Beans, grains, vegetables, cheese—this healthy, hearty dish has it all.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 quart vegetable broth (see page 295)

　　1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes

　　4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

　　1 tablespoon olive oil

　　1 1/2 cups arborio rice

　　1 15-ounce can of small red beans or pinto beans, drained

　　1 small head escarole, chopped (about 3 cups)

　　1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

　　Salt and pepper

　　Lemon wedges (optional)

　　

Step 1

In a saucepan, bring the broth and tomatoes to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan on medium-high heat, cook the garlic in the oil until just golden, a few seconds. Add the rice and stir until the grains are well coated with oil. Ladle in the hot broth and tomatoes a cup at a time, stirring often. After each addition, let the rice absorb most of the broth before adding more. Add the beans with the last cup of broth.

　　

Step 3

When most of the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender but still al dente, stir in the escarole, in batches if necessary, until it wilts but is still bright green. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, with wedges of lemon if you wish.

　　

Serving & menu ideas

Step 4

A crisp, cold fruit salad is a good accompaniment for this simple supper. Or try one of our Two Sweet Sauces (page 280) on vanilla ice cream.

　　From Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table. Copyright © 2017 by Moosewood Collective. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from ThriftBooks or Amazon.