Butter Bean Recipes, Hearty Salads, Stews + Bean Bowls, Vegetarian -
Butter Beans with Ricotta, Lemon + Wild Garlic Pesto
Butter Beans with Ricotta, Lemon + Wild Garlic Pesto
Rated 4.6 stars by 14 users
Category
Butter Bean Recipes
Servings
2-3
Cook Time
15 minutes
Author:
Hannah Wilding
Zesty lemon, creamy ricotta and punchy pesto, this can be served as a speedy weeknight dinner with a fresh side salad, or topped with some roasted toms for a burst of sweetness and colour. We've made this pesto punchy by adding wild garlic, but if you can't get your hands on any, just sub in clove of garlic instead.
Ingredients
A large bunch of fresh basil (roughly 15g)
A good handful of pine nuts, toasted
A small bunch (roughly 10g) of wild garlic leaves (or 1 garlic clove, crushed)
25g parmesan cheese, grated (or veggie alternative)
4-5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
-
1 x 700g jar of Bold Bean Co Queen Butter Beans (or 2 x 400g tins)
250g ricotta cheese (refrigerated)
1 lemon, juice and zest
Directions
Add the toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, wild garlic (or garlic clove, if using), grated parmesan and the olive oil to a blender or food processor and blitz until you reach an oozy, pesto-like consistency; you may need to add more oil to bind the mixture together.
For the beans, they can be served hot or cold. If you’re heating them through, drain out about half of the liquid from the jar and pour the rest, along with the beans, into a frying pan. Gently warm through over a low heat.
If you’re looking for something fresher for the Spring/Summer months, the beans are already cooked, so simply serve the, beans as they are!Spoon the beans onto a large serving platter and dollop over the ricotta cheese. Drizzle over the pesto and grate over the zest of one lemon and a squeeze of its juice. Finish with some cracked black pepper and an extra drizzle of olive oil, if you fancy.
Amelia Christie-Miller
Hey Ethel! Thank you for this comment. Are you using our Organic White Beans? Often with these you may have to give them a wee rinse, but they still taste fabulous afterwards!
Ethel Shaw
Non of the ‘liquid’ actually drains from the jar. It is more like a gel between the beans. I don’t like rinsing them as I fear losing the best of the Flavour in the gel. Any ideas on how to do this recipe without the liquid?