Creamy White Beans With Herb Oil
- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½cup roughly chopped chives
- ½cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
- ½cup tightly packed basil leaves
- ½cup olive oil
- Squeeze of lemon
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 2garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2(15-ounce) cans white beans, like butter beans or cannellini, rinsed and drained
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ½cup chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
- Flaky salt, for serving (optional)
For the Herb Oil
For the Beans
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
557 calories; 36 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 25 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 674 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the oil: In a food processor, combine chives, cilantro and basil, and pulse until finely chopped. Add olive oil, and pulse again until mixture is silky and emulsified. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in lemon juice and salt to taste. Set aside.
- Step 2
Prepare the beans: In a 10-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until translucent, about 1 minute. Add beans to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded, about 2 to 3 minutes. With the back of a spoon or spatula, smash about ⅓ to ½ cup of the beans and stir until they are incorporated into the rest of the bean mixture. A good portion of the remaining beans should maintain their structure.
- Step 3
Add stock or water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until sauce becomes creamy and is reduced by about about half, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Smash additional beans and add a few more tablespoons of water, if needed, to reach desired consistency and stir again to combined.
- Step 4
Transfer beans to a bowl and swirl with herb oil on top. Season with flaky salt, if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
Yes canned beans are a convenience but taking the time to cook the beans by simmering them in water for an hour or so means you do without a great deal of unwanted sodium, get much better tasting beans, and voilà, you can use the beans' cooking water as the stock. As an alternative you could cook the beans ahead and freeze them until you're ready for this dish.
I think a simple jar of good pesto (or a good pesto recipe...) would be a suitable substitute for the herb oil.
When I print a recipe, I wish I had the option of printing a picture of the prepared meal, too.
I loved this recipe! So easy to make - followed recipe as is. I used canned butter beans and was surprised at how creamy the dish turned out just from the small amount of liquid needed to stew the beans. The sauce is so flavorful and while I saw comments about replacing with a quality store bought pesto, I will always go with the homemade sauce. I served this dish with bowtie pasta and added a little extra olive oil and lemon juice to my taste. Paired with a crunchy green salad and buttery Chardonnay. Thank you for this lovely recipe!
I just really appreciate this one! It has become a weeknight staple given how quick it is. I do make fresh bread to go with it which, while not “quick”, is still worth it. Highly recommend. I do like adding a small dash of red pepper flakes to mine too. I usually enjoy with a nice complex white wine.
People are still commenting on the white beans I served at a dinner over a year ago. This is such an easy and delicious recipe. I include it when I know we have vegetarians in our dinner party. Great with crusty bread and a salad for a complete meal. I dream of this one.