Description
A delicious and creamy dish combining tender courgettes and buttery beans, enriched with grated Parmesan and topped with a vibrant homemade pistachio pesto. This wholesome meal offers a perfect balance of flavors and textures, ideal for a comforting lunch or dinner served with optional sourdough bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Beans
- 3 medium-sized courgettes, very thinly sliced (ideally with a mandoline)
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled (2 finely chopped and 1 left whole)
- 2 x 400g cans of butter beans
- 1 lemon, juiced
Dairy
- 100g Parmesan, grated (50g used in pesto, 50g to stir through)
Nuts and Herbs
- 30g fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 20g pistachios, roughly chopped
Oils and Others
- 10 tbsp olive oil
- Sliced sourdough, to serve (optional, use gluten-free if necessary)
Instructions
- Prepare the courgettes: Heat the olive oil in a deep-sided frying pan or shallow casserole dish over medium heat. Add the very thinly sliced courgettes and cook for 8-10 minutes until they have wilted and softened, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add garlic and beans: Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute to release its aroma. Then, add the butter beans along with their liquid and pour in half of the lemon juice. Continue cooking on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the dish to become creamy.
- Make the pistachio pesto: While the courgette and beans cook, combine 50g grated Parmesan, the remaining whole garlic clove, basil, pistachios, olive oil, and the remaining lemon juice in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper, then blitz until you have a smooth, vibrant paste.
- Combine and serve: Stir the remaining Parmesan into the cooked courgette and butter bean mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle the pistachio pesto over the top and serve immediately. Optionally, offer sliced sourdough bread on the side to complement the dish.
- Storage and reheating: To freeze, let the beans cool completely. Transfer the beans into a labelled freezer bag and the pesto into an airtight container. When ready to eat, defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat the beans in a saucepan over medium heat until piping hot. Serve with thawed pesto stirred or drizzled on top.
Notes
- Use a mandoline to thinly slice the courgettes evenly and quickly for best texture.
- Leftover pesto can be used as a spread or drizzle for other dishes.
- For a gluten-free option, serve with gluten-free bread instead of sourdough.
- Ensure to season each component well to bring out the flavors, especially the pesto.
- The recipe can be refrigerated for up to 3 days if not frozen.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: courgette butter beans, pistachio pesto, creamy parmesan, vegetarian dinner, easy stovetop recipe, Mediterranean vegetable dish
