I had been thinking about using a very neglected couple of cans of cannellini beans to test this creamy pesto beans recipe I've had in my head for months. It finally happened this week. And it turns out it was ridiculously easy to make. Within 15 minutes I had a meal.
I'm still biased towards soaking and cooking my own beans. They taste better and I can freeze them in batches to be used any time. And a little bonus: the cooking liquid can be used in recipes to thicken it. The only obvious challenge is that it requires time. When I have dry white beans I make them ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze them until I need them. And by coincidence, Ottolenghi just shared a newsletter on How to cook beans.
Shallots. The first time around testing my recipe I skimped a bit on the shallots so I recommend using a good amount of shallots. If you don't have shallots you can substitute with onions.
White beans. Any white bean works here, I just happen to use cannellini. For SCD, lima or navy beans work.
Pesto. I make a simple pesto with fresh basil leaves, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Since I already have Parmesan for the beans, I leave it out of the pesto. Some other options are kale pesto or dairy-free basil walnut pesto.
Parmesan. I prefer Parmesan cheese if I'm going the dairy route, however feel free to use your cheese of choice. For a non-dairy version use cashew ricotta cheese.
Additions. This is great on its own or as a side dish. Feel free to serve it with more grated Parmesan, lemon wedges, and of course more pesto. Other additions to change up or boost the flavor include roasted cherry tomatoes, marina sauce, and roasted veggies.
This recipe was inspired by the Pesto Beans in the New York Times (gift link).
Creamy Pesto Beans
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 ounces shallots peeled and thinly sliced; about 1 cup
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 cups white beans, cooked or two 15 ounces cans of white beans
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water or stock, or the water from cooking the beans
- 1 cup Parmesan finely grated
- ¼ cup basil leaves chopped
- 1 cup pesto
Instructions
- Place a stockpot or saucepan on low to medium heat and add the olive oil.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the shallots to the pan, stir and cook for a few minutes or until they begin to soften.6 ounces shallots
- Add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes, or until they become fragrant.2 garlic cloves
- Add the beans, salt, and water or stock, and bring to a simmer.½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup water, 3 cups white beans, cooked
- Turn the heat to low and add the Parmesan cheese, stirring immediately so it melts into the broth. Keep stirring until it's fully melted.1 cup Parmesan
- Add the chopped basil leaves and season to taste with salt and pepper. You can also blend in some of the pesto here.¼ cup basil leaves
- Add a few spoonfuls of pesto to each serving.1 cup pesto
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for a few days.
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