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This courgette, leek, white bean, and kale stew is just what you need when you feel like something simple and nourishing. It starts with leeks, celery, and carrot cooked slowly in olive oil, then layered with garlic, rosemary, and smoked paprika for depth. White wine deglazes the pot before beans and stock simmer into a soft, rich base.
Courgettes are fried until golden and stirred in near the end with kale, parsley, and the green parts of the leeks. Blending part of the stew creates a creamy texture without adding dairy. Lemon zest and a drizzle of olive oil finish it off, adding brightness to the earthy vegetables.
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This recipe comes from Plant to Plate by Gaz Oakley. It’s balanced and filling yet still light enough for everyday cooking. The mix of high-protein beans, greens, and herbs makes it both nutrient-dense and full of flavor – a one-pot dish that’s easy to cook, serve, and enjoy any night of the week.
Prep your white bean and kale stew
Ingredients
- 2 leeks
- 4 tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- 1 celery stick finely diced
- 1 carrot peeled and finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 250 ml 1 cup white wine
- 1 liter (4 cups) vegetable stock
- 510 g (3 cups) cooked or canned cannellini beans
- 2 courgettes (zucchini), sliced into rounds (I use a yellow and a green)
- Handful of parsley leaves roughly chopped
- 2 big handfuls of curly or Tuscan kale
- Zest of 1 lemon to serve
Instructions
- Trim the leeks, then finely slice the white parts, reserving the green parts. Heat half the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat, then add the leek whites, celery and carrot. Cook for a few minutes, then when the vegetables begin to soften, add the garlic, rosemary, bay leaf, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
- Cook for a few more minutes, then deglaze the pot with the wine, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any tasty bits. Let the wine simmer and reduce slightly, then add the stock and beans, stirring everything together. Allow the stew to come to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Let the stew bubble away for 20 minutes, then transfer half the mixture to a blender. Blitz until smooth and creamy, then return it to the pot, stirring it back into the remaining stew. This will give the stew a creamy, luxurious consistency.
- Keep cooking the stew over a low heat while you prepare the courgettes. Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet or frying pan over a high heat, add the courgettes and fry until golden brown and slightly caramelized. Meanwhile, very finely chop the reserved leek greens.
- Stir the courgettes into the stew, along with the parsley, leek greens and kale.
- When the kale is just cooked, serve up the stew into bowls and garnish with lemon zest and a little drizzle of olive oil.
Extracted from Plant to Plate by Gaz Oakley (Quadrille, £25), Photography by Gaz Oakley & Tom Kong.
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