Serves:
3-4
Prep time:
15 mins
Cook time:
20 mins
Ingredients:
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil (approx.)
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 tsp smoked paprika
1 or 2 sprigs of fresh thyme OR large pinch of dried thyme OR large pinch oregano
1.5 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 cans of beans – cannellini, butter, kidney, haricot, black eyed... they all work well!
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Pepper, to taste
Salt, if needed
These more-ish beans are perfect for batch cookery, and using mostly store-cupboard ingredients, can be whipped up in no time when you need a cheap, nourishing and tasty meal. Make a batch and then use for a variety of dishes through the week – as a jacket potato topper, mixed with cheese and chilli as a quesadilla or burrito filling, with rice, or simply on toast. You can add them into a veggie bean chilli too! It’s mega versatile – you can change up the beans you use depending on what you have in the cupboard.
Method:
Finely dice the onion and chop the garlic. In a medium saucepan or high sided frying pan, add the oil and place over a medium heat. Gently fry the onions and garlic until very soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomato puree, paprika, thyme sprigs (you can pick the sprig out at the end before serving) OR pinch of dried thyme, sugar and soy sauce. Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes.
Drain the beans, discarding the liquid, then add to the pan with the tin of tomatoes. Stir well, then simmer until the sauce has reduced and become thick. Add the red wine vinegar.
Taste for seasoning, adding pepper and maybe salt if needed. Taste for acidity and add a little extra vinegar if desired. Serve.
