Smother This Creamy Side Dish In Baked Beans And Transform It Into A British-Style Meal

The most comforting dishes often come from basic combinations of simple foods. All it really takes is a warm bowl of something creamy and delicious for a meal to provide that sense of ease and contentment. And while the pairing might seem a touch odd outside of the U.K., across the pond one such meal can be found in the combination of a can of beans and a scoop or two of mashed potatoes.

British cuisine is somewhat renowned for using these legumes in places that seem odd to outsiders, but you shouldn't knock it before you try it. Beans on toast is a ubiquitous U.K. breakfast, and beans are a common filling in baked potatoes — or "jacket potatoes," as the locals would say. Pearling them with mashed spuds might make even more sense. In that case, the saucy beans essentially act as a gravy. It is important to note, though, that there is a difference between British and American baked beans.

In the U.S., these baked legumes typically arrive in a thick, sweet sauce made with pork and lots of brown sugar, among various other flavorings. In the U.K., on the other hand, they are often vegetarian-friendly and packaged in a thinner tomato-based sauce instead. If the combination of mashed potatoes and baked beans didn't sound right at first, that may be why. The thinner, less sweet, tomato sauce is a whole different animal than what you typically get in the U.S. version.

Just baked beans and mash can be a complete meal. The latter ingredient provides plenty of carbs, and the former supplies both the sauce and the protein. But there are also plenty of simple techniques to improve this pairing. For starters, upgrading the mashed potatoes — be it with something as simple as extra butter or as decadent as roasted garlic and English cheddar — will certainly yield culinary dividends.

Beyond ensuring the mash is delicious and the beans are right, the next steps in improving this meal might be to add another element. The most obvious choice here would be to include a few bangers on the plate. The strangely named British sausages are a classic accompaniment to mash and beans, filling out a plate with simple comforting fare and plenty of protein. To keep things vegetarian, though, roasted vegetables or mushy peas could also fit the bill, increasing the diversity of the meal while staying true to basic British cuisine.

Finally, there's the presentation of the dish. It is quite common for the beans to be simply ladled onto the plate, but this doesn't look very nice. Considering their gravy-like function, they could instead be spooned into a well in the center of the mash. Some folks actually prepare this meal in the style of a cottage pie. The beans are placed at the bottom of a dish, covered with mash — and, optionally, cheese — and then broiled until crisp and browned on top.