Recipe: Rosemary’s Go-To Beans on Toast

Created by Rosemary Shrager in collaboration with Numan, this comforting baked beans on toasted wheaten bread takes a familiar classic and turns it into something richer, more nourishing, and far more satisfying than anything from a tin.

Baked beans on wheaten bread: slow, simple, and deeply satisfying

This is baked beans as they’re meant to be: gently cooked with onion, garlic, tomatoes, and spice, then spooned over thick slices of homemade wheaten bread. The beans are rich and saucy, the bread is dense and hearty, and together they make a meal that’s both nutritious and comforting.

It’s perfect for batch cooking, freezing, and pulling out on days when you want something warm, filling, and uncomplicated.

Why it works for fullness, cravings, and overall wellbeing

Beans: Haricot and cannellini beans are rich in fibre and plant protein, which slow digestion and help you feel full for longer. They support steady energy and reduce the urge to snack between meals.¹

Tomatoes and vegetables: Tomatoes, onions, and garlic add volume, flavour, and antioxidants without adding many calories.²

Wheaten bread: Wholemeal, bran, and germ make this bread higher in fibre and nutrients than white bread, helping it keep you satisfied for longer and avoid quick hunger returns.³

Slow cooking and texture: The thick sauce, soft beans, and dense bread give real “chew” and comfort which is important for satisfaction, not just fullness.

First, the wheatenbread

Makes two small loaves or one large depending on the baking dish you choose.

Ingredients

• 380g whole meal, stoneground, medium flour

• 100g plain flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 heaped teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tablespoon bran

• 1 tablespoon wheat or oat germ

• 40g stevia caster

• 60g unsalted butter

• 500ml butter milk

Method

1. Place the wholemeal flour in a mixing bowl. Sieve in the plain flour, salt, and baking soda.

2. Stir in the bran, germ, and stevia, and mix thoroughly.

3. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub it into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

4. Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk. Mix very quickly and gently to form a loose dough, with a consistency similar to thick porridge.

5. Lightly grease two small 480g loaf tins or one 900g loaf tin. Spoon in the mixture and spread it evenly into the corners, leaving the surface rough. Sprinkle with wholemeal flour or bran to create a malty finish.

6. Bake for about 10 minutes at 220°C, then reduce the temperature to 200°C and bake for a further 30–35 minutes, or 45 minutes if using the 900g tin.

7. The bread should be well risen, browned, and firm to the touch. Insert a skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean, the bread is cooked.

Note: If you feel it’s going a bit brown, put some tinfoil on the top whilst it finishes cooking.

Now, the beans

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 150g onion finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic finely grated

• 1 tin of whole tomatoes

• 15g stevia caster

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• Pinch of ground chilli, or half a fresh red chilli chopped

• 1 rounded tablespoon tomato purée

• 2 tins haricot or cannellini beans in water (reserve the water from the beans)

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 220°C.

2. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and gently soften the chopped onion until translucent, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tinned tomatoes, stevia, chilli, and Worcestershire sauce.

4. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until you have a sauce thick enough to coat the beans.

5. Drain the beans, reserving the liquid. Measure out 150ml of the bean water, topping up with extra water if needed. Add this to the pan along with the tomato purée and cook for a further 8 minutes.

6. Transfer the mixture to a blender and purée until smooth, then return it to the pan.

7. Add the drained beans to the sauce and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring well.

8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve

Toast two thick slices of wheaten bread, one per person, until golden and crisp. Spoon the rich, glossy beans generously over the top and serve straight away, while everything is warm and comforting.

Total energy values per 322g serving:

• Calories: 384 kcal

• Fat: 8.3g

• Of which saturates: 3.3g

• Carbohydrates: 56g

• Of which sugars: 8.7g

• Fibre: 15g

• Protein: 19g

• Salt: 1.1g

References

1. Mullins AP, Arjmandi BH. Health benefits of plant-based nutrition: Focus on beans in cardiometabolic diseases. Nutrients. 2021;13(2):519.

2. Beltrán Sanahuja A, De Pablo Gallego SL, Maestre Pérez SE, Valdés García A, Prats Moya MS. Influence of cooking and ingredients on the antioxidant activity, phenolic content and volatile profile of different variants of the Mediterranean typical tomato sofrito. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019;8(11):551.

3. Moreira-Rosário A, Marques C, Pinheiro H, Norberto S, Sintra D, Teixeira JA, et al. Daily intake of wheat germ-enriched bread may promote a healthy gut bacterial microbiota: a randomised controlled trial. Eur J Nutr. 2020;59(5):1951–61