Description
A comforting and flavorful dish featuring butter beans cooked with aromatic leeks, herbs, sharp cheddar, and vegetarian pecorino cheese, finished with fresh lemon and parsley. Perfect as a hearty side or light main served with crispy bread.
Ingredients
Scale
For the butter beans
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves (freshly minced)
- 2 tbsp white wine (dry variety like Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1 leek (white and light green parts only, thinly sliced)
- 1 tbsp butter (unsalted, Kerrygold preferred)
- 30g sharp cheddar cheese (finely grated)
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed well)
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tsp salt
For finishing
- Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1 handful fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 15g vegetarian pecorino cheese (freshly grated)
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics: Add butter to a saucepan and melt over low heat to prevent burning. Once melted, add thinly sliced leeks, minced garlic, a sprig of thyme, and diced rosemary. Cook gently for 10 minutes until leeks are soft and fragrant without browning.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in white wine and cook for about 2 minutes to deglaze the pan, enriching the flavor base of the dish.
- Combine Beans and Stock: Add drained cannellini beans, vegetable broth, salt, and black pepper. Stir in finely grated sharp cheddar cheese, allowing it to melt smoothly into the mixture. Continue cooking for 10 minutes until heated through and flavors meld.
- Finish with Pecorino and Seasonings: Grate vegetarian pecorino cheese over the mixture, add lemon juice and zest to brighten the dish, and sprinkle with fresh parsley for color and aroma. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve immediately alongside crispy slices of bread which complement the creamy, cheesy sauce for a hearty and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Use low heat when cooking leeks to avoid browning and to develop a soft, aromatic base.
- Dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc works best for deglazing; you can substitute with white grape juice if avoiding alcohol.
- Vegetarian pecorino cheese adds a tangy depth but can be omitted or replaced with nutritional yeast for a vegan option.
- Drain and rinse canned beans well to reduce sodium content and improve flavor.
- Serving with crusty bread rounds out the meal and helps soak up the delicious sauce.
- Fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary greatly enhance the dish, but dried versions can be used in smaller quantities if fresh aren’t available.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
