Butter Bean Puttanesca
Light tomato and aubergine puttanesca with butter beans, capers, olives and a hint of miso.
makes 18 blocks, about 23p each
- Time
- 45 min10 min prep · 35 min cook
- Makes
- 18 blocks
- Cost per blockPer block
- 23p
- Calories per blockCalories
- 34 kcal
- Spice
- 2 of 5
You’ll need
- 600g (1½ tins)chopped tomatoes
- 250g (1 large)aubergine, 1.5cm dice
- 150gonion, diced
- 155g (⅔ tin)butter beans, drained
- 130gred pepper, diced
- 25g (2 tbsp)capers, drained
- 25g (~8)Kalamata olives, chopped
- 8g (½ tbsp)white miso
- 10gfresh parsley
- 12ggarlic
- 3gsmoked paprika
- 1gchilli flakes
- 12mlrapeseed oil
Allergens: Soya. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Serve it
Spaghetti or linguine · Toasted ciabatta, bruschetta-style · A baked sweet potato
Method
- Step 1: Toss the aubergine in the oil and roast at 200°C fan for 25 minutes until golden, or fry in a large pan over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Meanwhile soften the onion and pepper in a large saucepan over a medium heat with a splash of water or oil for 8 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika and chilli for 1 minute.
- Step 3: Add the tomatoes, capers and olives and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Step 4: Stir in the aubergine and butter beans and simmer for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the miso and parsley.
- Step 5: Cool, portion into 70g blocks and freeze.
Hotter: double the chilli flakes.
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per block | 34 | 1.4g | 4.1g | 1.2g | 1.8g | 0.24g |
| Per 3 blocks | 102 | 4.2g | 12.3g | 3.6g | 5.4g | 0.72g |
Cook’s notes
- Miso stands in for the anchovy of a classic puttanesca; 1 tsp soy works too.
- Green olives are a cheaper swap for Kalamata.
Serve it
Spaghetti or linguine · Toasted ciabatta, bruschetta-style · A baked sweet potato.
Freeze, reheat and serve
- Freeze
- Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
- Reheat
- Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
- A portion
- 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 102 kcal and 4.2g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.
Butter Bean Puttanesca questions
Can I use different beans?
Cannellini beans or chickpeas work in the same drained weight. Cannellini are softer and creamier, chickpeas a little firmer.
What can I use instead of aubergine?
Diced courgette works, roasted or fried the same way. It cooks faster, so check it after about 15 minutes in the oven.
Is it saucy enough for pasta?
It is quite thick, so loosen it with a splash of the pasta cooking water as you toss it through spaghetti or linguine.
Sauces that go with it
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Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates.