Beans In A Harissa Tomato Sauce

Beans with harissa tomato sauce


I just Love these beans in a harissa tomato sauce. Super tasty, filling and good for you to top it all off!

Beans are nutritious powerhouses. I'm using either cannellini beans or butter/lima beans for this dish. All types of white beans are low in calories and highly nutritious - rich in both protein and fibre as well as many different minerals. 

The harissa tomato sauce is so tasty. I make my own harissa but you can of course buy it ready-made. For a quicker home-made version, use already roasted peppers/bell peppers sold in glass jars. 

I make my harissa medium-spicy and add all of it to the tomato sauce. Shop bought harissa varies in spiciness so you have to decide how much you want to add.

To make this meal more filling and nutritionally complete, I stir through leafy dark green leaves, like arugula/rocket leaves, kale, watercress, at the end of cooking and serve it with a big dollop of natural Greek yogurt. 

I should say here that I love a thick, luscious, natural Greek yogurt. On the days when I eat porridge for breakfast (almost every morning at the moment), I top it with a big dollop of Greek yogurt and the high protein content in the yogurt helps to keeps me full for a long time. 

Tip: You can add crumbled feta cheese to the beans and/or serve toasted wholegrain pitta bread or sourdough bread on the side.

Recipe For Beans In A Harissa Tomato Sauce

For 4 people:

Harissa

If you are roasting the peppers yourself:

2 large red peppers (bell peppers)

A dash of olive oil

Start by roasting 2 red peppers. Preheat the oven to 230C/fan 220C/ 455F/gas mark 8. Put the peppers into a roasting tray with a dash of olive oil and cook for 15 minutes, turning them from time to time, or until the skins blacken. Place the peppers into a bowl and cover with cling film. Set aside for 15 minutes, until the skin comes off easily. Break the peppers open, pull out and discard the stalks, pith and seed and peel off the skin.

To make the harissa:

  • 2 roasted red peppers (bell peppers) - either roast them as per above or use ready roasted peppers that you buy in a jar
  • 3 teaspoons tomato puree
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • A good pinch of saffron strands
  • 1-2 large red chillies (deseeded and chopped), or use 1/2 -1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 

Put all the ingredients into a food processor and process to a smooth paste.

For the tomato sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small red onion - chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves - crushed/minced
  • 2 x 400g, 14oz tin/can of chopped tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt  
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • harissa - I add all of my home-made harissa
  • 2 x 400g, 14oz tin/can of cannellini or butter/lima beans - drained
  • 2 handfuls dark green leaves - like spinach and/or rocket
  • Greek-style, natural yogurt
  1. Add the olive oil and chopped red onion to a large pot over a low heat and gently fry the onion for about 5 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and continue to fry for another minute.
  2. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, harissa and season with the sea salt and black pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring every now and then for 5 minutes. Add the beans and bring it back to a simmer for a further couple of minutes.
  3. Add whatever green leaves you are using and simmer for another minute. Check the seasoning.
  4. Serve the beans in a harissa tomato sauce topped with a dollop of Greek yogurt.


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