Tuscan Bean Bowl

Tuscan Bean Bowl

This one is a proper weeknight hero for us. There's something about a Tuscan bean bowl that just feels like a warm hug after a long day, rich, hearty, and full of those deep Italian flavours we absolutely love. The cannellini beans go silky and creamy as they soak up all the paprika, chilli and sundried tomato goodness, while the kale adds a bit of bite and colour. It comes together in about 25 minutes, which still blows our minds given how good it tastes. Honestly, if you haven't made this yet, tonight's the night.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Large frying pan
  • Microplane or box grater

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 3 sprigs of thyme
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 150g sundried tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 75g chopped kale
  • 1 jar of butter beans
  • 250ml - Oddlygood Barista Oat Drink
  • 50g plant-based parmesan
  • 2 tbsp chilli oil
  • crusty bread

Method

1

Prep the veg

  • Peel and dice the onion
  • Peel and dice the carrot
  • Peel and slice the garlic
  • Drain and roughly chop the sundried tomatoes
  • Roughly chop the kale
  • Pick the thyme
2

Cook the base

  • Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat with the olive oil
  • Add the onion, carrot and garlic with a pinch of salt and cook until softened and lightly caramelized
  • Add the chilli flakes, paprika, thyme leaves, oregano, tomato paste, sundried tomatoes and cook for a few minutes
  • Stir through the the butterbeans with their juices
  • Pour in the milk and bring to a simmer, reducing for 5 minutes to thicken
  • Stir through the kale to wilt and taste to season with salt and pepper
3

Finish and serve

  • Grate the parmesan over the top and finish with a drizzle of chilli oil

Tips & Variations

  • Make it extra hearty: We love adding a small handful of cooked farro or a slice of crusty sourdough on the side to mop everything up. Trust us on this one.
  • Swap the greens: If you can't find kale or just fancy a change, spinach works really well here too. Just add it right at the end as it wilts much faster.
  • Turn up the heat: Ian always sneaks in a bit more chilli flakes than the recipe says. If you like a proper kick, go for it. You can always start cautious and taste as you go.

Why This Works

The trick here is taking your time with the onion, carrot and garlic at the start and letting them go properly soft and lightly caramelised. That's your flavour base right there, and it makes everything that goes in after taste ten times better. The sundried tomatoes are also doing serious heavy lifting, they bring this sweet, intense, almost jammy depth that you just can't get from fresh tomatoes alone.