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Slow-Cooker Tuscan White Bean Stew

By Katie Leaird

Published on August 19, 2016

Time

6½ to 7½ on high, or 8 to 9 hours on low, plus 30 minutes on high

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Slow-Cooker Tuscan White Bean Stew

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling6 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch pieces1 onion, chopped fine2 celery ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces8 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled1 pound (2 ½ cups) dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed4 cups chicken broth 4 cups water 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons Salt ½ teaspoon pepper 8 ounces kale, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained1 sprig fresh rosemary

Before You Begin

We prefer the color and texture of Lacinato kale in this stew, but you can substitute curly kale or 6 ounces of bagged, chopped kale. We top the stew with a cartouche (an oval piece of parchment paper that sits directly on the food) during cooking to trap moisture and help the beans cook evenly.

Instructions

  1. Trace lid of slow cooker on parchment paper and cut just inside of outline; set aside. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add pancetta and cook until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to small bowl and let cool completely; cover and refrigerate until needed.
  2. Add onion, celery, and carrots to fat in skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer vegetable mixture to slow cooker.
  3. Add beans, broth, water, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to slow cooker; stir to combine. Gently press parchment cutout onto surface of stew. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 6 to 7 hours on high or 8 to 9 hours on low.
  4. Discard parchment. Stir in kale, tomatoes, and rosemary sprig. Cover and cook until kale is fully tender, 30 to 45 minutes on high.
  5. Discard bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Use back of spoon to mash some beans against side of slow cooker to thicken stew, if desired. Stir in pancetta. Serve, drizzled with extra oil.
Slow-Cooker Tuscan White Bean Stew

Slow-Cooker Tuscan White Bean Stew

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By Katie Leaird
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Time

6½ to 7½ on high, or 8 to 9 hours on low, plus 30 minutes on high

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
6 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped fine
2 celery ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
8 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 pound (2 ½ cups) dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoon pepper
8 ounces kale, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
6 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped fine
2 celery ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
8 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 pound (2 ½ cups) dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoon pepper
8 ounces kale, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
6 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped fine
2 celery ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
8 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 pound (2 ½ cups) dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoon pepper
8 ounces kale, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

We got the creamy, superior flavor and texture of dry cannellini beans without having to soak them or worry about their skins bursting and toughening as the slow cooker (with the help of a simple parchment cartouche) gently cooked them at a low heat. Cooking the vegetables in rendered pancetta fat—but reserving the crispy bits of cooked meat to add at the end—infused the soup with hearty meatiness. We controlled the amount of rosemary flavor in the soup by adding the rosemary for only the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking time. This ensured that the flavors were balanced and optimized.

Before You Begin

We prefer the color and texture of Lacinato kale in this stew, but you can substitute curly kale or 6 ounces of bagged, chopped kale. We top the stew with a cartouche (an oval piece of parchment paper that sits directly on the food) during cooking to trap moisture and help the beans cook evenly.

Instructions

  1. Trace lid of slow cooker on parchment paper and cut just inside of outline; set aside. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add pancetta and cook until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to small bowl and let cool completely; cover and refrigerate until needed.
  2. Add onion, celery, and carrots to fat in skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer vegetable mixture to slow cooker.
  3. Add beans, broth, water, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to slow cooker; stir to combine. Gently press parchment cutout onto surface of stew. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 6 to 7 hours on high or 8 to 9 hours on low.
  4. Discard parchment. Stir in kale, tomatoes, and rosemary sprig. Cover and cook until kale is fully tender, 30 to 45 minutes on high.
  5. Discard bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Use back of spoon to mash some beans against side of slow cooker to thicken stew, if desired. Stir in pancetta. Serve, drizzled with extra oil.

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