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Borlotti Beans & Red Chard Over Polenta with Sausage and Avocado

bgibson135

🍽️ Serves 2–3

A rustic, nutrient-rich dish that layers earthy borlotti beans, sautéed red chard, and savory sausage over creamy polenta. The flavors balance beautifully — bitter, sweet, and rich — with a velvety avocado topping.

Recall that Borlotti beans have many other names: Cranberry, October & Roman.

NOTE [10/30/25]: I enjoyed the first time I fixed the Borlotti Beans and Chard dish. It may have been several years ago, but once again, yesterday, this dish is delicious and I still have two helpings left which I have packaged up in little plastic containers with a portion of polenta and the beans & chard. Just heat, and eat. *I really want to say that I love the flavors in this. For me to cook something that has such an unexpected pleasing flavor is highly unusual for me. [end NOTE]

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups cooked borlotti beans (or cranberry beans)
  • 1 small bunch red chard, stems and leaves chopped
  • ½ medium onion, chopped (divide in half for beans and chard)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2–3 oz hot pork sausage (or other spicy sausage)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • ½ small avocado, mashed
  • 1 cup cooked polenta (prepared plain, with water or light broth)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • (Optional) 1–2 tsp lemon juice or red wine vinegar, for brightness

Instructions

  1. Cook the beans:
    • If using dried beans, simmer until tender.
    • If beans remain mealy after long cooking, stir in ⅛ tsp baking soda, simmer 10–15 minutes longer, and they’ll soften nicely.
    • Season lightly with salt near the end.
  2. Prepare the chard mixture:
    • Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
    • Add half the onion, the garlic, and the sausage, breaking up the sausage as it cooks.
    • When the sausage begins to brown, add the chard stems first (they need a little longer), then the chard leaves.
    • Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, stir, and cook until the chard wilts and deepens in color.
  3. Combine:
    • Add the cooked beans and their juices (if any) into the skillet with the chard mixture.
    • Simmer together for a few minutes so the flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  4. Prepare the base:
    • Reheat or freshly cook the polenta until creamy. Spoon it into bowls or plates.
  5. Assemble:
    • Ladle the bean–chard mixture over the polenta.
    • Top with the smashed avocado.
    • Optionally, finish with a light splash of lemon juice or vinegar for brightness.

STEPS FOR PRODUCING RESISTANT STARCH

For your borlotti beans, let them cool completely after cooking, then refrigerate overnight before reheating; this converts some of their starch into resistant starch, which digests more slowly and steadies blood sugar levels. For the polenta, cook it, spread it in a shallow dish, and chill it before slicing and reheating — this simple cooling step helps form retrograded starch, lowering its glycemic impact. *If you are using pre-packaged polenta, it has already been cooked and cooled, so the resistant starch is already available.

Chef’s Notes

  • The “unusual” flavor you noticed comes from the interplay between borlotti beans’ nutty starches and the mineral-rich pigments in red chard — it’s a kind of natural umami-earthy tone that develops when both are cooked with olive oil.
  • The baking soda trick works because it raises the pH, softening the pectin structure in older beans — a gentle chemistry assist to rescue beans that won’t turn creamy on their own.
  • The avocado rounds the dish with healthy fats that boost absorption of chard’s vitamins A, E, and K.

Borlotti Beans & Red Chard Over Polenta

A hearty Mediterranean-inspired dish that combines borlotti beans, red chard, onions, garlic, and hot pork sausage, all sautéed in olive oil and served over a bed of creamy polenta. A dollop of avocado adds richness and healthy fats. The combination offers high fiber, a balance of plant and animal protein, and a variety of beneficial vitamins and minerals — all while maintaining a moderate glycemic load, making it ideal for a type 2 diabetic meal planning.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 1 plate (approx. 1/3 of recipe)
Servings per recipe: 2–3
Calories 430 kcal
Total Fat 23 g
Saturated Fat 5 g
Cholesterol 35 mg
Sodium 650 mg
Total Carbohydrates 38 g
Dietary Fiber 11 g
Total Sugars 3 g
Protein 19 g
Vitamin A 150% DV
Vitamin C 40% DV
Vitamin K 400% DV
Potassium 950 mg
Magnesium 80 mg
Iron 3 mg

  • Percent Daily Values (%DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
    Approximation intended for general informational and diabetic meal guidance.

Borlotti & Chard Recipe Online

For a colorful, bright side, serve the dish with pickled beets, whose tangy sweetness balances the earthy beans and chard while adding a gentle acidity that aids blood sugar control. Alternatively, lightly glazed carrots—sautéed with olive oil, a touch of balsamic, and herbs—bring a warm, caramelized sweetness that complements the savory polenta base. And, I just made a simple English cucumber & Campari tomato salad with vinegar and sweetener.