How to make Clodagh McKenna's Bella Bean Casserole

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing recipes for batch cooking and easy fast dishes, as well as all my tips to help keep healthy throughout these strange times we’re all experiencing. Today I’m kicking off with my bella bean casserole.

You might have seen on my Instagram that I made it last Sunday, as I have been dedicating my feed to batch cooking for the freezer. This casserole really is a great one to be cooking up as it ticks all the boxes for the current situation – most of the ingredients are store-cupboard items, it freezes really well, it’s cheap to make and, most importantly, it’s good for you!

I had it on Sunday evening with half a baked potato and a lamb cutlet, but you could also have it with rice, fish, a sprinkle of feta cheese, or just on its own.

Now is definitely the time to start making your own fresh bread too – my version of soda bread is so easy to make and you just need flour, bicarbonate of soda and milk (and yoghurt if you have it). You can find the recipe on standard.co.uk, or watch how I make it on my Instagram, @clodagh_mckenna – I did a live video yesterday for home.

Bella Bean Casserole

Makes: 8 portions

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 2 tbsps olive oil 
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed 
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato purée 
• 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes 
• 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas 
• 2 x 400g cannellini beans
• 12 black olives, sliced 
• 100g baby spinach leaves 
• Handful of fresh basil leave, torn 
• Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Place a casserole dish or large saucepan over a medium heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Stir in the onions, celery and garlic, then reduce the heat to low and cook for five minutes. Next add the dried oregano and tomato purée, stir and cook for a further five minutes.

2. Add the tinned chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, cannellini beans and sliced black olives along with 300ml of water, and season with salt and pepper. Stir and simmer for 45 minutes.

3. Lastly, stir in the spinach and fresh basil. Allow it all to cook for five minutes, and then it’s done!

Follow Clodagh on Instagram at @clodagh_mckenna