Silky Sweet Sun Golds, Summer Squash, + White Beans

A low effort, seasonal dinner recipe. But really, an ode to summer cooking and sun gold tomatoes.

Here’s a low-effort dinner that leans on peak-season summer produce and pantry staples: Silky Sweet Sun Golds, Summer Squash, + White Beans. Perfect on its own, spooned over crusty bread, and served alongside shrimp or any white fish. This is the time of year that I go through about five pints of sun gold tomatoes a week. They only taste this good for a fleeting season and I always want them on hand. They’re sweet, tangy but not sour, and extra savory. And how can you not love their sunny golden hue? They have this bright and fruity note that’s so luscious in a quick pasta sauce. The sauce comes together in a skillet with olive oil, shallots, garlic, and gently crushed sun golds to release their juices. It’s so velvety and so simple. I fold white beans and summer squash in place of pasta because sometimes, mama needs to hit more food groups. Turns out, it’s delightful! So here we are.

Here’s how this recipe comes together. You’ll make the base of the sauce as previously described, and fold in thinly sliced summer squash and basil. You’ll add two cans of drained and rinsed white beans. Let it cook covered with a lid for fifteen minutes and you’re pretty much there. Spoon into bowls, drizzle with *lots* of extra virgin olive oil and finish with freshly cracked black pepper. Spoon it all over crusty toasted or grilled bread. 

This recipe conveniently comes together in one pan with a few humble ingredients (six to be exact, seven if you include kosher salt). It’s pretty speedy and I find that it doesn’t need butter or cheese for richness - perfect for my dairy-free and plant-based queens! Though it’s worth noting that my steak-loving husband devoured this. Oh and a hot tip: after you cook the beans for 15 minutes you can turn the heat off and leave the lid on until you’re ready to eat dinner. They’ll stay warm for a while with the lid on and the dish will only taste better the longer it sits. So! Let’s get into it with a few notes below.

A Few Notes:

• Bean Things: If I made my Sunday pot of brothy beans I’m using them here because there is no better-tasting bean. If you have beans that you made from dry you can replace the canned beans in this recipe with 3 ½ cups of cooked beans. Canned beans are great in a pinch, just don’t skip rinsing them and please don’t cook them any less than 15 minutes in the skillet. These two steps make them taste a lot less…well, canned, because they allow the beans to really absorb the saucy flavor.

• Bean Things Pt 2: If you’re looking for good quality dried beans, I always have Primary Beans, Rancho Gordo, and some type of dried bean from a farm here on the coast, like Iacopi Farms or Blue House Farm.

• Tomato Things: If you can’t find sun golds, sub in the ripest, best-tasting little tomatoes of the season. Cherry tomatoes or whatever smaller variety is lookin’ good at the market will work.

• Olive Oil Things: This recipe calls for a lot of olive oil and if you’re feeling skeptical that I made a typo, I didn’t. Trust the process. Your dinner will be that much more luscious for it!  

• Riffy Things: Have some really good corn? Slice it off the cob and fold the kernels in at the last minute for a sweet little pop. Have some shrimp or white fish you want to use? Nestle it in at the end of the recipe, cover, and gently heat until cooked through. Squash blossoms? They’d look and taste so lovely hand-torn on each bowl. Sometimes I melt a few anchovies into the sauce when serve it over pasta for a more savory note.

Silky Sweet Sun Golds, Summer Squash, + White Beans

Serves 2-4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40m
Total Time: ~1hr

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus ½ cup olive oil, divided, plus more for serving

• 2 large shallots or 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped

• Kosher salt

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 lb sungold tomatoes, halved

• 1 lb summer squash or zucchini, or about 2 medium-sized summer squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

• Handful fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

• Two 15oz cans butter beans or other white bean, drained and rinsed

• Freshly cracked black pepper

• Crusty baguette for serving

Instructions

Cook the aromatics

1. In a heavy-bottomed dutch oven or large pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot and season with kosher salt. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, season with kosher salt, and saute until fragrant, about a minute or so.

Add the tomatoes + squash

1. Add the halved sun golds, stir to combine, and generously season with kosher salt.

2. Cook over medium heat, about 5 minutes.

3. Add sliced squash and handful of basil leaves. Season with kosher salt and stir to combine. 

4. Cook everything over medium heat for about 10 minutes, being sure to stir occasionally and gently crush the tomatoes to release their juices.

Add the beans

1. Add the beans and half of the olive oil (you’ll finish the dish with the remaining ¼ cup at the end).

2. Season again with kosher salt, and stir to combine. Cook over medium to high heat for about 2-3 minutes.

3. Cover pan or dutch oven with lid and cook over low to medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Finish + serve

1. Remove lid and add remaining ¼ cup olive oil, stir to combine.

2. Spoon into bowls while warm. Finish each bowl with a few very generous glugs of extra virgin olive oil, freshly cracked pepper, and few pinches torn fresh basil.

3. Serve with crusty baguette and enjoy.

Other Things I’m Loving On Substack rn:

Have You Been on Any Fun Friend Dates Recently?

• This interview and chat between two of my favorite internet gals, Teahouse by Teresa Wu and Downtime by Alisha Ramos. I love Teresa’s friend-date ideas and I’m honored that she featured my recipe! This recipe might be my most popular recipe of all time and it already lives on my website but I’m wondering if we do a deep dive post here on Substack? Thoughts?

Thanks for reading ad happy cooking! xx