Description
A creamy, one-pot dish featuring lemony leeks, tender zucchini, and buttery cannellini beans, enhanced with crispy bacon, za’atar, and parmesan for a comforting and flavorful meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 2 medium zucchinis (about 14-18 oz or 400-500g)
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, with liquid
For Creamy Sauce
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup parmesan, grated
- 1 tablespoon za’atar (plus extra to finish)
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Set a large, high-sided pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook, stirring, for about five minutes until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pan for flavor.
- Sauté leeks, zucchini, and garlic: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add the sliced leek, zucchini, crushed garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened nicely, about 10 minutes. Add a splash of oil if needed.
- Add beans and create sauce: Pour in the cannellini beans with their liquid, then add ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup grated parmesan, 1 tablespoon za’atar, and 1 teaspoon fish sauce if using. Stir continuously as the sour cream and cheese melt into a creamy sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer for a few minutes until thick and glossy.
- Finish with bacon and lemon zest: Return the crispy bacon to the pan along with most of the lemon zest. Stir to combine evenly. Scatter the remaining lemon zest and some extra za’atar on top before serving.
- Serve: Divide the dish between plates and enjoy hot, ideally with soft garlic flatbreads, no-knead focaccia, rosemary parmesan bread, or 2-ingredient dough naan on the side.
Notes
- This dish is protein-packed and satisfying, perfect for a quick weekday meal made in one pot.
- For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and fish sauce and consider adding smoked paprika or liquid smoke for depth of flavor.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, let it simmer a few minutes longer to reduce further before adding bacon.
- Use fresh za’atar for best flavor and sprinkle more on top before serving for a fragrant finish.
- Serve with complementary breads like garlic flatbread or focaccia to soak up the creamy sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 300g
- Calories: 321 calories
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1224.9 mg
- Fat: 16.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.3 g
- Fiber: 7.3 g
- Protein: 14.7 g
- Cholesterol: 22.5 mg
