I’ve wanted to share this tasty cannellini bean spread with you for a while. It’s flavorful and light, vegan, and very easy to make: if you use canned beans, there’s no need to cook anything.
It has very few Weight Watchers points and is a source of protein. I usually enjoy it on whole grain bread or Wasa, but you can get creative; I think it’s also delicious for making canapés, perhaps in my phyllo pastry baskets, to serve at a buffet, and with the Christmas holidays coming up, it could be a great idea. Let’s make it!
You can find some other savory and sweet legume spreads here:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: No Cooking
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 7 oz canned cannellini beans (or cook at least 1.8 oz of dried beans)
- 1 oz black olives (weighed without pit)
- 1 tbsp salted capers
- 1 tsp sweet mustard (generous)
- to taste salt
- Total points = 6 WW points
- Points for a small portion (divided by 3) = 2 WW points
- Points for a large portion (divided by 2) = 2 WW points
Tools
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Bowl
- Spoon
- Hand Blender
Steps
As always, weigh all the ingredients and remember to soak the capers in water so they lose some salt.
Put the rinsed and drained cannellini beans in a blender or, if using a hand blender, place them in the appropriate beaker. Coarsely blend the beans.
Add a generous teaspoon of sweet mustard or even spicy mustard if you like, and blend until you get a smooth cream.
Drain the capers and chop them along with the olives into small pieces. If you want to serve it in the center of the table, set aside a couple of olives and some capers for garnishing.
In a bowl, mix the bean cream with olives and capers using a spoon, taste it, and if needed, add a pinch of salt; however, the capers and mustard should be sufficient.
Our cannellini bean spread is ready to be served! There’s no need to refrigerate it as it is quite firm when freshly made.
It makes quite a bit, so for an afternoon snack, you’ll need a third; if it’s your protein source for a meal, I suggest eating half.
It’s truly delicious, and everyone at home will love it, you’ll see. Perhaps a way to get people to eat legumes who might turn their nose up at a plate of pasta and beans!
I look forward to your feedback in the comments below or on social media…
Enjoy!
by Giovanna Buono
Storage
This cannellini bean spread keeps in the fridge for 5 days and you can also freeze it for 5 months. You can prepare a larger batch by increasing the recipe’s quantities and then freeze it in portions according to your needs.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How do I use dried beans?
If you want to cook them yourself, soak at least 1.8 oz of dried beans overnight, rinse them, and then boil them in unsalted water. At the first boil, skim the surface, cover with water, and let them simmer gently. If after a couple of hours the beans are still firm, add a pinch of baking soda to soften them quickly and continue for another half hour. Once cooled, take the amount you need and freeze the rest.
In the photo, the procedure for chickpeas is shown, which is identical.
