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Super Green Butter Beans in a bowl, topped with crispy kale and pistachios, held by Sarah Cobacho

Super Green Butter Beans

A high-protein, vibrant butter bean dish with basil, zucchini, and crispy kale. Perfect with sourdough!
Author Sarah Cobacho (plantbaes.com)
PREP TIME15 minutes
COOK TIME15 minutes
TOTAL TIME30 minutes
Servings 2
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American, Plant-Based
Keyword basil, butter beans, Easy Dinner, hemp seeds, High Protein, kale, lemon, nutritional yeast, spinach, zucchini

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onions finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 medium zucchini chopped
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp red chili flakes more to taste
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp hemp seeds
  • 2.5 cups butter beans cooked
  • 2 tbsp pistachios roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp dairy-free yogurt
  • sea salt flakes to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Crispy Kale (optional)

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 cup kale stem removed, finely chopped
  • 1 pinch sea salt flakes
  • ½ tsp onion flakes

Instructions

  • In a large pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the zucchini and garlic. Cover and cook for 7 minutes, or until the zucchini has softened.
  • Blanch the greens: Prepare one small bowl of boiling water and a second, larger bowl of iced water (keep it in the fridge beforehand or add ice). Add the spinach and basil to the boiling water until the greens are just wilted (about 30 seconds). Then, transfer them to the iced water until completely cooled. Remove from the iced water and add them to a blender (no need to squeeze out the excess water).
  • To the blender with the greens, add the cooked zucchini, onion, and garlic, along with the lemon juice, chili flakes, a pinch of sea salt flakes, nutritional yeast, and hemp seeds. Blend until smooth.
  • Add the butter beans and sauce to the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
  • Optional crispy kale: Massage the kale with 1 tsp olive oil, a pinch of sea salt flakes, and the onion flakes. Cook in the air fryer for 4 minutes at 180°C.
  • Plate the beans and top with a dollop of yogurt, the pistachios, and crispy kale (if using). Serve with toasted sourdough or our buckwheat bread and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Nut-free option: Swap the pistachios for pumpkin seeds for a nutrient-dense nut-free option.
Nutritional Information - Per Serving
Calories 491kcal | Carbohydrates 45g | Protein 31g | Fat 13g | Sodium 467mg | Fiber 22g | Vitamin A 251IU | Vitamin C 34mg | Calcium 188mg | Iron 10mg