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A collection of recipes featuring nutritious, healthy, economical beans and pulses. From warming lentil soups to tasty chickpea hummus.
Bean and Pulse Soups can be tasty, nutritious and economical. Whether you’re looking for a hearty bowlful like minestrone, a simple delicate lentil soup, or something special like creamy bean and pancetta, you’ll find lots to tempt you in this round-up of my favourite bean …Read more
Sausage, Potato, Bean and Kale Soup is hearty and warming, a complete simple meal in a bowl. Protein, carbs and veggies are cooked in a soothing, garlicky broth that tastes lightly creamy thanks to a combination of chicken stock and milk. Unusually, the recipe …Read more
Chicken with Olives, Lemon and Chickpeas is a twist on a classic Moroccan tagine. Browned chicken pieces slowly braised in a tangy spiced sauce with olives and preserved (or fresh) lemon plus chickpeas makes a satisfying, delicious stew. Serve with bread or rice and salad …Read more
Refried Bean Quesadillas are a crispy, cheesy, melty and delicious delight. And incredibly easy too! Using either canned or made from scratch refried beans (I recommend my quick and spicy homemade version), simply spread some over a tortilla wrap, add plenty of cheese plus vegetable …Read more
Refried Beans or frijoles refritos are so easy to make at home. And super-quick when you start with tinned pinto, borlotti, kidney, or black beans. In this tasty version inspired by the traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex dish of mashed beans, there’s loads of spicy favour …Read more
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is healthy and delicious. With nutritious chickpeas, crunchy and juicy veg like red pepper and tomatoes, plus herbs, feta cheese, and a garlicky-lemon dressing, it’s perfect for an easy lunch or light warm weather dinner. This so-simple salad also works well as a …Read more
Spicy Sweet Potato and Chickpea Stew makes a satisfying, comforting bowlful. With an Indian-inspired mix of aromatics, whole and ground spices, this incredibly tasty but easy dish is packed with vegetables and pulses. Eat just as it is, with a dollop of yogurt on top, …Read more
Smoky Not-Baked Beans, spicy with smoked paprika, chipotle chilli flakes, and cumin, might taste like they’ve been lovingly simmered for hours. But they’re actually made in around thirty minutes with a simple base of tinned cannellini beans, onion, garlic, and tomato puree. Enjoy on toast, …Read more
Chickpea and Oat Bake is inspired by the classic flavours of falafel but in the form of an incredibly easy bake. So simple to make, all you do is stir up the ingredients, pack into a loaf tin or baking tray and cook in the …Read more
Soupe au Pistou is a simple vegetable, bean, and pasta soup from the south of France. Traditionally based on seasonal summer vegetables like courgette, beans, and tomatoes, the highlight is the punchy basil and garlic pistou from which the soup gets its name. A stripped-down version of …Read more
Green Bean, Tomato and Potato Salad with Aioli contains simple ingredients. But eaten in season when beans, tomatoes and new potatoes are at their best it feels like a real treat. The light dressing is based on cheat’s aioli or jarred mayonnaise flavoured with garlic, …Read more
Hummus Soup is a delicious, easy way of using up leftovers of the ever-popular chickpea and tahini dip. Light and refreshing, but so tasty, it can be ready in just five minutes. Perfect for a quick lunch or unusual first course, I like to top …Read more
This Chilli Bean Cheese Toastie is inspired by the flavours of a Tex-Mex chilli but is put together in minutes. The warmly spicy bean, corn, onion, and melting cheese filling is a great contrast to the buttery, crunchy and crispy golden bread. Perfect on its …Read more
Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup, simple but hearty and delicious, is inspired by the cocidos and caldos of central and northern Spain. Smoked paprika intensifies the chorizo flavour of a garlicky broth that’s subtly spiced with cumin and chilli. Add in chickpeas, potatoes, kale, or …Read more
White Bean Puree with Rosemary & Garlic makes a simple yet utterly delicious accompaniment to grilled or roasted meats (lamb, pork, chicken, sausages, meatballs – you name it), seafood, or vegetables. Best served warm, you’ll find so many uses for this versatile puree rich with …Read more
Minestrone Soup is a tasty and hearty one pot meal. Packed with vegetables and beans plus pasta, you can adapt the ingredients according to the seasons and whatever you have in your fridge and cupboards. This winter version includes carrots, potatoes, kale (you can swap …Read more
Lentil & Bacon Soup is a nutritious, simple yet tasty soup that’s perfect for chilly days. Made with quick cooking split red lentils, plus smoked bacon and vegetables, everyday ingredients are transformed into something hearty, comforting and delicious. Disclosure: this post may contain affiliate links. …Read more
Chickpea, Potato & Coconut Curry is subtly spiced but delicious. Chickpeas and potatoes in a coconut-yogurt sauce flavoured with earthy spices like cumin, coriander, mustard, turmeric, and fennel seed. Not your average chickpea and potato curry, here chunks of crispy roasted potato are stirred in …Read more
Bean & Tuna Salad is a simple main course salad or antipasto that’s beautifully flavoured with olive oil, lemon, red wine vinegar, sliced red onions, garlic, and parsley. Based on Italian fagioli e tonno, it’s richly flavoured yet healthy. My quicker version of this classic …Read more
Scotch Broth, also known as barley broth, is a one-pot meal in a bowl. With pearl barley, pulses, root vegetables, greens and lamb, my version is hearty and satisfying. It’s also very economical. By combining a little leftover roast lamb with cheaper ingredients like green …Read more
Cauliflower, Mushroom, Carlin Pea Curry is warmly spicy with a hint of creaminess thanks to a little coconut milk in the rich tomato-based sauce. In this easy curry made with whole and ground spices, roasting the vegetables intensifies their flavour and keeps more of the cauliflower’s …Read more
Cassoulet is a rich and filling, slow-cooked bean and meat stew from the southwest of France. In my take on the classic, cooking time is reduced by using tinned instead of dried beans. But with sausages, bacon, duck legs, vegetables, garlic, and herbs, it’s still …Read more
Mushroom, Lentil & Kale Stew is rich, thick, and tasty. Packed full of veg and pulses in a lightly creamy, garlic and thyme flavoured broth, it’s a comforting bowlful. Using tinned lentils, this easy vegetarian (and vegan adaptable) stew is perfect on chilly days. Serve …Read more
Spicy Carlin Pea Soup with Roasted Peppers is easy, satisfying, and full of flavour. Using everyday vegetables, tinned pulses, and jarred peppers, this warmly spicy soup cooks in around thirty minutes. I’ve used British grown carlin peas, but you could swap in chickpeas or your …Read more
Aïgroissade is a simple, adaptable, lovely salad based on a traditional French dish from Provence. In my version, a colourful mix of lightly cooked then cooled fresh vegetables plus canned artichoke hearts and chickpeas are dressed in a garlic mayonnaise lightened with yogurt. Choose whichever …Read more