Crispy Butter Bean Bowls with Snap Pea Quinoa and Romesco Sauce

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This delicious protein-packed recipe is bursting with flavor. Creamy, mild butter beans combine with a zesty sauce and seasoned quinoa for a hearty, warming meal. These Crispy Butter Bean Bowls are simple, nutritious, and so satisfying.

Comfort Food Doesn’t Have to be Boring

The smooth texture and mild flavor of butter beans lend well to many soups, stews, and side dishes. In this dish, they combine with the more assertive flavors of Romanesco sauce and chimichurri seasoning. This results in a flavor-packed meal that is warming and comforting.

Romanesco sauce is a rich, versatile Latin sauce originating in Spain. The base is roasted red peppers, puréed and thickened with almonds and hemp seeds. The flavor is further sharpened with raw garlic and red wine vinegar. The result is a robust, flavorful sauce that is delicious over pasta or a variety of vegetables. If you have time, allow the sauce stand for an hour or more at room temperature before serving. This allows the flavors to meld all the more.

I like the butter beans extra crispy. To obtain this result, be patient and allow them to crisp in your frying pan before adding other ingredients.

Make it a Meal

Combine the Crispy Butter Bean Bowls with Barely Braised Greens or Roasted Romanesco Broccoli for a complete meal!

Crispy Butter Bean Bowls

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield:2 servings

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Ingredients

For the Quinoa

3/4 cup quinoa

1 tablespoon chimichurri spice blend

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, divided

1 lemon, zested, halved, and one half sliced into wedges

6 sugar snap peas, strings removed and sliced thinly

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Romesco Sauce

4 cloves garlic, peeled

4 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon hemp seeds

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

For the Butter Beans

2.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

13.4 oz. box dry butter beans, rinsed, drained, and patted dry

Instructions

For the Quinoa

Add the quinoa, chimichurri spice blend, 1 1/2 cups of water and a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook until tender and quinoa spirals burst open, about 12-15 minutes.
Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork, and add 2 tablespoons almonds, juice of half a lemon, and sliced sugar snap peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Romesco Sauce

Add the garlic, roasted red peppers, remaining almonds, hemp seeds, red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons water and a pinch of salt and pepper to a high speed mixer. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.

For the Butter Beans

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the dried butter beans to the skillet and cover with a lid. The drier the butter beans, the crispier they will get. Be aware that the butter beans can pop, and the lid will prevent hot splatters and a messy kitchen.
Add the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.

To Serve

Divide the quinoa between two plates and layer butter beans on top. Drizzle with romesco sauce and serve with lemon wedges.

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