Crispy Lemon Feta Butter Bean Bowls

Ingredients

• 2 x 400 g cans butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to finish
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 120 g feta, crumbled
• 120 g full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon water or milk, only if needed to loosen the feta cream
• 1 small cucumber, shaved into ribbons or cut into half-moons
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons chopped dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds
• Fine salt and black pepper
• Optional: chili flakes, extra lemon wedges, warm flatbread
• Dry beans are the difference between soft beans and crispy edges.
• Use a large sheet pan; crowding traps steam.
• The feta cream can be made 2 days ahead and kept chilled.
• Roast beans just before serving for the best texture. Leftovers still taste good, but the beans soften in the fridge.
• For a fuller meal, add warm flatbread, quinoa, couscous, or a jammy egg.
• For a dairy-light variation, use a thinner swipe of feta cream and add more lemony cucumber-tomato salad.

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220C / 425F. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Pat the butter beans very dry with a clean towel; this helps them blister instead of steaming.
2. Toss beans with olive oil, smoked paprika, grated garlic, half the lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Spread them in one layer with space between the beans.
3. Roast for 18 to 22 minutes, shaking the pan once, until the beans are golden in spots and crisp around the edges. Let them sit on the hot tray for 3 minutes so the edges firm up.
4. Mash or blend feta with Greek yogurt, lemon juice, remaining zest, and a small drizzle of olive oil. Add a spoonful of water or milk only if it needs loosening. Taste; it should be tangy and salty but still creamy.
5. Season cucumber and tomatoes with a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon, and a few drops of olive oil. Keep this fresh and lightly dressed so it balances the crispy beans.
6. Swipe the lemon feta cream into shallow bowls. Add warm beans, cucumber, tomatoes, dill, parsley, toasted seeds, black pepper, and extra lemon.

Tips

• Dry beans are the difference between soft beans and crispy edges.
• Use a large sheet pan; crowding traps steam.
• The feta cream can be made 2 days ahead and kept chilled.
• Roast beans just before serving for the best texture. Leftovers still taste good, but the beans soften in the fridge.
• For a fuller meal, add warm flatbread, quinoa, couscous, or a jammy egg.