Sweet and Smoky Beans and Greens

Beans and greens are a match made in vegan heaven. Pairing them in simple dishes is cheap, nourishing, and, with the right seasoning, so tasty and appealing.

Lately, I’ve fallen in love with barbecue seasonings — the kind you find right in the spice section of most supermarkets. One of the major brands is McCormick®. The original Barbecue and the Mesquite flavors are my favorites, though there are several others.

These are meant to be rubs and seasonings for you-know-what cooked on the grill. But I like to subvert this intended use by embellishing plant-based dishes with them. It’s kind of like the concept of poultry seasoning — a nice blend of spices that can be used for many foods instead of the bird. Barbecue seasoning is what I call a “flavor bomb” —something that, even in modest quantity, adds a big burst of flavor to simple preparations.

By the way, I much prefer these kinds of barbecue seasonings to liquid smoke, which is not only harder to find, but, to my palate, not nearly as flavorful. And the aroma that liquid smoke sends throughout the house, beyond the kitchen — don’t get me started.

Case in point is this humble dish of beans and greens, which gets a supercharged taste from barbecue seasoning. It’s the secret to a sweet-and-savory sauce with a deep, smoky flavor that develops quickly. 

This sweet and smoky beans and greens preparation goes well with so many other dishes, and is a great way to add protein to the plate. It pairs well with pasta, potato, and grain dishes, with which it’s not so much a side dish but a side-by-side dish, pulling its own weight in all ways. Or, you can serve it on a simple bed of grains, or even soft polenta. Recipe adapted from Plant Power by Nava Atlas.

Yield: 4

Sweet and Smoky Beans and Greens

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Beans and greens are a match made in vegan heaven. Pairing them in simple dishes is cheap, nourishing, and, with the right seasoning, tasty and appealing.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 27 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 collard or lacinato kale leaves
 (see Notes)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (reduced-sodium and/or gluten-free if desired)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons good-quality ketchup
• 3 to 4 cups cooked or two 15- to 16-ounce cans beans, drained and rinsed (see Notes)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons barbecue seasoning, or to taste (see Notes)
• Freshly ground pepper or dried hot red pepper flakes, to taste

Instructions

Cut the collard or lacinato leaves fairly neatly away from the stems with kitchen shears. Stack 4 or 5 similar-sized leaf halves atop one another. Roll up snugly from one of the narrow ends, then slice into very thin ribbons. Chop the slices in a few places to shorten the ribbons. 

Heat the oil in a medium skillet or stir-fry pan. Add the greens and turn up the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, until bright green and tender-crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. If any water is left in the pan, drain it and remove the greens to a plate.

In the same skillet, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, syrup, and ketchup. Stir together, then add the beans and stir to coat. 

Add the seasoning to taste, followed by pepper or dried hot red pepper flakes. This is a season-to -taste kind of dish, so you can make it subtle or bold to your liking. Adjust the vinegar, soy sauce, syrup, and ketchup as well.

Continue cooking until the beans are hot and nicely glazed, about 5 minutes. Stir in the greens. Serve at once, or cover until needed.

Notes

Honestly, you can use whatever greens you prefer or have on hand — regular kale, chard, spinach, arugula ...

Shortcut! When you don't feel like chopping, you can always use a package of fresh baby greens — arugula, spinach, baby kale, or power greens.

Look for barbecue seasonings in the spice section of well-stocked supermarkets. As I mentioned, the original Barbecue blend and Mesquite by McCormick® are my favorites.

Use your favorite variety of beans, or whatever is on hand! It’s especially nice to combine two different varieties. Try chickpeas with red or pinto beans; navy beans with black beans; or cannellini with kidney beans.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 196 Total Fat: 4g Saturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 804mg Carbohydrates: 37g Fiber: 6g Sugar: 19g Protein: 7g

Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used.

Lacinato kale

Collard greensPhotos (except lacinato kale) by Hannah Kaminsky

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