Sticky Miso Onions with butter beans & pesto

Recipe Title: Sticky Miso Onions with Butter Beans & Pesto
Servings: 4
Cooking time: with dried beans <60 minutes, with canned beans <25 minutes
Total time: <60 or <25 minutes
Difficulty (1-5): 1
 

Description:

A hearty and delicious weeknight dinner, this dish with sticky onions and broth made with fewer than 10 ingredients is quick, healthy, and incredibly tasty. Packed with plant-based protein and full of flavor, it’s a winning, accessible, and flavorful meat-free dinner.

Miso is the star ingredient here. It adds depth of flavor, saltiness, and caramel-like notes, and it’s also great for gut health, digestion, and packed with vitamins. Butter beans add a wonderful element of creaminess and taste, making this a satisfying meal for any occasion. Feel free to use canned beans or dried beans — for a super-quick meal, canned beans reduce the cooking time to just 25 minutes. If you don’t have a can on hand, don’t worry, we’ve also included quick cooking instructions for dried white beans. All you need are simple supermarket ingredients and your trusty Instant Pot Crisp Ultimate, so let’s get cooking!
 

Ingredients:

For the beans

• 2 cans butter beans, cooked in water, drained and rinsed or 300 g dried white beans
• 750 ml low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp miso
• 1 bay leaf (optional but tasty)

​​​​​​​Miso onions

• 4 brown onions, halved and peeled
• 60 ml water
• 1 tbsp (25 g) miso
• 60 g vegan butter (or regular butter)

To Serve

1. Our Easy Pesto and Crispy Fried Onions
2. To cook butter beans from dried (optional)
3. Place the dried beans in the inner pot along with the miso, water, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Ensure all beans are submerged in water — add more stock/water if needed.
4. Lock the pressure cooking lid in place.
5. Select Pressure Cook and set the timer to 20 minutes, with quick release.
6. Check the beans once the pressure is released. If they need a little longer, simply re-seal and cook for another 2–3 minutes on high pressure.
7. Once tender, drain the beans.
8. Season the cooking liquid with salt and pepper and set aside.

If using canned butter beans:

1. Place the onions in a clean inner pot and select Sauté.
2. Add the water, miso, and butter. Heat through and stir until combined, then place the onions cut-side down in the miso liquid.
3. Lock the pressure cooking lid in place.
4. Select Pressure Cook and set the time to 2 minutes with quick release.
5. Once pressure is released, unlock and remove the lid by pressing the red button and lifting the tab.
6. Turn the onions cut-side up and close the lid again.
7. Select Air Fry and set to 195°C for 10 minutes.
8. Serve the warm beans with the miso-glazed onions, sticky miso sauce, pesto, and crispy onions.