Crispy Blackberry Sage Butter Bean Oat Cakes with Lemon Thyme Yogurt

Crispy Blackberry Sage Butter Bean Oat Cakes with Lemon Thyme Yogurt 🌿✨ These little savoury cakes are built around contrast: creamy butter beans, nutty oats, crisp pan-fried edges, soft sage and a cool lemon-thyme yogurt. A few blackberries go into the mix and a few more finish the plate, giving the cakes a sharp, juicy lift without turning them sweet. They work as a vegetarian lunch, a snack-board centre, or a light dinner with salad. 🫐 Yield: 10-12 small cakes Time: about 40 minutes For the cakes: - 2 x 400 g / 15 oz tins butter beans, drained and rinsed - 90 g / 1 cup rolled oats - 45 g / 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs, plus 1-2 tbsp extra if needed - 1 large egg - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated - 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage - 1 tsp lemon zest - 1 tbsp lemon juice - 60 g / 1/2 cup blackberries, roughly chopped if large - 1/2 tsp fine salt - Black pepper - 2-3 tbsp olive oil, for pan-frying For the lemon thyme yogurt: - 180 g / 3/4 cup thick Greek yogurt - 1 tsp lemon zest - 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste - 1 tsp thyme leaves, chopped if woody - 1 tsp olive oil - Pinch of salt - Black pepper To serve: - Extra blackberries - Fried or torn sage leaves - Lemon wedges - Salad leaves, cucumber, toasted walnuts or warm flatbread if you want a fuller plate Method: 1. Mash the beans. Pat the drained butter beans dry, then mash about two-thirds of them in a wide bowl. Leave the rest chunkier so the cakes have texture rather than turning into a paste. 2. Mix the base. Add rolled oats, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, sage, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Stir firmly until the oats are coated and the mixture holds together when pressed. If it feels wet, add another spoonful of breadcrumbs. 3. Add the berries. Fold through the chopped blackberries gently. You want small streaks of berry, not a purple mash. Chill the bowl for 15 minutes so the oats hydrate and the cakes shape cleanly. 4. Shape. Divide into 10-12 small patties, pressing each one firmly and keeping them fairly thin. Thin cakes brown faster and give better crisp edges. 5. Pan-fry. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick or well-seasoned frying pan over medium heat. Cook the cakes for 3-4 minutes per side, turning carefully once, until deeply golden and crisp. Work in batches if needed and add a little more oil for the second batch. 6. Stir the yogurt. Mix Greek yogurt with lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper. Taste it: it should be cool, bright and lightly herby. Add a little more lemon if the berries are very sweet. 7. Serve. Spoon the lemon thyme yogurt onto plates, add the hot oat cakes, then finish with extra blackberries, sage, lemon and a small drizzle of olive oil. The best bite has a crisp edge, creamy bean middle, cold yogurt and one sharp berry pop. 🍽️ Serving and storage: - Serve warm with salad leaves, cucumber ribbons, toasted walnuts or flatbread. - The uncooked mixture can be chilled for up to 1 day. - Cooked cakes keep for 2 days in the fridge. Reheat in a dry pan or hot oven so the edges come back. - Keep the yogurt separate until serving. Save this one for the next time you want a vegetarian plate that feels fresh but still has proper texture. 🌿