Italian Escarole and Beans

Friday, December 27, 2019
Greens and Beans is a delicious leafy Escarole part of the chicory family with white beans and can be made in a thick stoup or a light broth-like soup.

An Italian dish made often during the depression days.

Grandma called it depression food, inexpensive, and fed many family members! Sometimes she fed the whole block, no kidding!

Inexpensive and absolutely delicious. Today it's considered a delicacy in most restaurants even in my hometown, Utica, New York where you will still find this on many a menu!

They are famous for the best Italian foods there.

Utica is famous for Greens and BeansTomato Pie, Italian Greens, Italian Lemon Ice, Pizza Fritta, Chicken Riggies, Manny's Cheesecake, Oscugnizzo Pizza, Pusties and Rosato Chocolate Cookies.

The thickness of this old fashioned classic meal is more than just comfort food to me, it's a memory of the perfect Italian traditional food for your soul and Grandma lives on when I make this.

Scroll down to make this recipe and see why we just love making this often in Grandma's memory.



this is how to make Italian Escarole & Beans is a thick stew like soup that is over Italian day old bread. Also called greens and beans. Also called Scahdal and Beans





this is escarole and beans over sesame seed hard crusted Italian bread


What Kind Of Food Is This?



Escarole "green and beans" are like a rich bean stew and poured over Italian bread.


You can eat this plain as it is also, but we grew up serving this meal over stale bread.


Grandma was from Rome, Italy, and grew up poor and considered this peasant food.


Not only did it feed a large family it was made often during times that Catholics fasted during Lent.


italian greens and beans recipe using escarole and cannelini beans


How Italian Say This



Pronounced (Scadahl and Beans) Escarole and Beans, ( Zuppa Di Scarola E Fagioli )


Greens and Beans poured over bread to sop up the oil and garlic soaked up the bread with delicious


garlic flavors and this became an Italian Specialty for centuries now!


escarole and bean soup with chicken broth


Different Consistencies



This could b thick, or like soup. Just beans, over bread, or both.


Grandma was from Rome, Italy and made thick style escarole greens and beans over crusty Italian bread, just omitting the broth became more like a stew.


Mom came from Bari, made this like a soup rich with chicken broth and my Dad's mom came from Rome and they liked this plain garlic-seasoned.


Whether you like a stew or soup consistency just depends on how much broth you add.


this is a thick escarole and beans in a big pot


They Called This Delicacy Depression Food



I very seldom eat a meal without dipping bread into the soup, or stew-like consistency.


It sure does fill you up to make it a whole meal without meat!


The best thing about beans as it's a source of protein and substitute for meat.


Not much to adapt this recipe to pretty basic, and easy to make.


Can you believe this was considered depression food back then?


It was so inexpensive to make and fed a large family.


This was a staple growing up in an all Italian Household. Escarole and beans were on the table often.


It's easy to make and the best part is its good for you.


Italian Escarole & Beans is a thick stew like soup that is over Italian day old bread. Also called greens and beans.


Tips



  • Always saute the garlic only a few minutes do not brown, just a little golden in color, burnt garlic taste awful
  • Serve this is a chunk of Italian hard-crusted bread
  • For a little heat add red pepper flakes on top
  • Grandma cannellini beans and only used dry beans she soaked them overnight.
  • I also use dried beans myself and place them in the slow cooker overnight until cooked with salt and any white beans work fine.
  • Pour a little fresh olive oil over the top when you serve this over the bread


Italian Escarole & Beans is a thick stew like soup that is over Italian day old bread. Also called greens and beans.


Old Photos



I decided to leave some of the older photos from 2010 so you can see the difference between a soup version or the real thick version (which I prefer).



They are both delicious but you can choose the kind your mom and grandma made, both version are here for you to try.


Italian Escarole & Beans is a thick stew like soup that is over Italian day old bread. Also called greens and beans.





Try Some Of Our Other Favorite Recipes



15 Beans and Sausage Soup


20 Bean Recipes


Utica Greens


Pasta Fazool


this is a collage of escarole and beans a thick stew like greens and beans recipe


Other Suggestions



  • Use only fresh garlic to sautee
  • Always have freshly grated cheese on hand
  • Boil the Escarole to make sure the dirt and bugs are no longer lurking in the leaves (this also removes pesticides)
  • Let the bread be at least one day old
  • Substitute the Escarole if you can't find any with another chicory leafy vegetable like endive
  • You can freeze this if you make way too much in freezer containers




Pin this one for later!






Escarole and Beans



If you can't find escarole in your part of the world you can substitute radicchio, spinach, or arugula. Other members of the chicory family can be substituted, such as curly endive. You may also consider mustard greens


Escarole is one of my favorite greens in many great recipes and one favorite of ours is Traditional Wedding Soup and it's wonderful flavors.


I love all kinds of white beans, canned or freshly made, just give this a try but always use fresh garlic!


This meal is full of proteins with the beans and rich in iron with greens.


You can also use as much garlic as you like, it's good for you too!


Great comfort food in the wintertime for sure!



Italian Escarole and Beans
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Italian Escarole and Beans

Yield: 16
Author:
Prep time: 15 MCook time: 45 MTotal time: 60 M
Italian escarole and beans are a delicious inexpensive staple in the depression days and were eaten often in Italy and considered peasant food. The meal is economical and easy to make using simple greens and cooked beans then poured over stale bread, A healthy meal many grew up on in the 1940s era and still to date for many Italian households.

Ingredients:

  • 1- 8 oz can of chicken broth or 1 cup freshly homemade chicken broth if it drys out you can also use water however the broth makes a tastier soup/stew
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (first cold-pressed) more to drizzle on top when serving
  • 2 large heads escarole
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon of each oregano, basil, parsley, we used all fresh ingredients when possible
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 lbs of fresh cannellini or cooked dried northern beans highly recommended or 2 (16 ounces) cans cannellini beans, drained
  • plenty of pecorino romano cheese
  • If using fresh beans reserve 1/2 of the bean water
  • 3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped,
  • pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preparation before cooking Tips:
  2. To make sure the escarole is tender and not full of dirt particles and pesticides, grandma and mom always boiled it first for at least 20 minutes, drain, rinse and set aside.
  3. For the beans: sort them and make sure you take all the little rock particles out of fresh beans, either soak overnight or you can place in a slow cooker overnight with it filled halfway with water on low. Cool before rinsing.
  4. For canned beans rinse them first.
  5. Assembling and Cooking Greens and Beans:
  6. In a medium saucepan, add the oil and garlic saute until fragrant.
  7. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat saute garlic till brown, add boiled escarole and coat with oil and fresh cloves of garlic for flavor. 
  8. Add some of the broth. 
  9. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes and other seasonings. 
  10. Stir in cooked beans, at this point.
  11. Heat thoroughly and serve over bread with grated cheese and more hot pepper flakes if you like the heat.
  12. Soup Method:
  13. For making a soup style,  add a 16 oz can of Chicken broth, you can also add boiled chicken and ditalini to make a hearty meal out of this. 
  14. Simmer until the mixture gets thicker and looks creamy. 
  15. Serve with plenty of grated cheese on top and pour over thick chunks of crusty bread and a few drizzles of olive oil.
Calories
179
Fat (grams)
6
Sat. Fat (grams)
2
Carbs (grams)
22
Net carbs
11
Sugar (grams)
4
Italian greens and beans, escarole and beans, escarole bean soup, escarole and bean recipes, Utica greens and beans
escarole, healthy recipes, bean recipes, greens and beans recipes, Italian recipes, vintage recipes, economical meals, depression foods
Italian
Created using The Recipes Generator



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Italian Escarole & Beans is a thick stew like soup that is over Italian day old bread. Also called greens and beans.


Don't Forget to Try Our Other Favorite Recipes


15 Pasta Recipes

20 Bean Recipes

Southwest One Pan Bean Filling


Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2019.

33 comments

  1. I love escarole too, I make chicken escarole enchiladas! Your soup looks delicious ;]

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  2. this is so much to my liking - I make something very similar, never thought of it as being from the past, I add slices of sausage to it and serve it over hard bread...I have cooked beans overnight in a slow cooker but like soaking them for 24 hours, makes them creamier without becoming mushy...am I doing something wrong?

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  3. @bcgw thanks one of our fav's
    @drick I doubt your doing anything wrong, never had them get mushy and I freeze my beans after they come out of the crock since there are so many..Maybe its too long, over 8 hours is enough and I never soak first. Thanks Drick.

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  4. Escarole & beans sound so good on a crusty bread and I love the soup too! Definitely a must try!

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  5. I love escarole and beans. Their mix on a crusty bread is very very good. Bye bye
    Fede

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  6. @5starfoodie thanks, very tasty :)
    @federica thanks, I visited your site, was looking for an English translator..couldnt find it but very lovely pictures love the foods you post :)

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  7. Thank you for your visit to my blog, dear! If you need a translator, you can click on one of the flag you find at the top right ^_^
    Bye bye, I hope see you soon :)

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  8. The escarole and bean combination with some crusty Italian bread really looks and sounds great.

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  9. WOW Claudia, this looks superb! My mom used to make it the same as yours. I haven't made this in forever, shame on me! I prefer cannelloni beans but have used the northern beans too. Sometimes my mom added chunks of peperoni to this.... Yummy

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  10. I did an escarole and chickpea soup last night. It is the most fabulous combination!Yours looks perfect! Perfectly scrumptious.

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  11. Now you're talking! I usually make this as a soup, but occasionally make it with pasta and once made it with shrimp. Like you, I adore bread (and it loves my hips, so don't get it often enough).

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  12. You are TOTALLY speaking my language here! Beans + greens = heaven, I can't get enough. I want this for dinner.

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  13. I love this - soup style! It's one of my favorites and you sure worked up a good craving in me now! Delicious!

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  14. Hhhmm..mm...yumm! This is such delicious bite.

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  15. Claudia, I think I would really enjoy dinner at your place :D Good thing we're on different continents or you'd never get rid of me!

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  16. That's my kind of dish! beans and escarole, love it! Beautiful combo, well depression brought some healthy and hearty dishes!

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  17. I have never eaten escarole. I am not much of a greens kinda gal but this looks really good to me for some reason. Maybe you should make it, freeze it and ship it my way. ;)

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  18. Beans and greens--always one of my favorite classic family style Italian dishes!

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  19. Beans and greens--always one of my favorite classic family style Italian dishes!

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  20. Looks delicious. I love beans especially if it's creamy.

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  21. How did I miss this, hmmm? It's exactly the sort of thing I love!!!

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  22. My grandmother (from Italy) also made this, the thicker version, but she added big chunks of Pepperoni. I loved it! Thanks for the memories, I'm gonna make a batch this weekend.

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  23. My grandmother (from Italy) used to make us this, the thicker version, but she added big chunks of pepperoni. Yum! Thanks for bringing up some fond memories. I'm gonna make a batch this weekend.

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  24. Tried this today absolutely delicious, I was hoping to find a recipe that came close to the escarole dish from a gourmet Italian restaurant in town, this is it! I loved every spoonful. Thank you for sharing.

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  25. Love the family history of this delicious dish---I'd love this with a crusty loaf of bread!

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  26. I love the creamy consistency of white beans. This looks really comforting and tasty, Claudia.

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  27. This looks like a healthy and hearty side dish. I know my family will enjoy this for sure.

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    Replies
    1. This will serve a great main dish.

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  28. Double comfort food deliciousness here - a yummy stew with my favorite Italian bread! Winner!

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  29. Perfect winter warmer. Easy to make and quite nutritious. I see how this can feed the big family.

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  30. I used mustard greens in this recipe and it turned out really good. I wish i could find escarole where i live!

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  31. Great receipe it’s just like my grandmas. The o my difference is we start w pepperoni and sometimes at the end add a little tomatoe paste.

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