Simple And Easy Vegetable Bean And Tomato Ragout Recipe

Delicious, healthy, hearty, and most importantly, easy to make. You will love this simple and easy vegetable ragout filled with white beans and tomatoes. It’s a great recipe, and how easy it is to prepare will amaze you. 

What is a ragout? The term comes from French cooking and it traditionally refers to a meat and vegetable based sauce, closer to a stew. It is often confused with a ragu or a traditional bolognese sauce, which is a type of ragù. If you want a bolognese recipe, check out these two recipes: Best Pappardelle Lamb Bolognese Recipe and Easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce Recipe.

Want to know more about the difference between a bolognese and a ragú read my post Ragù vs Bolognese: What Is The Difference Between Them.

A Ragout Doesn’t Have To Be Made Only With Meat

Most ragout recipes will be a meat sauce, but this ragout recipe is a hearty vegetarian stew to be eaten with crusty bread. This dish is served on a wonderfully toasted slice of ciabatta, making it a hearty meal. And it looks beautiful in the bowl.

What You Need For This Easy Vegetable Ragout Recipe

• Fresh Vegetables and Produce: The sauce is made up of yellow onion, red bell pepper, garlic cloves, and cherry tomatoes that come together to form the base of this dish.
• Canellini Beans: Any white bean can be used. They are the best sources of protein and fiber, which are part of the best diets.
• Vegetable Stock: About two cups of vegetable broth makes the sauce smooth and absorbs into the bread.
• Tomato Paste: A dash of tomato paste ups the tomato flavor and supports the cherry tomatoes used.
• Parmesan Cheese: If you want to make a vegan version of this dish, substitute a vegan parmesan cheese or leave it out.
• Ciabatta: Any Italian bread will work when making the crostini, which is the base of the dish.
• Fresh Parsley: Feel free to garnish with fresh herbs to enhance the flavors 

Step-By-Step How To Guide

• Step 1: Heat oil in a large skillet or a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and peppers and cook for about 10 minutes. Be sure to season with kosher salt and black pepper. Then add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 additional minutes.
• Step 2: While the onions cook, preheat the oven to 375°. Slice the bread and drizzle each slice with extra-virgin olive oil on both sides. Place on a baking sheet and top each slice with grated parmesan cheese. Toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes until the tops turn golden brown.
• Step 3: Once the onions and peppers have cooked, add the beans to the pan and a pinch of salt and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth to the pan. Bring to a simmer and stir to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot and reduce to medium heat. Cook for about 4 additional minutes. Add the halved tomatoes and simmer for another 4 minutes until the tomatoes become tender. If the sauce over-reduces, add a little water or additional broth. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the parmesan cheese. 
• Step 4: Add a slice of the toasted bread to the bottoms of shallow bowls and spoon the bean mixture over the bread. Garnish with additional parmesan, chopped fresh parsley, and a small drizzle of olive oil. 

Tips For Success

• This recipe is so easy to change up. Consider adding cremini mushrooms, green lentils, or red lentils. 
• Adding some red pepper flakes will add some heat. Do this when you add the tomatoes.
• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container. Just don’t store it with the toasted bread; keep them separate. 

This delicious recipe requires very little meal prep but delivers much flavor. Healthy vegetarian recipes like this are the perfect comfort food for the whole family. It is also a great way to add healthy and simple vegetables to your diet. Even the most avowed meat eater will enjoy this dish. So the next time you search for a ragout recipe or just any healthy recipe, make this simple and easy vegetable ragout.