Instant Pot White Beans and Pancetta Ragout
This white bean ragout is full of healthy ingredients. This white bean and pancetta ragout is inspired by classic French white bean stews that are simmered for hours.
Using an Instant Pot to cook white beans cuts down on the cooking time, letting the stew build layers of flavors highlighting the pancetta and creamy texture of the white beans.
The term ragout, which is French for a slow-cooked stew made with meat or fish and vegetables, can easily be confused with ragu, which is an Italian term used for a hearty sauce served with pasta. What we love about ragouts is how they can feel comforting and refined at the same time.
The addition of a little pancetta helps the stew taste rich and flavorful while letting it stay healthy. This recipe is an excellent example of how a little pancetta can add an enormous amount of flavor and complexity to a dish.
A helpful tip when you’re cooking beans in an Instant Pot is to cook the beans until their almost tender, before adding the other ingredients. The reason for this is the beans need a lot more cooking time than carrots, onions, etc. and if they’re added when the beans first start cooking, they end up as mush.
This ragout recipe can be served on its own for lunch or dinner or as a side dish. It’s especially good with roast pork or chicken dishes.
Some recommendations include Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Herbs, Rosemary and Thyme Roasted Chicken Breast, or for a fantastic dinner make it with a couple of Sous Vide Duck Breasts.
Instant Pot White Bean and Pancetta Ragout
Ingredients
- 1 lb Great Northern beans
- 3-1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
- 4 oz pancetta, diced
- 1 cup white onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 2 tsp rosemary, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Wash and sort the beans. Set the Instant Pot to the bean setting and cook the beans in 2 cups water, 2 cups chicken broth, along with a bay leaf and 1 tsp salt for 40 minutes.
- While the beans are cooking prep the veggies and pancetta.
- When the beans are done cooking, drain them and set them aside. Set the Instant Pot on sauté, add the butter and pancetta and stir until the pancetta starts to cook. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and sauté everything for a few minutes.
- Add the beans back into the pot along with the rosemary, carrots, ground pepper, and 1 tsp of salt. Pour in 1-1/2 cups of stock, turn the Instant Pot to the bean setting and cook for 20 minutes.
- Before serving taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
Notes
Recommended Equipment
Mark is an experienced food writer, recipe developer, and photographer who is also Umami’s publisher and CEO. A passionate cook who loves to cook for friends, he can often be found in the kitchen or by the grill testing new recipes.
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