Description
Creamy butter beans gently folded with ricotta, bright lemon, and fresh basil pesto for a comforting yet fresh Mediterranean-inspired dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups butter beans, cooked or canned, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 lemon, zest and 2 tablespoons juice
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your equipment by placing a medium saucepan over low to medium heat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, lemon juice, 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and black pepper, and mix until smooth but slightly textured.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the saucepan and gently warm the garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the butter beans to the saucepan and stir gently to coat with the garlic and oil.
- Cook the beans for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
- Remove from heat, fold in the ricotta mixture, then add fresh basil and lemon zest, stirring gently to combine.
- Serve warm in a bowl with an optional drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for best flavor.
- Do not overmix the ricotta to maintain a creamy texture.
- Add a splash of warm water if the mixture feels too thick.
- Adjust salt to taste before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: butter beans with ricotta, lemon basil beans, creamy beans recipe, mediterranean beans, easy vegetarian dish