Carole Food.

Alfredo sauce is usually eaten with pasta (specifically fettuccine) and *typically* it’s a cream heavy dish (although traditionally the dish doesn't use cream). Here I’ve swapped pasta for beans (because, we love beans!) and cream for cream cheese (to make a slightly fresher alternative). It’s garlicky, creamy, cheesy and very comforting. It also makes great leftovers the next day!

Why you’ll love this dish

• Quick - canned beans are the perfect ingredient when you want a quick meal! I like to keep a stock in the cupboard for the days when you need a speedy recipe. This recipe is ready in 15 minutes and has a minimal amount of ingredients, so it’s the perfect fast dish to make when you’re in a hurry. 
• Easy - all you need to do for this dish is chop and fry a bit of garlic and then add everything else to the pan, it’s a simple and foolproof recipe. As long as you don't leave the garlic unattended (it likes to burn when you take your eyes off of it), this is a very reliable dish to make!

What ingredients do you need for this dish (includes possible substitutions)? 

Garlic: I used 4 medium sized garlic cloves, but use a much as your heart desires! Definitely don't skip the garlic though or else the dish won't have a huge amount of flavour.

Cream cheese: full fat is the best here (sometimes the lighter versions can split). If you really want to use the lighter version then to be extra safe you could add the cream cheese last, off of the heat. That is, you'll need to add all the other ingredients to the pan, simmer for a couple of minutes, mash the beans and then turn off the heat and stir in the cream cheese.

Parmesan: this can be substituted for other hard cheeses (e.g. pecorino romano), just beware of the salt levels of some cheeses, so it's best to add the cheese gradually and taste to your desired level! 

Butter beans: most types of canned beans/pulses would work well here (e.g. cannellini beans, chickpeas).

Parsley: chopped parsley is optional but delicious! If you don't have parsley but want to add another herb, basil would work very well too.

And if you wanted to add other ingredients, some spinach would be delicious! Also a little bit of lemon juice / zest would also be very nice too… 

What to serve this with? 

This is great with some crusty bread, a side salad or some sautéed greens. And if you eat meat/fish then this is a great side dish!

Instructions 

Fry the garlic 

In a medium sized frying pan over a low-medium heat, add the butter or oil. Once hot add the garlic and cook until golden, it should take about two minutes. Remember to stir regularly as garlic has a tendency to burn very quickly…

Add everything else 

Add the cream cheese, parmesan, butter beans and 75ml water. Stir well to combine everything together. Increase the heat to medium and let simmer for a couple of minutes. Then using a potato masher (or fork) mash about 1/3rd of the beans and stir it well. Taste for seasoning, and top with parsley if using! 

FAQ 

What’s the best way to store this dish? 

Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Then reheat either in the microwave, or on the hob. 

Can this be frozen?

Although it might be okay to freeze this, I would advise against it. Cream cheese has a tendency to go a bit grainy when frozen. Usually this would be fine because you can just whip it back and it'll end up smooth again...however, because it's not really possible to whip this dish, I wouldn't freeze it!

If you’re looking for another bean dish, be sure to try out these recipes:

• Butter Bean Curry
• Aubergine Butter Beans
• Spinach Butter Beans