Tins of white beans are a staple round at mine, but I only ever use them in soups and stews. How can I get out of my bean rut?
Emily, Nottingham
We hear you, Emily. Beans are great for bulking out soups and stews, but there is a whole world of #beanspo out there just waiting to be discovered. We’re all in need of some comfort, so try treating beans much as you would pasta, say: “For something really low-effort but nourishing, whip up a simple tomato and olive sauce, then shove a jar of beans in there,” says Amelia Christie-Miller, founder of Bold Bean Co. “You don’t have to cook the beans, so that makes them easier even than pasta.” Ragu would be another good sauce shout, says Sophie Wybird, cook and author of Tucking In (out in the summer), or “layer them up with bolognese and a cheesy bechamel to make an alternative to lasagne”. In fact, the options are (almost) endless: carbonara, arrabbiata, cacio e pepe or, Christie-Miller adds, a simple pesto, “maybe made with cooked peas or sun-dried tomatoes”.
Beanotto is another concept that you may want to get on board with. “You’re taking the flavours of a risotto, but using beans instead of rice,” Christie-Miller says. “In January, you want something in a bowl that’s warming and feels nourishing, and a mushroom or squash beanotto would be great.” Otherwise, Shivi Ramoutar, author of Cook Clever: One Chop, No Waste, All Taste, suggests breaking that bean rut with a canvas on to which you can add any veg or meat you fancy. “Start with a base of onion [or spring onion], garlic and olive oil, then in go the white beans [or chickpeas], some water and a squidge or spoonful of any flavoured paste or spice/spice blend you have lying around the kitchen – think jerk, gochujang, harissa, pesto, tahini …” Accessorise with the likes of spinach or green beans, add sliced cooked sausage or diced chorizo, then cook for 10 minutes and let “the flavours meld and the beans absorb them all”. Top with a fried egg and fresh herbs.
Beans also have a place blitzed into dips, mashed to fill quesadillas or as an alternative to mashed potato, or in savoury crumbles. Anna Jones’ creamy parsnip crumble, for example, is a real corker: roast leeks and parsnips with olive oil, thyme and some seasoning, until soft, then toss through a mix of grated parsnips, creme fraiche, chopped garlic, lemon zest, cider vinegar, stock and the drained beans. Top with a savoury crumble – that’s oats, butter, flour, more grated parsnip and pumpkin seeds – grate some parmesan on top and bake until bubbling. That one’s particularly pleasing with a crisp, green salad.
Finally, another good multipurpose approach is to roast tinned or jarred beans, because they can then be eaten by the handful or used to bolster a whole variety of future meals. “They take about 20 minutes in a 180-200C (160-180C fan) oven with some olive oil and spices, according to whatever cuisine you’re going for,” Christie-Miller says. “I love roasting them with a sticky balsamic vinegar or pomegranate molasses, then serving that with a za’atar kale salad.” Now that’s magic.
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