Courgetti Puttanesca with Butter Beans

Ingredients

• 🥒Zucchini, spiralised into courgetti2
• 🥫Canned Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed1 can
• 🫒Extra Virgin Olive Oil2 tbsp
• 🧄Garlic, peeled and finely sliced3 clove
• 🧅Red Onion, thinly sliced1
• 🫙Capers, drained2 tbsp
• 🫒Kalamata Olives, pitted and roughly chopped1 cup
• 🥫Crushed Tomatoes (canned)1 can
• 🌿Dried Oregano1 tsp
• 🫑Red Pepper Flakesto taste
• 🧊Lemon Juice1 tbsp
• 🌿Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped2 tbsp
• 🧂Table Saltto taste
• 🧂Black Pepper (ground)to taste
• 💧Water, to loosen the sauce if needed4 tbsp

Contains Garlic, Onion. AI-generated, checked against common allergens; always check labels.

Method

1. 1

   Spiralise the courgettes

   Trim the ends off the Zucchini and spiralise them into long strands over a chopping board, keeping the curls light and even so they cook quickly later. If you only have a grater, use the coarsest side and drag the zucchini downward in long strokes until you have loose, spaghetti-like shreds that look pale and springy rather than wet and broken.

   3 min
2. 2

   Slice the aromatics

   Peel the Garlic Cloves, then slice them thinly and cut the Red Onion into fine half-moons on a chopping board so they soften fast and melt into the sauce. The slices should be thin enough to bend rather than snap; if any onion pieces are thick, separate them with the tip of the knife so they do not stay crunchy in the finished dish.

   3 min
3. 3

   Drain the beans

   Tip the Canned Cannellini Beans into a sieve and rinse them under cold water until the foam disappears and the liquid runs clear. Shake the sieve firmly for a few seconds so the beans look glossy but not wet; if they stay soggy, they will thin the sauce instead of holding it together.

   2 min
4. 4

   Chop the briny mix

   Roughly chop the Kalamata Olives on a chopping board, then set aside the drained Capers so they are ready to go into the skillet. You want the olives in bite-sized pieces with some rough edges for texture; if they are minced too fine, they disappear into the sauce and lose their salty pop.

   2 min
5. 5

   Soften the onion

   Set a large skillet over medium heat with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and add the Red Onion, stirring with a wooden spoon so every slice touches the hot base. Cook for about 3 minutes until the onion turns translucent, smells sweet and loses its raw bite; if it starts browning too fast, lower the heat a little so it softens instead of catching.

   3 min
6. 6

   Add garlic and capers

   Stir the Garlic Clove and Capers into the skillet and keep them moving for about 60 seconds, just until the garlic smells fragrant and the capers start to sizzle in the oil. The garlic should stay pale with only the barest golden tint; if it colours quickly, pull the skillet off the heat for a few seconds so it does not turn bitter.

   1 min
7. 7

   Build the sauce

   Pour the Crushed Tomatoes (canned) into the skillet, then stir in the Dried Oregano, Red Pepper Flakes, chopped Kalamata Olives, Table Salt and Black Pepper (ground) with a wooden spoon. Let the sauce simmer briskly for about 2 minutes until it looks slightly thicker, the oil starts to bead at the edges and the tomato smell turns sweet and savoury; if it seems too dense, splash in a little Water so it loosens instead of sticking.

   2 min
8. 8

   Warm the beans

   Add the drained Canned Cannellini Beans to the simmering sauce and fold them through gently for about 1 minute, just until they are heated through and coated in red. They should look plump and glossy rather than breaking apart; if you stir too hard, they will mash and muddy the texture, so use broad, gentle turns.

   1 min
9. 9

   Toss in courgetti

   Add the Zucchini strands to the skillet and toss them through the sauce with a lifting motion for about 45 seconds, just until they turn glossy and slightly wilt at the edges. Stop as soon as they look lightly coated and bright green; if they sit on the heat too long, they release water and go limp, so work quickly and keep the skillet moving.

   1 min
10. 10

    Finish and plate

    Take the skillet off the heat and fold in the Lemon Juice and Flat-Leaf Parsley so they brighten the sauce without fading in the heat. Taste the dish, then serve it immediately while the courgetti is still glossy and the beans are hot; if it seems a little tight, loosen it with a small splash of Water before plating.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving