023 / 75 · Noodles, Grains and Pantry Bakes
Smoky Ham and Butter Bean Bake
One 8×12 in (20×30 cm) dish of at least 2.5 qt/2.4 L; 4 main-dish portions, each with 2 bread slices · Active 25 min · Total 1 hr 10 min
Print recipe · PDFA small portion of butter beans is mashed into stock to make the sauce for the rest. Cooked ham and roasted red pepper sit in that creamy base, with smoked paprika giving warmth rather than a heavy cheese crust. Measured slices of crusty bread are served beside the pan for the sauce, making this a complete bean supper rather than a side dish.
A fork is enough for the sauce
Drain and rinse the beans, then set aside roughly one-third. Mash that portion with a fork and a little of the measured stock until it becomes a rough paste. It does not need to be perfectly smooth. Once stirred into the pan, it thickens the remaining liquid while the whole beans keep their broad shape. This avoids flour and cream without pretending that every bean must turn into purée. Use canned butter beans ready to heat, not dried beans with their long cooking and soaking requirements hidden outside the recipe.
Two ready-cooked ingredients still need attention
The ham begins fully cooked and safely chilled. Its original cooking or opening date follows it into this bake. Cut short strips or small cubes so a portion distributes through the beans instead of falling away in large slices. The red pepper is also ready roasted, from a jar packed in brine or water. Drain and pat it dry before weighing; oil-packed pepper changes the amount of fat and very wet pepper dilutes the bean sauce. Onion cooks until soft before either ingredient goes in. Paprika is stirred briefly in the warm oil rather than left to scorch on a dry pan. Cider vinegar goes in near the end, giving the soft beans a little lift.
Bread belongs in the portion count
Serve two measured slices per person and let them warm on a separate tray near the end of baking. They are for the sauce, not a decorative loaf in the illustration. A cold tomato or cabbage side can be pleasant, but another scoop of potatoes is unnecessary. At a shared table, keep the bread away from the bean pan so its wheat is clear and crumbs do not fall into every portion. The hotdish itself needs a full center-temperature check even though both beans and ham were already cooked.
Ingredients
- 2 cans butter beans, drained and rinsed (1 lb 1 oz/480 g drained total)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock (240 ml)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (150 g)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (6 g)
- 1 teaspoon mild smoked paprika (2 g)
- 12 oz fully cooked ham, safely chilled and cut in short strips (340 g)
- 1 cup roasted red pepper from a water- or brine-packed jar, drained and patted dry (180 g)
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar (15 ml)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (8 g)
- 8 slices crusty bread (8 1/2 oz/240 g total), for serving
Set out
Oven, 8×12 in (20×30 cm) baking dish, at least 2.5 qt/2.4 L, Large skillet, Bowl and fork, Small baking tray for bread, Rimmed baking sheet, Food thermometer
Allergens
Wheat in serving bread; check ham and stock labels for celery, milk or other allergens. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Heat oven to 400°F (205°C). Put the dish on a rimmed sheet. Mash one-third of the beans with 60 ml of the measured stock in the bowl.
- Heat oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook onion 8–10 minutes until soft, then add garlic and paprika for 30 seconds. Stir in mashed beans and remaining 180 ml stock and simmer 2–3 minutes until lightly thickened.
- Fold in whole beans, ham, roasted pepper, vinegar and black pepper. Heat 4–5 minutes, stirring gently, until the mixture reaches 165°F (74°C). Stir in parsley and spread in the dish.
- Bake uncovered 20–25 minutes until the edges darken slightly and the center and several other points reach 165°F (74°C). Warm bread on its separate tray for the last 4–5 minutes, watching so it does not burn.
- Rest the bean bake 5 minutes. Serve one-quarter with two bread slices per person.
Keep the beans recognizable
After the sauce is made, turn the whole beans with a broad spoon. They can split naturally, but repeated hard stirring would turn the filling into a uniform paste.
A useful detail
The 70-minute total includes draining and chopping, the stove stage, up to 25 minutes baking and rest. No extra salt is added because ham, stock and jarred peppers vary in seasoning.
Another way
- Replace ham with 340 g plain fully cooked turkey, safely chilled, and keep its original cooking deadline. Add 1/2 teaspoon additional smoked paprika if desired; the final 165°F (74°C) endpoint is unchanged.
Keep it well
Keep bread separate. Refrigerate bean-bake portions in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C), at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3 days of the ham’s original cooking or opening, or an earlier label deadline. Reheat to 165°F (74°C), adding a little water if the bean sauce has thickened. Freeze promptly cooled portions for up to 1 month for quality only while the original ingredients remain within their safe window; thaw in the refrigerator.