Holly's Homestead — Recipe
White Bean Mash
A creamy side made for a homegrown cannellini bean glut
DIFFICULTY Easy
COURSE Side Dish
CUISINE Italian-inspired
COURSE Side Dish
CUISINE Italian-inspired
Prep
5 min
Cook
10 min
Total
15 min
Serves
4
Freezes well
Yes
A batch this size may need an extra 5-10 minutes of simmering to thicken properly - there's more liquid to reduce relative to the pot's surface area.
01Ingredients
- 800g cooked cannellini beans (or 300g dried, soaked and cooked)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves picked
- Salt and pepper, to taste
02Method
- Drain and rinse cannellini beans if using tinned, or cook dried beans until very tender.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and rosemary, cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add beans to the pan and warm through, mashing roughly with a fork or potato masher.
- Stir through lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve warm, drizzled with extra olive oil if desired.
03Notes & substitutions
- Great northern or navy beans both work well in place of cannellini beans.
- Add a splash of cream or a knob of butter for a richer result.
- Swap rosemary for thyme or sage.
- Vegetarian and vegan as written.
04Common mistakes
- Burning the garlic — it turns bitter fast in hot oil; keep the heat moderate and watch closely.
- Mashing too smooth by hand — a rough, uneven mash is part of the texture; use a blender only if you specifically want it silky.
- Adding lemon juice too early — stir it through at the end so the bright flavour doesn't cook off.
05Storage & leftovers
Fridge
Airtight container, up to 4 days.
Freezer
Freezes well for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or stock to loosen.