vegan butter bean and sundried tomato pate sandwich

Hopefully, the summer season is creeping up on us and we will be out and about for walks, holidays and days out. I for one don't plan on settling for anything less than delicious on our summer jollies, so have started playing around with picnic ideas that are easy peasy, tasty and healthy. I have tried this pate a couple of different ways, but this is my favourite.

summer is coming!

So for the butter beans, cans are so easy, but I always wondered if environmentally it was cheaper or ecologically better to use dried. I read an article that said that if the cans were recycled, it was actually better to use tinned beans as the cooking process was much more efficient in big factory batches. So tinned beans for the win!

I used the oil that the tomatoes were in, but also tried it with chilli infused olive oil. This recipe uses a little basil, but thyme worked well too. I didn't feel the need to add any salt as the flavour is very intense on its own.

The finished pate is great with crusty bread, with pitta bread, crackers and chutneys, or in a good old fashioned sandwich.

Ingredients

1 400g butter beans, drained and rinsed

85g sundried tomatoes in oil

1 tablespoon oil of choice, see notes above

Juice of a lemon

1 fat garlic clove

Black pepper, salt if you want to

2 washed basil stalks with leaves

Method

Put everything into a food processor and blitz until just slightly textured still. You may need to add a splash of water if the pate is too stiff. Chill and use, keeps well in the fridge for a good few days

Have a look at my other vegan sandwich filling recipes for other picnic ideas!

Debbie