Magic beans: the protein-rich superfood in a potful of top chefs’ recipes

What could be nicer on a dark autumn evening than a comforting pot of beans? These genuine superfoods are environmentally friendly and an excellent source of protein and fibre.

But most importantly they are absolutely delicious. So, in honour of a fantastic new campaign to double UK bean consumption by 2028, we’ve rounded up some amazing recipes from our favourite chefs, all for your delight.

Yotam Ottolenghi? He has some excellent recommendations.

This is a lovely quick one to make for lunch: Ottolenghi’s cheesy curried butter beans on toast.

Locked-down lunch: Yotam Ottolenghi’s cheesy curried butter beans on toast. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian. Food styling: Emily Kydd. Prop styling: Jennifer Kay.

Or if you want to be a bit more fancy and prep overnight, try his spicy baked beans on toast with apple and cucumber salsa.

Yotam Ottolenghi’s spicy baked beans on toast with apple and cucumber salsa. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian

Or, for another Ottolenghi option, you can try his 30-min Yotam bean dinner: Spicy cannellini beans, leeks and eggs.

The Guardian’s Rachel Roddy is a huge bean fan, and Italians have been doing wonderfully tasty things with them for generations. Her bean stew with herbs is particularly delicious.

Rachel Roddy’s bean stew with lots of herbs. Photograph: Matthew Hague/The Guardian. Food and prop styling: Lucy Turnbull. Food styling assistant: Katie Smith.

Another lovely recipe suggestion: her white beans with tomato and sage.

And here she suggests four cannellini recipes: you cook up a batch of beans at the beginning of the week and then turn them into a soupy-stew (pasta e fagioli), a hearty main (creamy cannellini beans with sage and sausages); a quick dip (cannellini bean and lemon puree); and a delicious light lunch (cannellini bean, tuna, red onion and parsley salad).

Finally, here are four wonderful bean recipes for vegans: Patience Gray’s bean stew; Braised artichoke and butter beans; the celebrated Pasta e ceci – pasta and chickpea soup; and a delicious idea for white beans and wilted greens.

Rachel Roddy’s borlotti beans. Photograph: Elena Heatherwick/The Guardian

Georgina Hayden has a couple of delicious suggestions too, such as her brothy braised gigantes (butter beans) with ‘nduja, or the very quick brothy braised chicory and beans (30 mins).

Georgina Hayden’s gigantes with ‘nduja. Photograph: Emma Guscott/The Guardian. Food styling: Ellie Mulligan. Props styling: Louie Waller. Food styling assistant: Alice Earll.

And Rukmini Iyer suggests two lovely budget meals: a mouthwatering lime-spiked black bean, avocado and rice taco bowl, or her orange, butter bean, spinach and olive salad.

Rukmini Iyer’s lime-spiked black bean, avocado and rice taco bowl. Photograph: Ola O Smit/Photograph: Ola O Smit/The Guardian, Food Stylist: Sam Dixon, Prop Stylist: Anna Wilkins

Her pesto-topped white bean, kale and tomato cassoulet is another lovely winter idea.

Meera Sodha has a recipe for creamy butter beans with salsa verde, or Tahini beans with basil and pinenuts. Enjoy!

Meera Sodha’s butter beans in salsa verde. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian. Food styling: Emily Kydd. Prop styling: Jennifer Kay.