Beans and Greens (Scarola e Fagioli)

Beans and greens (scarola e fagioli) gets its deeper flavor from a proper soffritto of onion, celery, and garlic, a step most versions skip. Ready in 30 minutes, perfect for fare la scarpetta with crusty bread.

Beans and greens, known in Italian as scarola e fagioli, is a classic one-pot dish that pairs tender escarole with creamy cannellini beans in a garlicky broth.

What sets my family’s version apart is the soffritto-style base, sautéed onion, celery, and garlic. It builds a deeper flavor than the simpler onion-and-garlic versions you’ll find elsewhere.

Ready in less than 30 minutes, it’s hearty enough as a main course or comforting as a side, and it is exactly the kind of dish that calls for fare la scarpetta, tearing off a piece of crusty pagnotta bread to mop up every last drop of broth.

This humble dish traces back to southern Italy, where both of my parents were born, and they continued making it long after immigrating to North America. My mom used fresh escarole from our backyard garden, and for anyone who grew up Italian, this dish brings back that exact memory.

Jump to:

• Quick Overview
• Canned vs. Dried Beans
• What You’ll Need
• How to Make Beans and Greens
• Serving Suggestions
• Tips
• FAQ
• More Authentic Italian Recipes
• Recipe Origins
• Escarole Recipes
• Recipe

Quick Overview

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Special Touch: A soffritto-style base of sautéed onion, celery, and garlic adds deeper flavor than simpler versions of this dish, which often skip the celery entirely.
• Dietary Note: Vegetarian as written (use vegetable broth); easily made vegan by omitting the cheese.
• Serving Suggestions: Serve with crusty pagnotta bread or focaccia for fare la scarpetta, ladled over creamy polenta, or for a heartier main course, try the pasta version in this white bean pasta with escarole.

Canned vs. Dried Beans

When it comes to making beans and greens, you can use canned or dried white beans. Canned beans are convenient and require less prep time, but may contain added sodium and lack the texture of cooked dried beans.

It is worth noting that if you use canned beans without salt, you can add as much canning liquid as you prefer to achieve your desired “brothiness.”

On the other hand, dried beans require soaking and longer cooking time but have a firmer texture and can be seasoned to your liking.

Ultimately, the choice between canned and dried beans depends on your preferences and the time you have available for preparation.

Check out this recipe post on escarole and bean soup to learn how to prepare dried white beans.

Whether you prefer canned or dried beans for making beans and greens, each has its advantages and drawbacks. Ultimately, it comes down to your personal preferences and the time you can devote to preparation.

What You’ll Need

Let’s properly prep the fresh produce to ensure the right textures for this recipe.

Prepping the aromatics: onion, celery, and garlic

Chopping the onions: Cut off both ends of one onion and remove the outer skin. Then, slice it in half. Take each half and lay it flat on your cutting board. Next, cut the onion into thin slices and then dice the slices into small, half-inch pieces.

Prepping the garlic: Begin by breaking the head of garlic into individual cloves. Once you have separated the cloves, take the flat side of your knife and crush each clove. Cut off the tips, remove the skin from each clove, and finely mince the garlic.  You need six cloves for this recipe. 

Chopping the celery: Start by washing 2 celery ribs with the leaves. Trim off the ends. Then, slice it in half lengthwise (if using a large rib) and chop it into small pieces.

This trio, onion, celery, and garlic, forms a soffritto-style flavor base. Many simpler versions of this dish skip the celery, but including it builds a noticeably deeper, more rounded flavor.

Cleaning and chopping the escarole

• Cut off the bottoms of two heads of the escarole, weighing about one pound each, with a sharp knife. Discard it along with any wilted or damaged outer leaves.
• Gently separate the leaves from the core of the escarole. Check the inner leaves of the escarole for any dirt or bugs that may be hiding inside.
• Chop the escarole into 1-inch pieces, cutting through the leaves in two directions.
• Fill a large bowl or basin with cold water.
• Add the chopped escarole and swish the greens to loosen any dirt or sediment. Let the escarole sit in the water for a minute or two.
• Use a salad spinner basket to scoop up the escarole pieces from the water, making sure to leave any dirt or sediment behind.
• Repeat this process until the water runs clear and there is no more dirt or debris.
• Once the escarole is clean, spin it in the salad spinner to remove any excess water.

How to Make Beans and Greens

Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 medium diced onion, a pinch or two of chili flakes, ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, and cook until softened about 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in 2 sliced celery ribs and 6 minced garlic cloves. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic becomes fragrant. 

Add ½ cup of vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.

Then lower the heat to medium-low, add the chopped escarole (2 pounds), cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 7-10 minutes until the escarole is wilted and tender. 

Remove the cover, add two 15-ounce cans of drained but unrinsed cannellini beans and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes while leaving the pot uncovered.

Turn off the heat and stir in ½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.

Taste and adjust for seasonings.

Serving Suggestions

This dish is versatile enough to serve as a main course or a side. Ladle it into a bowl and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice or a drizzle of olive oil for brightness.

Beyond the bread pairings in the Quick Overview above, ciabatta, a simple flour and water flatbread, or piadina all work beautifully for scooping up the broth.

Tips

• Start with high-quality ingredients such as fresh produce and canned beans with natural ingredients.
• Chopping the escarole into 1-inch-sized pieces prevents it from clumping together when cooked.
• Removing dirt and sediment from chopped escarole is easier than whole leaves.
• Drying the washed escarole is unnecessary as it will be braised.
• Start with a large pot (e.g., a Dutch oven) to accommodate the chopped green escarole.
• Creating a modified soffritto with aromatics like diced onion, chopped celery, and minced garlic creates a great flavor base. 
• If you do not have a homemade vegetable broth, using a commercial brand such as Better than Bouillon adds a flavorful backbone to the dish.
• A squeeze of lemon before serving brings the flavors together and brightens the overall taste.

FAQ

More Authentic Italian Recipes

If you enjoyed this dish, here are a few more simple, authentic Italian recipes worth trying:

Recipe Origins

The humble dish known as beans and greens can be traced back to the southern regions of Italy, where it originated out of necessity. This area is where both of my parents were born, and as a result, they continued to make this dish even after immigrating to North America.

My mom would use fresh escarole from our backyard garden. For those of us who grew up Italian with parents like mine, this dish brings us back to our childhood.

Beans and greens are a crucial part of Italian cuisine, reflecting the culture’s emphasis on using fresh and simple ingredients. This dish is a prime example of how healthy eating can also be tasty.

You can create a nourishing, satisfying, and nutritious meal with the right combination of flavors and ingredients.

Combining nutrient-rich greens and affordable beans makes for a delicious and healthy meal. Today, beans and greens remain a beloved Italian classic that evokes memories of home and tradition.

In conclusion, if you enjoy simple yet delicious food, you must try my family recipe for beans and greens. It is a healthy side dish that is pure comfort food.

★★★★★ If you have made this Italian beans and greens, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Escarole Recipes

Have extra escarole on hand? Here are a few more ways to put it to good use:

Recipe

I originally published this post on May 3, 2023, and republished it on June 26, 2026, with updated content. Thanks for sharing.