This 10-Minute Meal Warms Me up on Cold Nights

My go-to list of quick weeknight and workday lunch recipes is relatively short, focused on pantry ingredients, and a total lifesaver. This handful of reliable dishes can be whipped up when I just need to feed myself and time is of the essence.

However, when these situations come up too often in close succession (as they tend to do), I often find myself getting bored, losing my appetite, or turning to something completely unsatisfying—like shoving handfuls of potato chips into my mouth or “eating” a smoothie for lunch.

So if you’re anything like me, and this week the go-to quesadilla, wonton soup, grated egg toast, stir-fried noodles, or back pocket pasta on your “need food fast” list just won’t cut it, let me introduce you to my latest obsession: 10-minute, 5-ingredient creamy white beans and greens.

My Secret Ingredient

Two things set this recipe apart from the other beans and greens out there. First, some beans are mashed before they’re added, and second, I make use of an oft-discarded ingredient: the bean liquid, aka aquafaba. Both of these things lend a velvety body to the whole dish and give it a rich, creamy texture.

How To Make My 10-Minute Creamy White Beans and Greens

You can use any canned white bean for this dish, but I prefer cannellini or butter beans as they tend to have a softer texture that works really well here. Make sure to drain the beans in a sieve set over a bowl as you’ll need the aquafaba. Store any aquafaba you don’t use in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a month, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

To serve 2 as a main, you’ll need:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or pressed through a garlic press

• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, optional

• 2 (14-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed, liquid reserved

• 4 packed cups baby spinach (about 3.5 ounces)

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• Grated Parmesan cheese for serving, optional

Add the olive oil, garlic, and chili flakes (if using) to a large skillet over medium-low heat. While that’s heating up, transfer about half of one of the cans of beans to a bowl (no need to be precise here) and use a fork to roughly mash; this will help give the finished dish a creamier consistency.

Once the garlic barely starts to turn golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes, add the beans (whole and mashed), spinach, salt, and pepper to the pan and turn the heat up to medium, stirring well to combine. After about 3 minutes, the spinach should be relatively wilted and any water it released should have already reduced out.

Stir well, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved bean liquid (aka aquafaba) and lemon juice. You can add as much aquafaba as you desire to make the dish lean more soup/stew; I personally use about 1/4 cup for this amount of beans and spinach.

Taste and season as needed before serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Easy Variations

If you want to switch this recipe up, here are some of my favorite ways to do it:

• Use chopped Tuscan kale or Swiss chard instead, just note that it will take longer to wilt these greens down.

• Spice it up by adding some whole coriander seeds, a little minced ginger, or a pinch of ground turmeric or cumin.

• Top with a dash or two of hot sauce and a fried, poached, or boiled egg.

• Add sliced shallots, onion, or scallions to the mix.

• Toss in halved cherry tomatoes or half a can of crushed tomatoes.

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