Easy midweek dinner that cooks in 30 minutes is the perfect autumn comfort food

Beans are the perfect autumnal comfort food (Image: Getty)

With the night setting in earlier and the temperature dropping, you'll likely be looking for some autumnal comfort food for these cosy nights in.

One great option for a comforting midweek meal is beans - whether you prefer black beans, cannellini, butter, or broad beans, there are plenty of choices for a simple meal.

Suggesting one delicious recipe, Sarah Doig, who posts on Instagram as Sarah's Vegan Recipes, has shared her method for making squash and sage beans.

Sharing a video of the recipe, she wrote: "It’s getting colder and it’s time for cosy recipes! Grab a big bowl of these squash and sage beans and cosy up on the sofa, with a big chunk of toasted sourdough to scoop it all up with is highly recommended!"

Sarah added: "If you like, stir through some roughly chopped spinach or kale a few minutes before serving to get in some extra greens."

Squash and Sage Beans

Ingredients (serves two):

• 450g butternut squash, cut into chunks
• 1/4 tsp salt
• One tbsp olive oil
• One tsp dried sage
• One tbsp olive oil
• Two shallots
• Two garlic cloves
• One x 700g jar of butter beans (or two x 400g tins), drained
  
• 200ml veg stock
• 100ml unsweetened soya milk (or oat)
• Two tbsp nutritional yeast
• Salt and pepper
• Cashew parmesan
• Crispy sage leaves
• Roasted squash seeds

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F.

Place the chopped squash on a baking tray, drizzle with some olive oil and season with salt and dried sage. Then toss the squash until fully coated. Roast the squash for around 25 minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile, finely slice the shallots, then sauté in olive oil until soft and golden, then add in the garlic. Soften for another few minutes before adding the drained butter beans. Then season with salt and pepper and mix together.

Once the squash is finished in the oven, set aside and leave to cool, before adding to a blender with the milk, stock, nutritional years and some salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour the sauce into the pan with the beans and simmer for about 10 minutes, until thick, creamy and piping hot.

Then remove from the heat and top with squash seeds, sage and cashew parmesan before serving.