Lima Beans with Stewed Tomatoes and Oregano Pesto

I have a new favorite bean dish! It was so good that I just wanted to keep eating and eating it—which is actually exactly what we did, since I made so much of it!  The combination of the hearty tomato sauce, earthy lima beans, salty feta, crispy panko, and zesty oregano pesto put this dish over the top!

When I came across the recipe, I was especially excited about the fresh oregano pesto.  I have an oregano plant that hasn’t had many opportunities to contribute to my cooking projects, so what better way to give it a chance to get in on the action?!  I once heard one of the Food Network stars say that she doesn’t like to use fresh oregano because it masks the flavor of all of the other components of the dish, but I didn’t find that at all for this dish.  The other ingredients can hold their own and the pesto just added another lovely layer of flavor. Give it a try and let us know what you think.

Lima Beans with Stewed Tomatoes and Oregano Pesto

Adapted from Food and Wine 

The original recipe called for giant lima beans, but I all I could find was baby limas—they were still quite good though. To ensure crispy panko crumbs on any leftovers, save the remaining panko in an airtight container separate from the leftover limas. 

• 3 cups of dried lima beans, picked over and soaked for 4+ hours and drained
• Salt
• 3-5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 16oz can of diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs

Pesto

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt

Place the soaked lima beans in a large pot and cover with fresh water (water level should be about 2 inches above the lima beans). Bring the pot to a boil and then simmer over low heat until the limas are al dente (cooking time will vary depending on the size of the limas).  If needed, add water to keep the lima beans covered. Once the limas are done, season the beans with salt and let them sit for 5 minutes. Drain the limas and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil and add the onions.  Cook until onions are translucent and then add the garlic.  Cook for one more minute and then carefully pour in the tomatoes with their juice and add the fresh oregano. Cook the mixture for about 1 hour or until it has thickened. Add salt to taste.

Preheat the oven to 425°.  Combine the cooked lima beans and tomato sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or in several smaller dishes.  Sprinkle with feta cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese has browned.

For the pesto, combine the olive oil, oregano, parsley, garlic and salt in the bowl of a food processor and coarsely puree.

For the panko bread crumbs, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and add the panko bread crumbs. Cook the crumbs until toasted, stirring occasionally.

To serve, drizzle the baked lima bean and tomato mixture with the pesto and sprinkle with panko bread crumbs.

Tasty Easy Healthy Green Recipe Ratings: