Tomato + White Bean Stew with Parmesan

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 large yellow onion diced
• optional: few teaspoons Calabrian chili paste or few pinches crushed red chili flakes
• 3 cloves garlic finely diced
• 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
• 32 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes or 32oz can of crushed tomatoes. If using whole peeled tomatoes, break them up with your hands before incorporating in recipe.
• 1 bunch kale roughly chopped into about 1" pieces (stems included)
• 1 and 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth or stock or water if needed
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving
• 2 15- ounce cans of white beans drained (butter beans preferred, cannellini beans work well)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Optional: lemon wedges from zested lemon, toasted breadcrumbs, and/or crispy bacon for serving