If you’re tuned into the world of creative food content, you wouldn’t be wrong if it seemed like your favorite recipe developers are in their #BeanEra. From being blended into soups and stews to being celebrated in their whole form, beans are getting much-deserved recognition as standalone stars of the show rather than just simple sides. And when you consider how much little hacks can help these beans shine, it’s easy to see why that is so.
When it comes to delivering a scrumptious serving of extra creamy beans, particularly butter beans, there are a few hacks that can come in handy. This includes blending them with an immersion blender towards the end of cooking, or crushing the cooked beans down with the back of a spatula so the released starches can melt into the silky sauce. Another trick that’s a guaranteed game-changer is to use jarred butter beans along with the stock water in the jar. This tip works wonders as the stock also contains starch released from the beans, making for a buttery-rich butter bean recipe.
However, if you only have access to dried butter beans or tinned ones, fret not, and don’t let canned butter beans’ bad rap dissuade you from using them in a hearty, creamy dish. For both cases, you can use vegetable broth or water to cook the butter beans in place of the stock water from the jarred versions. This ought to do the trick to recreate the velvety mouthfeel of butter beans while retaining their subtle sweetness and nutty notes. Since the beans in a can are already cooked, just drain and rinse them before briefly simmering in the liquid, taking caution not to overcook them to prevent bitterness.
Let butter beans take center stage at the dinner table
Now that you have this creamy butter bean hack at your fingertips, it’s time to put it into action in your kitchen. From a rustic, cozy meal to an elegant, gourmet fare, butter beans provide a versatile source of plant-powered protein in various flavorsome recipes. Perfect for scooping up with fresh bread and fluffy pita, or served with fragrant rice, butter beans are here to stay in your weekly meal rotations and elegant dinner soirees alike. There is no shortage of ways to infuse your butter beans with different flavors and spices from around the world. For instance, an Indian-inspired dish could entail using the hack to cook creamy butter beans in an aromatic tikka masala sauce, or you can put a spin on a classic spinach and tomato daal recipe with butter beans instead of split lentils.
Add bold, smoky flavors to your butter beans by cooking them in the North African spice blend that is harissa. If you’re craving pasta but want to cut down on the carbs, yet still seek something equally satisfying, use butter beans instead of pasta. Their buttery mouthfeel beautifully complements sharp, cheesy, pepper-forward sauces, which is why butter beans take center stage in remakes of classics like cacio e pepe, making the resulting dish even creamier thanks to the stock water. To step it up a notch with culinary sophistication, a drizzle of truffle oil and fresh truffle shavings will impart deep, earthy richness to the dish. So, the next time you’re at the grocery store, consider stocking up on jars of butter beans because clearly, the delectable possibilities are endless.
