Description
This creamy one pot lemony leek and zucchini butter beans recipe combines tender vegetables, crispy bacon, and a luscious sauce made with sour cream and parmesan. Enhanced with za'atar, lemon zest, and optional fish sauce, it's a flavorful and satisfying dish perfect for a quick and comforting meal, served best with flatbreads or focaccia.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 2 medium zucchinis (about 14-18 oz or 400-500 g)
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 x 400g cans of cannellini beans, plus their liquid
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup parmesan, grated
- 1 tablespoon za’atar (plus extra to finish)
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Set a large, high-sided pan over medium-high heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until the bacon becomes crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate, leaving the bacon fat in the pan to add flavor.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan. Add the sliced leek, zucchini, crushed garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks and zucchini soften nicely, about 10 minutes. If needed, add a splash more olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Add beans and creamy sauce: Pour in the cannellini beans along with their liquid. Stir in ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup grated parmesan, 1 tablespoon za’atar, and the optional 1 teaspoon fish sauce. Stir well as the sour cream and cheese melt to create a creamy sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Finish with bacon and lemon: Return the crispy bacon to the pan, adding most of the lemon zest. Stir thoroughly to combine all flavors. Scatter the remaining lemon zest and an additional sprinkle of za’atar on top. Serve hot, ideally accompanied by soft garlic flatbreads, no-knead focaccia, rosemary parmesan bread, or 2-ingredient dough naan for a complete meal.
Notes
- This dish is protein-packed and very satisfying, perfect for a quick main course in under 30 minutes.
- Use the optional fish sauce to add a subtle umami depth; omit for vegetarian preference.
- Za’atar can be substituted with a mix of thyme, sesame seeds, and sumac if unavailable.
- Serve with your favorite soft bread or flatbread to soak up the creamy sauce.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheat gently on the stovetop.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 300 g
- Calories: 321 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1224.9 mg
- Fat: 16.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.3 g
- Fiber: 7.3 g
- Protein: 14.7 g
- Cholesterol: 22.5 mg
