Butter Bean Recipes, Hearty Salads, Stews + Bean Bowls, Vegetarian -
Butter Beans with Ricotta, Lemon + Basil Pesto
Butter Beans with Ricotta, Lemon + Basil Pesto
Rated 4.7 stars by 28 users
Category
Butter Bean Recipes
Servings
2-3
Cook Time
15 minutes
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. If wild garlic is in season, swap the garlic clove for a bunch of wild garlic leaves.
Ingredients
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A large bunch of fresh basil (roughly 15g)
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A good handful of pine nuts, toasted
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1 garlic clove, crushed
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25g parmesan cheese, grated (or veggie alternative)
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4-5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
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1 jar of Bold Bean Co Queen Butter Beans
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250g ricotta cheese (refrigerated)
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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?