White Bean Puree with Garlic Sautéed Mushrooms

This combo of creamy white bean puree and garlic sautéed mushrooms is an elevated – albeit ridiculously easy to make – vegan main course.

The first time I made this garlicky white bean puree was for Friendsgiving. It’s a tradition my girlfriends and I began over a decade ago (I even wrote a book about it), and although we started out with the turkey-and-potatoes classics, my menus have evolved to be plant-based since then.

While planning this year’s menu (aka my all-time favorite activity), I realized it was missing something protein-rich, so I figured I’d fill in the blanks with a white bean puree (a simplified version of this). Much to my surprise, these creamy beans were the talk of the town (well, at least the table). We couldn’t stop gushing about how amazing they were. They paired perfectly with the garlic sautéed mushrooms that were also part of the meal. The combo was so good, I recreated it for my family Thanksgiving a week later.

Despite being ridiculously simple, this dish makes for an elevated vegan main course for the holidays and other wintery gatherings. (Equally great if you’re just feeling fancy on a Tuesday night.)

What’s In This Dish

This recipe consists of a creamy white bean puree topped with crispy garlicky sautéed mushrooms, garnished with parsley on top. The puree is made with dried beans that are cooked from scratch, and seasoned with bay leaf, garlic, and lemon juice; if cooking beans from scratch intimidates you, don’t worry! This recipe is literally impossible to mess up. The mushrooms are cooked simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and seasoned with fresh garlic.

This garlicky puree is a delicious and healthy alternative to mashed potatoes. What I love is it can be cooked in advance and reheated in time for guests – unlike mashed potatoes, which become goopy and dry as soon as they get cold.

Start By Soaking the Beans

Cooking dried beans from scratch usually starts with a pre-soak. Soaking makes them easier to digest and their nutrients more bioavailable. There are 2 ways to soak beans:

Cold soak: The typical way is to cover beans with a generous amount of cold water and let them stand at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight. (I like to soak beans in the same pot I plan on cooking them in.) This technique obviously requires planning ahead.

Hot soak: This is another, lesser-known technique. It works just as well, except you don’t need advance notice. To hot soak dried beans, place them in a pot and add enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then turn the heat off. Let the beans stand for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. When you’re ready to cook, drain the beans, fill the pot with new water, and cook as directed.

How to Make This White Bean Puree

Cook the beans: Combine the soaked beans with fresh water, bay leaf, fresh garlic, and salt. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a bare simmer, cook with the lid ajar until the beans are cooked through, 40 to 60 minutes.

Puree the beans: Before draining, reserve some of the starchy bean cooking water. Transfer the beans to a food processor or Vitamix, add lemon juice, EVOO, and the reserved water, and puree until completely smooth.

How to Sauté the Mushrooms

Clean the mushrooms: Mushrooms are like sponges – they absorb water. That’s why you should avoid washing mushrooms directly under the tap. Unless they’re literally covered in soil, wipe them with a damp paper towel instead.

Cook the mushrooms: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add half of the mushrooms. I cook these in 2 batches to avoid over-crowding the skillet; if there are too many cooking at once, they will steam and become slimy instead of browning properly. Saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are golden brown and crispy in places. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, stir in the garlic.

Repurposing Leftover Puree

Since this recipe uses a whole 1-pound bag of beans, you’ll end up with more puree than mushrooms – which is fine since it reheats well. The leftovers can be served with sautéed greens, roasted eggplant, or mushroom bourguignon. The puree is also great on toast.

More festive recipes this way…

• Thanksgiving Farro Salad with Carrots and Cranberries
• White Bean Cassoulet with Roasted Vegetables
• Creamy Miso Polenta with Mushroom Ragu
• 17 Creative Plant-Based Thanksgiving Recipes

If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with #TheNewBaguette and @thenewbaguette on Instagram.

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