Umami-packed puttanesca sauce pairs beautifully with hearty butter beans! Puttanesca beans are a versatile, 1-pot meal that is absolutely full of flavor. Gluten-free Nutfree soyfree
I loved the incredible sauce that I made with my orzo puttanesca, so I decided to add some butter beans to it to make it into a one-pot bean dish. This is a fantastic and delicious pot of beans!
The puttanesca sauce has umami from the mushrooms, the sun-dried tomatoes, and the olives or capers, and it is just so flavorful. It also has Italian herbs and is slightly spicy from the red pepper flakes. All in all, it has a fantastic flavor profile.
Then you add some butter beans to that amazing sauce and simmer them together to meld the flavors. There’s protein and fiber from the butter beans, and it’s just a hearty and delicious stewy bean dish that you can serve with some garlic bread, sourdough or naan. You can also serve it over cooked pasta or a baked potato.
However you dish it up, it’s just fabulously delicious.
Puttanesca beans are also flexible! Use whichever ingredients you have on hand. There are different ways to add that umami using sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and capers. Even if you have two of those instead of three, it will still taste amazing.
If you can’t find butter beans, use other beans, like cannellini beans, other white beans, or use chickpeas. Or add some cooked lentils into the sauce to make it more like a puttanesca bolognese!
Why You’ll Love Puttanesca Beans
- super easy 1-pot 30 minute meal
- packed with protein, fiber, veggies, and FLAVOR!
- umami-filled, tomato-based sauce with tender butter beans
- versatile! Serve with bread to dip or over pasta or a baked potato
- naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free
For the Beans
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ounces mushrooms, such as cremini, white, baby portabella, etc., chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 nori sheet, crumbled, optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomato
- 3 tablespoons kalamata olives, chopped or sliced
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, or 1½ cups chopped fresh tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 cup water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons vegan mozzarella
- 15 oz can butter beans, drained or 1½ cups cooked butter beans or other beans of choice
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Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and a good pinch of salt. Mix and cook until the onion starts to turn translucent, about 4 minutes.
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Add the mushrooms, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and the nori sheet, if using. Mix and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Then, add in the sun-dried tomato and olives, and nutritional yeast, mix well. Let that cook for about a minute, then mix in the canned tomatoes. Cover with the lid, and cook this for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the tomatoes start to get jammy. At around the 4-minute mark, stir the mixture and mash some of the larger tomato pieces and continue to cook for another few minutes. Then, fold in the butter beans. Next, add the water, vegan mozzarella, and butter beans, and mix everything well. Cover again, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes so the flavors can meld.
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After simmering, open the lid and taste and adjust the flavor and consistency. Add more salt, herbs, or red pepper flakes, if needed. If the sauce has reduced too much, add a bit more water to reach your desired consistency.
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Garnish with chopped fresh basil, vegan Parmesan, and additional red pepper flakes. Serve with garlic naan, sourdough, garlic bread, over pasta, or over a baked potato.
If you don’t have sun-dried tomatoes or olives, you can substitute about 2 tablespoons of capers. You can also add the capers in addition to the sundried tomato and olives for even more umami.
Store: These saucy beans can be refrigerated for upto 4 days.
They can be frozen for months. Reheat in a skillet or microwave.
Calories: 267kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 658mg, Potassium: 1021mg, Fiber: 12g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 332IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 122mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- aromatics – Sautéed red onion and garlic add the first layer of umami flavor.
- mushrooms – Use your mushrooms of choice, like cremini, white, baby bella, etc.
- salt and spices – We are seasoning the sauce with dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and nutritional yeast. You can also add a crumbled nori sheet to mimic the anchovy flavor in traditional puttanesca sauce.
- tomato – In addition to sun dried tomato, you will add color and umami to the sauce with canned or fresh, chopped tomato!
- olives – Chopped or sliced Kalamata olives gives puttanesca sauce a distinct flavor. You can use capers instead of the olives or in addition to get that good, rich flavor.
- vegan mozzarella – For creaminess. Choose soy-free and/or nut-free, if needed.
- butter beans – You can substitute other white beans or use chickpeas, if needed.
- garnishes – Fresh basil, vegan parmesan, and more crushed pepper adds freshness and more savory-spicy flavors!
💡Tips
- Salting the onion while cooking helps it release more moisture and cook faster .
- Allowing the tomatoes to cook down to that good, jammy texture gives them such a rich flavor! Don’t rush this step.
How to Make Beans Puttanesca
Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and a good pinch of salt. Mix and cook until the onion starts to turn translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add the mushrooms, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and the nori sheet, if using. Mix and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Then, add in the sun-dried tomato and olives, and nutritional yeast and mix well. Let that cook for about a minute, then mix in the canned tomatoes. Cover with the lid, and cook this for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the tomatoes start to get jammy. At around the 4-minute mark, stir the mixture and mash some of the larger tomato pieces and continue to cook for another few minutes.
Next, add the water, vegan mozzarella, and butter beans, and mix everything well. Cover again, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes so the flavors can meld.
After simmering, open the lid and taste and adjust the flavor and consistency. Add more salt, herbs, or red pepper flakes, if needed. If the sauce has reduced too much, add a bit more water to reach your desired consistency.
Garnish with chopped fresh basil, vegan Parmesan, and additional red pepper flakes. Serve with garlic naan, sourdough, garlic bread, over pasta, or over a baked potato.
What to Serve with Puttanesca Butter Beans
Serve with garlic naan, sourdough, garlic bread, over pasta, or over a baked potato.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is naturally gluten-free. To make it nut-free and/or soy-free, use a nut-free and/or soy-free vegan mozzarella.
These saucy beans can be made ahead and refrigerated for upto 4 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave.
They can be frozen for upto 3 months.
