Ottolenghi's Butter Beans with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes Recipe
by Yotem Ottolenghi
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Easy
Source the larger butter beans, or judiones, for this, if you can. They’re softer, more buttery and much creamier than the smaller ones (which come in a tin). This dish works well as part of a mezze spread, or can be eaten as it is, with something like crumbled feta or olives on top.
Keeping notes: Once made, the beans keep for up to 3 days in the fridge: just bring them back to room temperature before serving. The crispy tomato skins are a great thing to have around as well, to add to salads and pasta dishes. The recipe comes from a restaurant called Bar Rochford in Canberra, Australia, where they’re served with fresh green beans. They keep for a week in a sealed jar.
Extracted from Ottolenghi COMFORT by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley (Ebury Press, £30). All photography by Jonathan Lovekin.
Ingredients for butter beans with roasted cherry tomatoes
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500g cherry tomatoes
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85ml olive oil
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1 onion, finely diced (150g)
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2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
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2 tsp dried oregano
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2 tsp thyme leaves, roughly chopped, plus a few whole thyme leaves to garnish
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1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
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1 fresh bay leaf
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80ml dry white wine
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2 tsp smoked paprika
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1 x 700g jar of good-quality butter bean, drained and rinsed
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salt and black pepper
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75g thick Greek-style yoghurt
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thick slices of sourdough (or any crusty) bread, toasted (optional)
Method for butter beans with cherry tomatoes
- Toss the tomatoes with 2 teaspoons of the oil and spread them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for 20 minutes, until the skins have loosened and the tomatoes are soft and have shrunk a little. Remove from the oven and transfer the tomatoes, along with all their juices, to a shallow bowl to cool.
- Re-line the baking tray with a fresh sheet of baking parchment and reduce the oven temperature to 100°C fan.
- Once cool enough to handle, pinch the skins off the tomatoes and place the skins on the lined baking tray. Return the tray to the oven for about 45 minutes, until the skins are dry and crisp, giving them a good stir a couple of times during baking. Set the skinless tomatoes aside.
- Put the remaining 75ml of oil into a medium saucepan and place on a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, fennel seeds and bay leaf and cook for 10–12 minutes, until the onion has softened but has not taken on too much colour. Add the wine, simmer for 2 minutes to reduce, then add the paprika. Cook for another minute, then add the reserved tomato flesh, along with 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, stirring often so that the tomatoes break down. Add the beans and a good grind of pepper and stir to combine. Cook for a couple of minutes, just to warm through, then remove from the heat. Spread the yoghurt over a serving plate and then pile the beans on top. Crumble over the dried tomato skins, finish with a sprinkling of thyme leaves and serve.
About the author
Yotam Ottolenghi is the chef and food writer who transformed the way Britain eats—bringing bold Middle Eastern flavors to home kitchens and championing vegetables in ways that feel both vibrant and indulgent. A best-selling cookbook author, he has co-written and published eight cookbooks, from the game-changing Plenty and Jerusalem to SIMPLE, FLAVOUR, Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love, and his latest, Ottolenghi COMFORT—a heartfelt tribute to the power of food in shaping identity, belonging, and, of course, sheer pleasure. He also shares his culinary insights as a regular columnist for The Guardian.
Before becoming Britain’s go-to name for colorful, spice-laden cooking, Ottolenghi’s path looked quite different. He earned a Master’s degree in philosophy and literature and worked in journalism at an Israeli daily before moving to London in 1997. But the pull of the kitchen proved stronger. He began his culinary career as a pastry chef at The Capital, then honed his craft at some of London’s top restaurants, including Kensington Place, Launceston Place, Maison Blanc, and Baker & Spice.
Alongside business partner Sami Tamimi, Ottolenghi launched his eponymous group of delis and restaurants, now beloved fixtures in Notting Hill, Islington, Belgravia, and Kensington. In 2011, he opened NOPI in Piccadilly, followed by ROVI in Fitzrovia in 2018—both embodying his signature approach: bold flavors, fresh produce, and a deep love for the joy of eating.
