Sun-Dried Tomato Beans and Roasted Aubergine (Vegan High-Protein)
These saucy and creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Beans and Roasted Aubergine are a delicious plant-based, high-protein and gluten-free recipe ready in 30 minutes ideal for meal prep or for midweek meals.
I love a good bean-y recipe as my savoury recipe archive will prove and these ones are a new favourite using a lesser-used bean: the borlotti. They are usually in baked beans but I wanted to jazz them up with some extra flavour, veggies and goodness and they work so well. The texture and mellow flavour work really well with the sun-dried tomatoes and the rich umami aubergine and makes this meal high in protein and fibre. I love to mop up these beans with breads, naans or pitta or serve with wholegrain or legume pasta, too.
Why will I love these beans?
These beans are amazing:
- Creamy, saucy and cosy
- Rich in umami flavour with tamari soy sauce and tomato puree
- The beans are tomatoey, creamy and rich
- The aubergine is sticky, tender and delicious
- Packed with vegetables and lots of plant points
- Naturally plant-based, gluten-free and easily nut-free
- High in protein and fibre
- Great for gut health
- Ideal for all the family and your friends
- Great for meal prep
- Ready in 30 minutes, ideal for midweek meals
- Delicious with breads or wholegrains
- Also great over pasta
- Comes together with minimal prep time
- Maximum flavour and minimal effort
- Packed with greens too
If you already love the sound of these beans, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the full ingredients with weights in the recipe card and see my favourites and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the roasted aubergine:
- Aubergine: chopped into chunks.
- Olive oil: to allow the aubergine to turn tender and delicious in the oven.
- Tamari soy sauce: for the umami richness.
- Maple syrup: to make the aubergine sticky and caramelised. You can also use agave syrup (or vegan honey).
- Garlic: roast a whole garlic clove so that you can squeeze it out into the main dish at the end.
- Salt and pepper: to season.
As for the beans:
- Spring onion and garlic: or you can use regular onion or red onion.
- Tomatoes: use cherry or baby plum tomatoes in half so that they can burst and turn juicy.
- Borlotti beans: I love these beans from Bold Bean Co as they are slightly firmer, with a nutty subtle flavour and are so good. You can also use cannellini or butterbeans or use chickpeas.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: for so much richness in flavour.
- Thick coconut yoghurt: this makes the sauce creamy. You can also use coconut cream and make sure the yoghurt is natural, unsweetened and creamy like Cocos Organic. You can also use coconut milk, although the sauce will be slightly runnier.
- Tomato puree: for tomato richness.
- Lemon: for freshness and to lift the dish.
- Spinach: to add some green goodness at the end.
And to serve, I love to add extra yoghurt, some pine nuts and fresh basil.
Serve this with:
- Bread e.g. sourdough, pitta or naan
- Wholegrains like buckwheat, quinoa or couscous
- Pasta, I love the legume or wholegrain varieties
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
This meal is naturally gluten-free, just check that bread or wholegrains that you serve it with. Keep this nut-free by leaving off the pine nuts on top.
How do I make this?
This recipe comes together in a few steps:
- Chop the aubergine and toss with the marinade ingredients: to coat.
- Roast for 25 minutes: until tender.
- Heat the olive oil and fry off the onion, garlic and tomatoes: until juicy and starting to burst.
- Add in the beans, sun-dried tomatoes, coconut yoghurt and tomato puree: and allow to bubble.
- Add in the spinach and lemon: and warm through.
- Serve the beans warm with the aubergines on top: and add swirls of yoghurt and herbs on top.
How long will it last?
Once cool, keep these beans in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days or the freezer for 1 month. Allow to defrost and warm back up before eating.
What other recipes can I try?
For other 30-minute meals:
- Pesto Courgette and Corn Butterbeans
- Vegetable Fried Rice with Sticky Tofu
- Roasted Aubergine Creamy Tomato Beans
- Caponata Aubergine Butterbeans
- Chipotle Roasted Sweet Potato and Corn Salad
Sun-Dried Tomato Beans and Roasted Aubergine (Vegan High-Protein)
These saucy and creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Beans and Roasted Aubergine are a delicious plant-based, high-protein and gluten-free recipe ready in 30 minutes ideal for meal prep or for midweek meals.
Ingredients
For the Aubergine:
- 1 aubergine, in small chunks
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tamari soy sauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove (skin on)
- Salt and pepper
For the Beans:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tin borlotti beans (400g total, 240g drained weight)
- 80g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 120g thick coconut yoghurt or coconut cream
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- ½ lemon, juiced (1 tbsp)
- 60g baby spinach, chopped
To Serve:
- Bread, toast etc.
- 3 tbsp coconut yoghurt
- 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- Fresh basil, black pepper
Instructions
- For the roasted aubergine, preheat the oven to 180Fan/200ºC and line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Slice and chop the aubergine into chunks or cubes and toss well with the olive oil, tamari, syrup, salt and pepper in the tray.
- Add the garlic clove whole and roast for 25 minutes, stirring well halfway through cooking time.
- For the beans, heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add the spring onions, garlic and tomatoes. Cook over a medium-high heat with the lid on for 10 minutes, to bust the tomatoes. Stir occasionally and slightly mash the tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Drain the beans, keeping the liquid and add the beans with 100g of the liquid to the pan with the sun-dried tomatoes, coconut yoghurt and tomato puree. Stir well and allow to warm through for 10 minutes.
- Now add the lemon juice and spinach and warm for 5 more minutes, to wilt the spinach.
- To serve, spoon the beans into bowls and top with extra yoghurt and the roasted aubergine chunks. Decorate with pine nuts, fresh basil and black pepper and enjoy with breads or other wholegrains.
- Save leftovers, once cool, in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Allow to defrost before warming back up.
Shop the recipe
Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Sun-Dried Tomato Beans and Roasted Aubergine so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
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Hi Amy! I made this and loved it! Thank you for a beautiful recipe!
I am so glad you enjoyed it thank you for letting me know!