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Fancy Butter Beans on Toast

5 PLANTS

Rich, garlicky butter beans simmered in a spiced tomato sauce – simple, comforting and packed with goodness. My husband always says, ‘not again!’ because I make this so much, but it’s just the perfect meal when you need something effortless. It’s like fancy beans on toast and far more satisfying than anything out of a tin. Scoop it up with warm, crusty bread and enjoy.

Serves 2
olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
½ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes (or to taste)
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 × 400g tin of butter beans, drained
175g passata (you use the rest of the jar in the Pulled Miso Aubergine Ragu on page 130)
grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
1–2 heaped tablespoons plain yoghurt (we use unsweetened coconut)
sea salt and black pepper
2 slices of crusty bread, to serve

Make it your own: Swap butter beans for any white bean. Add Parmesan or tahini for extra richness. Stir in spinach or kale for added greens. Serve with coriander, chives, a drizzle of tahini, rocket, dukkah, toasted almonds, avocado.

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium–low heat. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
2. Stir in the cherry tomatoes, along with a generous pinch of salt, and cook for 2–3 minutes until they start to soften. Add the butter beans and tomato sauce and simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and the yoghurt, and season to taste.
4. Toast the bread and pile the beans on top with lots of black pepper. For extra flavour, rub a little raw garlic
over the toast before adding the beans, along with a big drizzle of olive oil.