RECIPES

Smokey, Silky Kidney Beans With Spinach Swirl

One of the best parts about cooking beans? Their versatility! Baked, boiled, puréed; beans are one of the most versatile pantry staples out there, perfect as spreads, main dishes, soups, and side accompaniments, so we partnered up with SIMPLi Brand Ambassador Julia Sherman to bring you a delicious take on refried beans.

Smokey, Silky Kidney Beans With Spinach Swirl

INGREDIENTS

For the beans

SIMPLi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
SIMPLi Regenerative Organic Certified® Kidney Beans, soaked overnight and strained
Yellow onion, halved, skin removed
Cloves garlic, skin-on
Dried pasilla chile
Cloves garlic
Dried Mexican Oregano
Ground smoked paprika
Ground cumin
Ground coriander
Quart veggie or chicken broth
Apple cider vinegar
Smoked salt, plus more for serving
Avocado leaf (optional)
Cilantro for serving
¼ cup + 3 tablespoons
1 cup
1
4
2
2
3
1 tablespoon
½ teaspoon
3/4 teaspoon
½ teaspoon
1
1 teaspoon
½ teaspoon
1

For the spinach

SIMPLi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
SIMPLi Peruvian Pink Salt
Leek, root-end + green tops removed, sliced in half lengthwise, then sliced into ¼” half moons
Ghee
Bunches mature spinach, root-end removed, washed
2 tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon
1
1 tablespoon
2 bunches

INSTRUCTIONS

Beans

  1. Heat a large cast iron pot over medium-high heat. When the pot is hot, add the onion, cut side down, the garlic, and the chiles to the pot. Give the onion 5 minutes to char before flipping it to char on the other side. When the garlic skins are golden brown and the cloves start to soften, remove the cloves to a plate. Remove the chiles when they become fragrant, pliable, and toasty, but before they blacken. Peel the garlic and remove and discard the stem and seeds from the chiles.
  2. Lower the heat on the pot to medium. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot with the peeled garlic, the onion, and the spices. Sauté for one minute before adding the beans, the broth, cider vinegar, the smoked salt, and the avocado leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, partially cover and cook for an hour and 15 minutes, or until the beans are super tender (don’t worry about some breaking, we are mushing them up in the end anyhow).
  3. When the beans are fully cooked, strain them through a sieve, reserving their liquid. Add the beans to the food processor. (Don’t worry about cleaning the bowl). Purée until smooth, alternating adding the cooking liquid a splash at a time and the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil. Process until the texture is creamy and spreadable (it will thicken as it cools).

Spinach Puree

  1. While the beans are cooking, prepare the spinach purée. Place a large, deep sauté pan (one with a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat. Add the ghee and the olive oil along with the leeks and sauté until the leeks are soft and start to brown. Stir frequently. Add the spinach and cover. Cook for five minutes, or until the spinach is wilted and soft, but still bright green.
  2. Remove the pan from the heat to cool for five minutes. Add the greens and leeks to a food processor with salt and purée until smooth, scraping down the sides. Add the residual liquid from the pan to the processor and continue to purée until you achieve a baby food-like texture. Remove to a lidded storage container.

Plating

  1. Transfer to a serving bowl and swirl the spinach purée in with a spoon. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with tortillas or rice.

This two-part recipe makes silky smooth smoky beans that can be served over quinoa or smushed into a tortilla, but also, a bright green spinach purée that can be added to dips, pasta sauces, or in this case, swirled into the beans to give them color and bright flavor. Unlike refried beans, which are mashed and then “fried” in a pan until they are thick, these beans are pureed with EVOO and their cooking liquid so their texture is smooth and glossy. Try this recipe with SIMPLi Regenerative Organic Certified® Black Beans as well!

Get to know Julia Sherman and her work in our recent Culinary Tastemakers Spotlight interview!

For tips and tricks on prepping SIMPLi beans, check out our thorough cooking guide!

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