This Italian Butter Bean Bake is warm, comforting and creamy while being entirely gluten free with an option for dairy free as well. I love this dish as a hearty side, or you could even serve it as a vegetarian main!
Keep the cheesy marinara, but swap out the pasta for butter beans. This makes for a much friendlier macronutrient profile. By making this trade, you’ll be upping the dish’s protein and fiber while cutting the carbs nearly in half.
Let’s take a look at the rest of the ingredients and how they come together to make something that’s not just delicious, but nourishing and healthy.
Garlic and onions are in the allium family, which have traditionally been used as medicinals for healing. Flavonols from alliums have been demonstrated to have antioxidant, anticancer, hypolipidemic, anti-diabetic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and antimicrobial activities.
Extra virgin olive oil is a rich source of polyphenols. Research surrounding the benefits of EVOO is well-established, showing it to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, insulin-sensitizing, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, and anticancer properties.
Basil provides a punch of greens, packed with antioxidants and polyphenols. Just ensure when you’re buying a pesto that the ingredients include extra virgin olive oil as opposed to a highly processed vegetable or seed oil.
You’ll also want to check out the marinara ingredients. A surprising amount of red sauces on the market contain hidden and added sugars. Go with a no sugar added (and organic, if possible!) marinara sauce. I love getting mine from Thrive Market.
Food really is medicine. Every time I make a dish for my family, I’m aiming to balance blood sugar and optimize nutrition. If you’d like to learn more about my fuss free approach to eating for well being, check out my video course The Fab Four Fundamentals!
