Fennel braised butter beans

by Sarah Bond

I have a soft spot for recipes that feel fancy without taking much time, and these braised butter beans check every box. They taste like something you would order at a little neighborhood restaurant, the kind you remember long after the meal. During testing, we kept dipping bread straight into the pan and saying the same thing: these beans are pure comfort. And the best part? Every ingredient in this dish comes from the earth, not from an animal that had to suffer. Eating kindly has never tasted so good. 

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 small bulb fennel, cored and sliced 
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, roughly chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 
• 2 15-oz cans butter beans, drained 
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
• 1/2 cup vegan parmesan 

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add fennel, onion, and garlic and cook until the onion is soft. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. 

2. Stir in butter beans, vegetable broth, and apple cider vinegar. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 

3. Remove from heat and stir in vegan cream cheese until melted. Finish with vegan parmesan and serve with crusty bread.