Fast, Fresh, & Fabulous w/ Chef Hilary 22 January 2026

cannellini beans

🥗Healthier: great northern beans

💰Cheaper: pinto beans

Pinto beans are often more affordable and still provide a creamy texture.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: Grana Padano

Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

Start by heating a pot and adding a little bit of olive oil.

Add bacon to the pot and let it cook until it thickens and renders fat.

Cut the onion by removing the hairy root and slicing it in half.

Peel off the first two layers of the onion that are tough.

Slice the onion into quarter-inch pieces, aiming for uniformity with the beans.

Stir the bacon and onion together in the pot until the onion is cooked and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Smash whole garlic cloves with a cleaver to remove the paper and chop them up.

Add the chopped garlic to the pot once the onion is cooked and stir it in.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens