 heads garlic
2 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more for serving
6–8 cups (approx. 1.5L-2L) water or vegetable broth
2 dried bay leaves
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 ½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
½ lemon, freshly squeezed

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Instructions

Trim the tops (about ½-inch / 1 cm) off each head of garlic to reveal the cloves. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Once hot, place the onions, shallots and garlic cut-side down in the oil. Sear them until deeply golden and caramelized, about 5 minutes.
Add the dry beans, bay leaves, thyme and water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer on medium-low heat. Cover and simmer for 1 ½ – 2 hours until the beans are your desired tenderness. Stir occasionally. Cooking time will vary depending on the bean used*.
Once the beans are done cooking, squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon. Add salt and black pepper to taste (I added roughly 1 ½ to 2 teaspoon of salt). Ladle into large bowls, drizzle of good olive oil, and serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!

Notes

* You could substitute navy beans with other white beans of choice, such as cannellini. Keep in mind however that beans have different cooking times required, so you will need to adjust accordingly.