Taking a bite of these butter beans in sun-dried tomato pesto feels like eating a bowl of sunshine, something I welcome openly in the winter months. The beans come together in just 30 minutes and use a total of 7 ingredients, making it the perfect weeknight meal.
Equipment
Here’s everything you need to make butter beans in sun dried tomato pesto:
- large pan
- blender
- chef’s knife
- cutting board
Note: you can find the full ingredients list and recipe instructions below!
Cooking Tips
- Use rapini or broccolini. Either works in this recipe, so use your preference to help make a decision. I will say rapini adds a light bitterness to the dish that helps balance the flavours.
- Lima beans vs butter beans. Surprise! They’re the same thing! The name will change depending on where you are in the world. In Canada, where I am, I see lima bean used more commonly.
- Playing around! If you don’t have sun dried tomatoes, you can try making this with roasted red peppers or olives.
- Garnishing your pest beans. This recipe calls for lemon zest but it’s also a great opportunity to use up any herbs you have wilting away in the fridge. Fresh basil, mint or parsley would all be a delicious addition.
What nuts can I use in pesto?
The most common nut used in pesto is the pine nut. Pine nuts have a mild fruity flavour and produce a slightly creamy consistency when ground down. If you can’t find (or afford!) pine nuts, walnuts or cashews are a great alternative.
Why is my pesto not smooth?
In short, you don’t want pesto to be super smooth – a great pesto recipe will yield a thick and slightly chunky consistency. However, you want all the pieces to be the same size. To avoid having large pieces in your pesto, turn your blender or food processor on low while slowly drizzling in the oil until everything is combined. Once combined, turn off the motor and and scrape down the sides using a spatula, then pulse again. Repeat this process a few times to make sure the mixture is consistent throughout. If you prefer a thinner pesto, add in more oil.
Butter Beans in Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
2
servings40
minutesIngredients
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 540mL can butter beans (also called lima beans)
125g rapini or broccolini, cut into bite-sized pieces
10 sun dried tomatoes (in oil)
¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts
1 cup grated parmesan
3 garlic cloves
Salt
Pepper
Optional: lemon zest for garnish
Directions
Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Add tomatoes, beans and greens and season with ½ tsp salt. Cook on medium-high, uncovered, while you make your pesto.
To a blender add sun dried tomatoes (discard oil), nuts, garlic, parmesan, ¼ cup olive oil and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
By now, your greens should be wilted and the beans should be starting to brown. Turn heat to low and add pesto. Mix everything together, and continue cooking on medium-low until the pesto is well-incorporated and the greens are deep green and soft, but still have a bite to them, about 10 minutes. If you find the sauce too thick, add a splash of water to loosen it up.
Serve warm with a drizzle of oil, black pepper and some lemon zest!
Tag me @stefsdinnerdate if you make it! I love seeing your creations <3