Crisps are the ultimate savoury snack. They’re readily available in shops, cafes, and even vending machines in endless flavour combinations, shapes, and textures. While there is a place for these delicious snacks in every diet when consumed in moderation, the nature of ultra-processed foods is that they are irresistible. So, in a bid to find a healthier and more satiating alternative, I looked to one of my favourite tinned ingredients: butter beans.
Also known as lima beans, these delicious tinned goods are a type of pulse with a plain, but very buttery flavour when cooked. They can be quite dry but are perfect for frying, which is why they make a great potato substitute. With the help of some oil and seasoning, you can turn a 49p tin of butter beans into a bowl of crispy delights, and it takes just 10 minutes.
You may wonder why butter beans are preferred over others, like broad beans, which are often dried and salted to make a nutty snack.
Holland and Barrett notes that butter beans contain both soluble and insoluble fibre, which can promote a feeling of satiety (fullness) and reduce the likelihood of overeating.
“This is because fibre adds bulk in your stomach, which signals to the brain that it’s getting full”, the retailer explained.
Fibrous beans are a great way to help you reach your daily fibre target. Adults should consume 30g of fibre daily, but most in the UK consume only 18g.
One portion of butter beans (80g) contains 5.1g of fibre and 6.2g of protein. This is equivalent to around three heaped tablespoons of cooked pulses, or around a third of a tin.
Meanwhile, an 80g bag of Kettle lightly salted crisps contains 2.62g of fiber, according to Poundland.
Fried butter beans recipe
Ingredients
- One tin of butter beans, drained
- Good quality olive oil
- All-purpose seasoning (or combine salt, pepper, garlic granules, and smoked paprika)
Method
Getting the butter beans crispy enough to rival actual crisps requires some oil and a good frying pan to ensure they don’t stick.
First, heat a generous glug of olive oil in your favourite frying pan. I use Tefal’s heart pan because it has a durable non-stick coating.
Keep the heat on medium to avoid overheating the olive oil. Drain the butter beans in a colander, then add the dried beans to the pan.
The oil should be hot but not spitting when you add the beans.
Leave the beans to cook a little in the oil for two minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
Next, take your all-purpose seasoning and shake it all over the beans. I use the Batts version, which has a blend of salt and spices, including ground Paprika, dried chilli, cracked black pepper, onion granules, ground nutmeg, and ground celery seeds.
You can go in with separate herbs and spices, but ground ones are the best to ensure a nice crisp coating on the buttery beans.
Continue to cook the beans on medium heat on the stove for 10 minutes, or until they are crisped to your liking. Shake the pan every so often for even cooking.
Enjoy the beans hot from the pan or leave them to cool for a while.