Herby Whipped White Beans with Smoky Mushrooms | The First Mess (2024)

Whipped White Beans

• 2 cups cooked white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup mixed leafy herbs, packed (I used basil, parsley and chives)
• 1 tablespoon cashew butter or tahini
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Tamari
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• cold water, if needed

Smoky Grilled Mushrooms

• 8 ounces (225 grams) mixed mushrooms
• olive oil
• Tamari
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

For Serving

• chopped herbs, optional
• baby or micro greens, optional
• aged balsamic vinegar, optional
• finely chopped shelled pistachios, optional
• flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
• crostini/toasted or grilled bread

• White beans are the best for a silky texture! I used some navy beans from Flourist that I had cooked and frozen a couple weeks ago, and then thawed overnight.
• You can mix up the herbs here based on what you have. I use parsley, basil, and chives, but dill and cilantro could also be nice!
• You can sauté or roast the mushrooms if you prefer not to grill! Just sauté in oil over medium-high with the spices, salt, and pepper until browned and soft. To roast, set the oven at 400 and toss the mushrooms with olive oil, the spices, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet–roast until golden and soft–about 15-20 minutes.
• For mushrooms, I used mostly baby oysters, some small shiitake caps, and a few quartered creminis. The oysters are far and away my favourite though :)

• In a food processor, combine the white beans, leafy herbs, cashew butter, lemon juice, Tamari, salt, and pepper.

• Set a small skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and sliced garlic to it. Once the garlic slices start to sizzle a bit, lower the heat. Fry the garlic until slightly golden on the edges, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and oil to the food processor.

• Run the food processor on high and keep running until the white beans are silky smooth and have a “whipped” consistency. Add cold water by the tablespoon if needed. Once you have the right consistency and the seasoning is good to you, set aside in a sealed container in the fridge.

• Preheat a grill to high. If some of your mushroom caps are large, cut them into larger bite-size pieces. Thread the mushrooms onto skewers. Drizzle the mushrooms with olive oil and Tamari, and then season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic. Flip the skewers over and repeat the drizzling and seasoning.

• Place the skewers on the grill and cook until the mushrooms are browned and they release from the grates, about 3-5 minutes. Flip the skewers over and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

• Spoon the herbed whipped white beans onto a serving plate and spread them out. Top the white beans with the smoky grilled mushrooms, and other garnishes of your choice. Serve with crostini and enjoy!

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian