Make this cozy polenta and bean stew in one pot for a comforting, protein-rich meal. Creamy polenta pairs perfectly with the tomatoey cannellini stew. Everything cooks together with minimal effort. A simple, wholesome dinner that feels nourishing and filling.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil (or water sauté to make oil-free), plus 2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil (optional)
- ½ cup (75 g) minced onion
- 2 tsp (6 g) minced garlic
- 3 cups (708 ml) water or broth
- 1½ cups (276 g) dry cannellini or Great Northern beans, soaked overnight drained and rinsed
- 1 packed tbsp (4 g) minced sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups (944 ml) water
- 1 cup (160 g) polenta
- ¼ cup (24 g) nutritional yeast
- 2 cups (134 g) chopped kale
- Salt or salt substitute to taste
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to sauté. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil and cook the onion until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes.
- Turn the sauté off. Add in the water, soaked beans, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, basil, thyme and bay leaf to your Instant Pot. Place a rack with 2- to 3-inch (5- to 7.5-cm) legs into the mixture. This is not the rack that came with your pressure cooker.
- You can then place a 4- to 5-cup (960-ml to 1.2-L) Pyrex container or one of the stainless bowls from the stackables you can buy for your Instant Pot. Use a 4- to 5-cup (960-ml to 1.2-L) container that fits on top of the rack and allows the lid to close. In the container, combine the water, polenta, nutritional yeast and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of olive oil (if using). Whisk well.
- You will not cover or put a lid or foil on this.
- Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and manually release the pressure the rest of the way.
- Carefully remove the top container and set on a trivet. Whisk and whisk some more and the polenta will be the perfect texture.
- Check to make sure the beans are fully cooked; if not, place the lid back on and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Stir the kale into the beans, and add salt as needed to both dishes.
- Serve the white beans on a bed of polenta.