Adapted from Melissa Clark’s recipe in The New York Times from Dinner in an Instant, her 2017 book about cooking with an Instant Pot. Broccoli rabe is our favorite winter green.
Any leftovers from this dish make terrific soup the next day. See below for a soup suggestion.
1 pound dried Great Northern beans
7 garlic cloves: 3 smashed, 4 thinly sliced
4 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, peeled
1 large or 2 small red onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 pound fresh broccoli rabe, woody ends trimmed and roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
In the Instant Pot, combine the beans, 7 cups of water, the 3 smashed garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Tie the rosemary, bay leaf, and carrot together with kitchen twine, and drop the bundle into the pot.
- Lock the cover.
- Make sure the vent is set to Sealing.
- Select Pressure Cook.
- Select High Pressure.
- Set the timer for 33 minutes.
(This is the best time for unsoaked Great Northern Beans. If you use cannellini beans, Melissa Clark’s original recipe says to cook for 25 minutes. Rancho Gordo Ayocote Blanco beans need 40 minutes.) - Allow the pressure to release naturally.
If the beans aren’t done, cook on high pressure for another 5 minutes, then manually release the pressure.
While the beans are cooking, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the sliced garlic and a pinch of salt, and sauté until the garlic is just starting to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the garlic oil to a small bowl and reserve for the garnish.
Return the skillet to the stove, raise the heat to medium-high, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Stir in the onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Raise the heat to high and stir in the broccoli rabe, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the red pepper flakes, tossing to coat with the oil. Add 1/2 cup of water to the skillet, and cook until the water has been absorbed and the broccoli rabe is softened and browned, about 10 minutes (drizzle in more oil as necessary to prevent sticking).
To serve, remove the herb bundle from the bean pot. Slice the carrot and add to the beans. Use a slotted spoon to remove servings of beans and place in a shallow bowl. Drizzle the beans with the garlic oil, and top with the broccoli rabe.
Soup suggestion
Leftovers from above dish
1 cup farro
1 quart water
13.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes
If you are cooking for two, you will have quite a lot of leftovers from this dish. Place the leftover beans and liquid with the leftover garlic oil in a soup pot. Dice the leftover broccoli rabe and add to the pot of beans along with 1 cup of farro, 1 quart of water, and a 13-ounce can of diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.