Ottolenghi’s Roasted Aubergines and Butter Beans in Chilli Pesto
By M&S Food
Published on 15 May 2026
Every so often, there's a recipe you find yourself making over and over - the kind that slips effortlessly into rotation because it hits that perfect balance of effort and reward. Here's one for your collection. Aubergines go from sometimes-difficult to almost buttery when given enough time in a hot oven, butterbeans develop golden crusts (keeping their creamy interiors), and cherry tomatoes collapse into sweet puddles that bind it all together. The magic ingredient is our Calabrian Chilli Pesto – it does all the heavy lifting in terms of flavour. Serve with some rice or flatbreads for scooping up every bite.Time and servings
50 minsTotal time
6Servings
15 minsPrep time
35 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 onions, cut into 12 wedges (360g)
- 1 large aubergine, cut into 6 wedges (400g)
- 120ml olive oil
- 1 jar butterbeans, drained (400g)
- 1 jar Ottolenghi Calabrian Chilli Pesto
- 240g plum cherry tomatoes
- greek yoghurt, to serve
- coriander leaves, to serve
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 230°C/200°C fan/gas 7.Step 2
Add the garlic, onion, aubergine, half the oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper to a 30 centimetre shallow cast iron pan. Mix well and roast for 20 minutes until golden and softened.Step 3
Meanwhile, mix the remaining oil with the butterbeans, pesto, tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Spoon the butterbean mixture over the aubergines and roast for a further 15 minutes until some of the butterbeans have slightly charred in places.Step 4
Serve alongside the yoghurt and coriander if using.