Middle Eastern Vibe Butterbeans
A rich tomato sauce, creamy butterbeans, warming spices and fragrant herbs – this is my Middle Eastern Vibe Butterbean dish.
My love for butterbeans is real, people! I love how they hold their shape even when they are cooked in a fragrant tomato’y’ broth and of course I love their creaminess.
Why you will love this recipe
- it comes together in less than 40minutes
- makes fab leftovers (I had it for days!)
- simple ingredients
Middle Eastern dishes are made to be shared
One of the joys of vegetarian food is how you can have a ‘theme’ of veggie plates and the flavours all work together when you eat them. It’s this diversity that makes sense in terms of flavour but also in terms of nutrients. Different coloured veggies all have different nutrients and flavours – how amazing is that?
The vibe of most Middle Eastern dishes is that they need to be eaten together. How amazing is it that a cuisine’s whole ethos is to bet shared?
A thought on putting dishes together
I am a person who loves to eat a variety of things, I am def a ‘bietjie van alles’ (a little bit of everything) girl. When I am thinking of what to cook for a dinner party, I think about the following.
There will be a sauce which can either be dolloped over or scooped up, something like a baba ganoush, a classic bread dipping oil (so good) or something creamy.
I will then think of the main dish, the centre stage, which will often be something with beans or a tomato based main. Two veggie based options to sit aside the main and something fresh and crunchy like a salad.
The mezze menu
This butterbean dish was shared among friends at one of my supperclubs in my home. We ate this stunning dish with:
- Smoky Aubergine Baba Ganoush
- Fennel Salad with Cranberries, Apples and Orange Dressing
- Filled Aubergines
A word on dried herbs
I am not a fan, but it is my personal preference. In this recipe I took the middle way approach by adding dried and fresh oregano.
Serving Suggestions
The beans will go well served with a simple Greek style thick yogurt with a dollop of harissa paste swirled through and a plate of crumbled feta on the side. Most dishes will benefit from having sliced lemons on the side.
Middle Eastern Vibe Butterbeans
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large red onion
- 1 large red pepper
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 2 tbs sun-dried tomato pesto (example here)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 400g tins butterbeans
- 1 400g tin whole peeled tomatoes
- 150 ml veggie stock, heated
- 10 g (handful) dill and parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
- sea salt & black pepper
Instructions
- Add 3 tbs olive oil in a med saucepan on a med heat, when the oil starts to shimmer add the cumin seeds and gently fry to release the seeds aroma, 2 minutes then add the onions, pepper and garlic and a generous chef's pinch (using all 5 fingers) of salt. Stir the veggies in the lovely cumin oil and cook, covered, stirring occasionally until the veggies are super soft.
- TIP: when you lift the lid to stir the veggies, hold the lid over the veggies ensuring any water gathered on the lid falls back onto the veggies. Moist veggies are happy veggies.
- Toast the spices: While the veggies are cooking, add the cinnamon and paprika to a small frying pan, dry with no oil, gently toast the spices on a medium heat until the spices are fragrant. Toasting spices this way releases and unlocks their aroma - wonderful!
- When the veggies are soft, add the toasted spices, mix well for a few minutes, if the mixture seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil.
- Now add the tomato paste and dried oregano and mix well.
- Add the tin tomatoes, breaking the tomatoes up with your wooden spoon.
- Add another chefs pinch salt followed by the butterbeans, stock, fresh oregano and bay leaf.
- Simmer gently with the lid ajar for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Have a taste and season to perfection with more salt (needed?) and fresh black pepper.
- Remove the oregano stalks & bay leaf. Season with fresh herbs. Enjoy!
