Active Time
15 minutes
Total Time
25 minutes
If you like bold, assertive flavors—like broccoli rabe and lemon—this rustic white bean side dish is the recipe for you. Try it with roast chicken or pork tenderloin.
Ingredients
4 Servings
3
1
2
4
½
2
¼
2
Preparation
Step 1
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add lemon, anchovies, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lemon is softened and brown in spots and anchovies fall apart, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli rabe; season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until bright green and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Add beans and ½ cup water to pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded and liquid is reduced by half (you still want it to be saucy), about 5 minutes. Mix in parsley and 2 Tbsp. Parmesan.
Step 3
Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if desired, and top with more Parmesan.
Nutrition Per Serving
How would you rate White Beans With Broccoli Rabe and Lemon?
Leave a Review
Reviews (221)
Back to TopThis will be a new recipe to my regular rotation. I made a couple changes based on ingredients I had on hand and the other reviews. I caramelized an onion and then I caramelized the lemon slices adding a very tiny bit of sugar and cooking until golden but still intact. I didn’t have anchovies so I used white miso and it all came together perfectly. I chopped my broccolini smaller and added the stalks with the beans and cooked for about 5 minutes until tender crisp then added the tips of the broccolini. Overall, phenomenal dish and I look forward to the leftovers tomorrow!
Benson
Edmonton, AB
8/15/2022
I thought the recipe was good. I cooked Italian sausage first and added it to with the beans. Added great texture and flavour to the meal. We did not eat the lemon as I thought it was meant to enhance the dish. Only thing missing was some crusty Italian bread. Thanks Bon Appetit.
Ron
Winnipeg, Manitoba
12/19/2021
Lovely side! I made it without the anchovies and added way more parsley than stated. I think if I made it again I would add some rosemary into the mix.
Pauli
London, England
12/11/2021
Pleasantly surprised at the hearty, lemony flavor of the sauce. I didn’t have rapini so I used baby kale—tasty! I have a pretty high tolerance for bitter, but found this to be a bit too much for what I was hoping would be a slightly more easygoing dish, flavor-wise. I was intrigued by the use of sliced lemons, but next time, maybe I’ll shorten the cooking time and remove the peels before adding the beans.
Anonymous
Washington, DC
9/22/2021
Wonderful recipe and easy to do!!
Gillian
Canada
5/26/2021
The recipe had good flavour but the consistency was a bit too mushy for me, I feel like it was missing a crunch
Kristina D
Hamilton, ON
1/2/2021
I made this, adding in sumac-roasted cauliflower and capers, then tossing it with tortellini. Outrageously good.
Corey-Jan
Roswell, GA
12/28/2020
Recette fantastique ! Merci
Magali
France
11/8/2020
Love this recipe! Made it as a main dish with a crusty baguette to sop up the saucy bits, but I will probably make it as a proper side next time. It’s a bit bitter, but no more so than other broccoli rabe recipes I’ve tried, and the lemon ads a nice sour sweetness.
amarie85
New York
10/8/2020
Delicious! I grew up eating rapini and this was awesome! We can blanch the rapini prior to cooking the recipe, but why would I want to.. I enjoy the flavor as is and it remains nutritious. I always add chicken stock rather than plain water and also fried Italian sausage at the end.. Voila!
Ramona67
Michigan
8/30/2020
I make this all of the time, usually doubling it and using anchovy paste and plenty of evoo. Seriously good, with a wonderful mix of flavors. My canned beans have been store brand, name brand and never have been mushy. You can serve it on ciabatta rounds at a party, big hit.
David Zakur
New Haven, CT
8/20/2020
I love bon appetit recipes but this one is a miss. Rapini stays bitter without blanching first, time for cooking turns this into glorified mush. I pulled back and was still shocked by texture. Lacks depth. No thank you.
bcramberg
Seattle
8/9/2020
SO SO good! But over cooked the beans, any tips on getting beans to hold shape and not be mushy ?
Anonymous
San Francisco
7/19/2020
This was delicious...not bitter. Loved it so much!
Anonymous
Hawaii
7/3/2020
Very flavorful! Was a little bitter with the lemon peel. Will probably just add lemon juice at the end next time!
Anonymous
Starkville, Mississippi
3/16/2020