Name: Butter Beans with Ricotta, Lemon + Basil Pesto
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: A large bunch of fresh basil (roughly 15g); A good handful of pine nuts, toasted; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 25 g parmesan cheese, grated (or vegan alternative); 4-5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve; 1 jar of Queen Butter Beans - half of the liquid from the jar; 250g ricotta cheese, or vegan alternative (refrigerated); 1 lemon, juice and zest; Crusty bread; Garlic clove - a small bunch of wild garlic (when in season)

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

V Ve* G

Butter Beans with Ricotta, Lemon + Basil Pesto

This can be served as a speedy weeknight dinner with a fresh side salad, or topped with some roasted toms for a burst of sweetness and colour. If wild garlic is in season, swap the garlic clove for a bunch of wild garlic leaves.

The beans can be served either hot or cold - making it ideal for all seasons!

FEEDS

TAKES

Butter Beans with Ricotta, Lemon + Basil Pesto

Rated 4.7 stars by 45 users

Servings

Cook Time

15 minutes

Author:

Bold Bean Co

The beans can be served either hot or cold - making it ideal for all seasons!

Image of Butter Beans with Ricotta, Lemon + Basil Pesto

Ingredients

For the pesto

A large bunch of fresh basil (roughly 15g)
A good handful of pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, crushed
25 g parmesan cheese, grated (or vegan alternative)
4-5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 jar of Queen Butter Beans - half of the liquid from the jar
250g ricotta cheese, or vegan alternative (refrigerated)
1 lemon, juice and zest

Serving suggestions

Crusty bread

Substitutions

Garlic clove - a small bunch of wild garlic (when in season)

Directions

Add the toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, wild garlic (or garlic clove, if using), grated parmesan and the olive oil to a blender or food processor and blitz until you reach an oozy, pesto-like consistency; you may need to add more oil to bind the mixture together.
For the beans, they can be served hot or cold. If you’re heating them through, drain out about half of the liquid from the jar and pour the rest, along with the beans, into a frying pan. Gently warm through over a low heat.
If you’re looking for something fresher for the Spring/Summer months, the beans are already cooked, so simply serve the, beans as they are!
Spoon the beans onto a large serving platter and dollop over the ricotta cheese. Drizzle over the pesto and grate over the zest of one lemon and a squeeze of its juice. Finish with some cracked black pepper and an extra drizzle of olive oil, if you fancy.