Catalan Sauteed Polenta & Butter Beans

From EatingWell: October/November 2006, EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook (2008)

This dish is a satisfying vegetarian meal complete with spinach, beans and polenta, inspired by classic Spanish flavors. Note: Look for smoked paprika with other specialty spices; it's available in three varieties: sweet, bittersweet and hot. Sweet is the most versatile, but if you like a little bit of heat, choose the hot variety. You can find Spanish products in specialty-foods stores or online at tienda.com. Make it a Meal: Enjoy with a green salad tossed with sherry vinaigrette and a glass of Jean-Luc Colombo Cotes du Rhone.

READER'S COMMENT:

"Wow! This is the 2nd time I've made this recipe. WIth a few modifications, I think it turned out even better. The main change was in cooking the polenta. After cutting into cubes, I placed them on a broiler pan. I sprayed quickly with PAM...

Catalan Sauteed Polenta & Butter Beans Recipe

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31 Reviews for Catalan Sauteed Polenta & Butter Beans

05/06/2013

idadevine1

Recommends this recipe

Loved it!

I never use pre-made polenta, I buy non-GMO ground polenta. After that chilled in an 8x8 pan, it was cut into triangles and sauteed. I added some grape tomatoes, otherwise followed the recipe to a T. My husband and I ate in silence that night! So good. The next night the leftovers were chopped and used to top a homemade whole wheat pizza crust. Two fantastic meals, one recipe! A keeper for sure.

Pros: Beautiful colors,lots of easy to find veggies, versatile

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04/01/2013

Anonymous

Recommends this recipe

Fabulous twist on beans and greens

This was a wonderfully tasty and filling meal. I omitted the oil and the cheese. I made polenta ahead of time, and put two "squares" in a 400% oven to get crispy on the outside. I made butter beans this week, so this recipe was a great way to use them. I substituted kale for the spinach -- fantastic! I seasoned it with plenty of paprika and Mrs. Dash, and also with another dash of vinegar (I prefer seasoned rice vinegar) and -- a little sriracha sauce. I will definitely be making this often. It is "company good!"

Pros: simple preparation, wonderful flavors, high nutrition, easy to adapt

Comments

06/25/2012

Anonymous

Recommends this recipe

Delicious. Healthy. Easy. Vegetarian

I've made this at least 5 times. I usually omit the sherry vinegar and the cheese and add an extra pepper. PERFECT for a vegetarian. I love it. I do the polenta in one pan and the rest in another so I can cook them at the same time.

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10/15/2011

yanagi302

Recommends this recipe

Hearty Vegetarian Dish with a lot of Potential

For some reason, I was craving beans last night, so I Googled for bean recipes, and I stumbled upon Catalan Sauteed Polenta and Butter Beans. I cooked it up exactly as written, and found it to be very nearly tasty. Something was missing, and I had a feeling it was spices. The only spice this recipe calls for is paprika, which can't cancel out the blandness of the butter beans on its own. The beans are hearty and have a great texture for sure, but they don't contribute much flavor on their own.

The next morning, I decided I'd try to spice up the leftovers before I committed to tossing them. I added more paprika, more vinegar, lots of salt and pepper, and I threw in some chili flakes for some heat. I added some more cheese and held my breath...it was good! All this dish needed was a little more seasoning, and it turned into a very delicious vegetarian meal!

I definitely won't say that the original recipe posted is bad. I just use a lot more spices and seasoning in my cooking, and the lack thereof initially was a little off-putting. However, if you're not a fan of spicy food, the paprika will probably be just enough for you.

This would be a great recipe on a cold evening. It warms you up and fills you up, and it's quick and easy to make. The ingredients are very affordable, too.

All in all, good job on this one!

Pros: This dish contains a ton of yummy, healthy ingredients and is surprisingly hearty for a vegetarian meal.

Comments

08/28/2011

govinda8

Recommends this recipe

Well-balanced and full of flavor

I made a few modifications to this recipe, and it's one of the best things I've made from eatingwell.com. I used a green onion and cilantro polenta because that's what the store had. I sprinkled it with salt and pepper and baked at 425 for about 30 minutes to get it firmed up. I also added a mix of sweet and hot paprika and doubled the amounts. The sweetness of the pepper works really well with the creaminess of the beans and polenta. Mine was a little brothy because the spinach released so much water. I think next time I'll cut back on the veg. broth. This recipe really is perfect. It's very filling, tastes great and is still low calorie.

Pros: good mix of veg and protein

Comments