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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
Prep
5 min
Cook
10 min
Total
15 min
Serves
4
Freezes well
Yes

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

  1. Drain and rinse cannellini beans if using tinned, or cook dried beans until very tender.
  2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and rosemary, cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Add beans to the pan and warm through, mashing roughly with a fork or potato masher.
  4. Stir through lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
  5. 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.
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Made with homegrown cannellini beans — grow your own from our free guide.

→ See the Cannellini Beans grow guide — timing, spacing, and harvest detail.

→ Open the interactive recipe — adjust servings, tick off ingredients, and use step-by-step Cook Mode with timers.