High Protein Creamy Tomato and Basil Beans

Ingredients

• 0.5 onion (finely chopped)
• 5 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 3.5 tomatoes (large, chopped)
• 2 tins butterbeans (400g tins, drained)
• fresh basil (small handful, torn)
• 250 g firm tofu (tomato flavoured preferred; if plain, add extra tomato puree and salt)
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast (heaped)
• 2 tbsp white miso
• water (a splash to loosen sauce)
• extra virgin olive oil (for sautéing and serving)
• sourdough bread (toasted, for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until softened and translucent.

2. 2

   Add the crushed garlic and 1 tablespoon of tomato puree to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

3. 3

   Add the chopped fresh tomatoes to the pan. Cook down for about 5-8 minutes until they have softened and released their juices.

4. 4

   While the tomatoes cook, prepare the creamy sauce base. In a high-speed blender, combine the firm tofu, nutritional yeast, white miso, and a splash of water. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.

5. 5

   Add the drained butterbeans to the pan with the tomatoes and stir to combine.

6. 6

   Pour the blended tofu cream sauce into the pan with the beans and tomatoes. Stir well to coat everything evenly.

7. 7

   Add a small handful of torn fresh basil to the mixture. Let everything simmer together for a few minutes until heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly.

8. 8

   Serve the beans hot, topped with more fresh basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Accompany with toasted sourdough bread or your grain of choice.

Notes

If you cannot find tomato-flavored tofu, use plain firm tofu and increase the tomato puree and salt to taste. This recipe is an excellent way to use tomatoes that are slightly past their prime.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• high-protein
• vegan
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• healthy
• beans
• summer