French

Medium · Hot

White Bean and Zucchini Stew with Thyme

A sun-warmed Provençal stew where tender white beans nestle alongside silky zucchini in a fragrant bath of olive oil, garlic, and fresh thyme. Slow-sweated vegetables and a squeeze of lemon at the end make this feel like a hug from the garden.

Recipe by

Margaux Lefèvre

The Provençal Gardener

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Total

45 min

Method

Building the Aromatic Base

In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery with a generous pinch of salt. Let them sweat slowly, stirring occasionally, for about 12 minutes until softened and translucent — the slow patience here is everything.

Adding Depth and Vegetables

Add the sliced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook down for 5 minutes until they begin to release their juices and meld into the vegetables.

Add the sliced zucchini and stir to coat everything in the aromatic base. Cook for 3 minutes until the zucchini just begins to soften at the edges.

Simmering the Stew

Pour in enough water to just cover the vegetables, about 3 cups. Add the thyme sprigs and bring to a gentle simmer.

Stir in the white beans and season with salt and black pepper. Let the stew simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to marry and the broth to take on a lovely, silky quality from the beans.

[object Object]

Nutri-Score

Excellent balance

A–E · lower is better · score -9

Calories

616

per serving

High in protein · 32gLow sugar · 11gLow saturated fat · 3g

Protein

32g

Carbs

93g

Fat

16g

Sat. fat

Fiber

14g

Sugar

11g

Sodium

925mg

Gluten FreeDairy FreeVeganMediterraneanLow FatHeart HealthyAnti InflammatoryPlant ForwardHigh FiberPlant ProteinMediterranean Diet

Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.

Environmental impact

Low impact

A–E · lower is better · includes estimates

kg CO₂e

0.6

per serving

BCarbonAEU all-round· carbon sets the grade

Water

0.9m³

Runoff

0.06g P

ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped drives 33% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.

Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.

Flavor Profile

Umami

Sweet

Salty

Sour

Bitter

Spicy

Textures

TenderSilkySoftCreamy

Aromas

HerbalGarlickyVegetalCitrusOlive Oil

Kitchen Equipment

Primary Tool

Dutch Oven

Dutch Oven Chef Knife Cutting Board Measuring Spoons Measuring Cups

Counter FootprintMedium

Techniques

Sweating Simmering Braising

Safety & Storage

Allergen Warning

Celery is present in this recipe. Ensure all utensils, cutting boards, and surfaces that contact celery are thoroughly cleaned before preparing other foods. Inform guests of celery content if serving to those with celery allergies.

Handling

If using dried white beans, ensure proper soaking (minimum 8 hours) and thorough cooking (simmering until tender, typically 45-90 minutes). Undercooked beans contain lectins that can cause foodborne illness. Canned beans should be rinsed before use.

Storage

Cool stew to room temperature within 2 hours of cooking, then refrigerate in shallow containers at 40°F or below. Consume within 3-4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F before serving.

Cross Contamination

This is a plant-based recipe with minimal cross-contamination risk. However, if preparing alongside allergen-containing foods (nuts, dairy, eggs, fish), use separate cutting boards and utensils. Wash hands thoroughly between handling different ingredient groups.

The stew simmers at safe temperatures (185-200°F) during cooking. No high-risk proteins requiring specific temperature monitoring are present in this recipe.

Pro Tips

Technique

The slow sweat of your onions, carrots, and celery is not a step to rush — this is where the whole stew finds its soul. Keep the heat gentle, let them go translucent and soft, almost sleepy, for the full twelve minutes. Your patience becomes flavor, I promise you.

Substitution

If cannellini beans are not to be found, flageolets or even butter beans will serve beautifully — any creamy white bean that can hold its shape while drinking in that gorgeous broth.

Seasonal

This stew sings loudest in late summer when your zucchini are fat and your tomatoes are so ripe they barely need cooking. In winter, swap the zucchini for sliced potatoes and add a parmesan rind for depth.

From the chef

White beans and zucchini braised together in a fragrant bath of olive oil, garlic, and thyme make a stew that is humble in its ingredients and generous in everything it gives. The beans swell and soften into the broth, the zucchini half-moons go silky at the edges, and the slow-sweated onion, carrot, and celery hold it all in a golden base that smells like a Provençal garden. Always, always a good squeeze of lemon at the very end — that brightness is the secret that makes a vegetable dish feel alive. Crusty bread alongside is not optional.

Margaux LefèvreThe Provençal Gardener

Visit profile

TagsProvençAlOne PotVegetarianWhite BeansSummer VegetablesMediterraneanHerb Forward

AllergensCelery

Source: generated · June 10, 2026