Description

This One-Pot Brothy Beans with Parmesan, Peas, and Lemon is a nourishing, veggie-packed meal that’s full of flavor and comfort. Slow-simmered white beans are infused with herbs, garlic, cheese rinds, and spring vegetables like peas and asparagus for a bright, umami-rich soup perfect with crusty bread.
Keywords: brothy beans recipe, white bean soup with Parmesan, spring vegetable soup, one-pot beans, vegetarian bean stew, lemony bean soup

Ingredients

For the Brothy Beans:

1 cup dried white beans (cannellini or great northern)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
1 onion, halved crosswise, root attached
4 whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp red chili flakes or 2 dried chilies (optional)
A handful or two of fresh herbs (thyme, marjoram, rosemary, parsley, or basil)
2-4 Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rinds
4 oz aromatic vegetables (e.g., carrot, celery, parsnip), left whole

For Serving:

3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped asparagus (cut on bias, 1-inch pieces)
Juice of 1 lemon (to taste)
1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley or basil), chopped
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino
Crusty toasted bread

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Instructions

Soak the Beans:
Sort and rinse beans. Soak in 1 quart water with 1 tbsp salt for 3–12 hours. Drain before cooking. (Skip soak if beans are very fresh.)

2. Sauté Aromatics:
In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium. Place onion and garlic cut-side down, caramelize for 3–4 minutes. Add black peppercorns and chili flakes (if using); cook 30 seconds.

3. Build the Broth:
Add drained beans, herbs, cheese rinds, and whole aromatic veggies to the pot. Cover with water (about 2 inches above contents), season with salt and pepper.

4. Simmer the Beans:
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 1–4 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed. Beans should be creamy and tender.

5. Discard Aromatics:
Once beans are done, remove and discard herbs, onion, cheese rinds, and veggies. (Optional: mash garlic cloves into broth or spread on bread.)

6. Add Spring Vegetables:
Bring beans back to a simmer. Stir in peas and asparagus, cooking 1–3 minutes until vibrant and just tender.

7. Finish with Flavor:
Season with more salt and black pepper. Squeeze in fresh lemon juice to taste.

8. Serve:
Ladle beans and broth into bowls. Top with fresh herbs, grated cheese, and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

Parmigiano rinds enrich the broth with deep umami—don’t skip!
For extra protein, add shredded chicken or white beans from a can (if not cooking dry).
Make ahead friendly—just add peas/asparagus fresh when reheating.