I love beans. Especially while the weather is still cold. This creamy butter bean recipe is cozy and warm, but also fresh and vibrant. Butter beans are great for your follicular phase, packed with fiber, and one cup has 15 grams of protein! I've also figured out the best method to making creamy sauces dairy free. To all my fellow dairy free girlies-- tour life will be forever changed. Option to make pesto from scratch following the recipe here, or use store bought.
Ingredients:
Makes about 4 servings
- 2 cans butter beans
- 1/2 oz basil
- 2-3 large leaves dino kale
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1/4 c cashew (or other nut)
- 1 c cashew milk
- 2 tbsp butter (I used dairy free)
- 2 tbsp gf all purpose flour
- 1 c peas
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- dill
- salt
Directions:
- Make your pesto by combining basil, kale, olive oil, cashews, and a pinch of salt in the food processor.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add your peas and sauté them for 3-5 minutes, then remove them from the heat.
- Lower the heat to low, and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and mix for 1 minute until everything is well combined.
- Add 1/2 c of the milk until the consistency thickens significantly and the roux easily separates.
- Increase the heat to medium low, add the next 1/2 c of milk, then stir until the roux thickens again, about 10 minutes. It should be thick enough that you can draw a line between the roux with a spatula or spoon.
- Add about 1/4 c of the pesto or more based on your preference. Stir to combine completely.
- Add a pinch of salt to taste and lemon juice, and stir to combine. Then, add the butter beans after draining and rinsing them.
- Turn off the heat, then add lemon zest on top, and dill.
There's a lot of substitutions you can make here. Sub cashews for pine nuts or walnuts. Any nut or dairy free milk would also work in place of cashew milk. If you want to take the herby flavor up a little more, add 1 tsp chopped dill to the beans when you add the lemon juice. With the beans and peas, you're going to get so much vegan protein. You will love this recipe! Enjoyy 🫶