Need an easy weeknight dinner? This one-pot cheesy white bean tomato bake ticks all the boxes. Packed with creamy white beans, lovely aromatics, and spinach, all simmered in a rich tomato sauce with lots of gooey cheese, it’s a family-friendly favorite. Perfect to serve with fresh bread to mop up all that glorious sauce.
Confession time: I’ve never really been a fan of baked beans. But that’s because the only baked beans I’d tried were from a can – strangely sweet, chalky, and lacking flavor. Fast forward to now, and I’ve discovered I actually LOVE a bean dish.
Beans are high in protein, filling, and budget-friendly, so they’re a perfect staple for your kitchen. These gorgeous, reader favorite, one-pot creamy ‘Marry Me’ white beans or creamy one-pot lemony leek zucchini white beans are also worth trying!
With a jar of beans and a can of tomatoes, you’re halfway to this delicious white bean bake. It’s cozy, comforting, ultra cheesy, but packed with nutrients, thanks to the protein powerhouse beans. It also takes just 30 minutes to make.
For a little extra depth and smoky, spicy kick, I highly recommend adding some ‘nduja paste to your beans. ‘Nduja is a spicy spreadable Italian salami, and it’s my go-to for injecting something special into a dish. It’s optional here – the bake is still delicious without it! And for an added crunchy element, make cheesy baked parmesan crisps while the beans are in the oven – it’s a wonderful way to elevate the dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- White beans. I love using jarred butter beans for this dish, but any white bean will work. Jarred beans tend to be better quality, but canned beans are perfectly fine, too.
- Tomatoes. I’m using cans of plum tomatoes – but you could also use crushed tomatoes or passata (tomato puree).
- Cheese. For the ultimate oozy, gooey result, I’m using two different kinds of cheese. Parmesan brings a strong, sharp cheesy flavor, while mozzarella brings the creamy and oozy element to the bake. You can replace the cheese with whatever you have, but I recommend choosing a cheese that has a nice, strong flavor.
- Spinach. I love adding greens for color and nutrients, and spinach is my go-to. You can leave this out if you don’t have any – or use frozen spinach. Or, try baby kale, cavolo nero, or chard.
- ‘Nduja paste (optional). A spicy, smoky spreadable salami paste from Italy, the ‘nduja gives the dish an unbeatable savory depth and smokiness. It’s becoming more readily available in grocery stores (you’ll find it in the section with the cured meats), and you can also find it on Amazon. A little goes a long way with ‘nduja, so if you pick some up, it’ll last you a good while in the fridge. You can replace the ‘nduja with smoked paprika or harissa paste if you can’t find it. Or, swap it for spicy Italian sausage.
How to Make The Cheesy Bean Bake
This is a step-by-step photo overview of how to make the beans – the full recipe with instructions and ingredients list with quantities is at the bottom of the page for you.
1. Soften the onion, garlic and ‘nduja (if you’re using it) in olive oil.
2. Add the canned tomatoes and herbs, stir, and simmer until slightly thickened.
3. Add the white beans to the tomato sauce.
4. Stir in the spinach leaves – they’ll soften and wilt into the sauce.
5. Top with the Parmesan and mozzarella, then finish with a good grind of black pepper.
6. Bake until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbling. Serve while hot and gooey.
White Bean Tomato Bake FAQs
Yes! Use about 14oz (about 400g) of fresh tomatoes plus one can, or use 8oz (about 800g) of fresh tomatoes. You’ll just need to cook them down for longer in the pan to reach the right consistency.
No problem at all. You could use chickpeas, cannellini beans, or even Kidney beans or black beans. I personally love high-quality jarred white beans – they’re plump, creamy, and taste delicious. But canned beans are perfectly fine, too. Since they’re baked, they’ll soften and soak up all the tomatoey goodness.
You could use cheddar in their place, or any other strong-flavored cheese. A little blue cheese would be great here, too.
Yes!
– You can prepare the bean bake right up until you’re ready to bake it, then cover the pan tightly with foil, and pop it into the fridge for up to two days before you want to serve it.
– You can also bake the beans, and then reheat them in the oven. Just cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F (180°C)
– Leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I love using leftovers in tomatoey shakshuka, or on toast!
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One Pot Cheesy White Bean Tomato Bake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 400°F (200°).
- Cook the aromatics.Place an ovenproof skillet or pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced shallot and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, until the shallot starts to change color (it’ll become more transparent) and softens. Add the 4 crushed garlic cloves and 'nduja paste (if you're using it). Press the ‘nduja paste with your spoon and stir it around the pan so it starts to melt into the oil, then keep stirring for a couple of minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes.Add the 2 cans of tomatoes (make sure you get all the tomatoey goodness out of the cans by filling them ¼ full of water and swishing it around, then pour the tomato water into the pan too). Add the dried thyme, stir, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until thickened slightly.
- Add the beans and spinach. Once the tomato sauce has thickened a little, add the white beans and stir them into the sauce. Simmer for another few minutes, then add the spinach. Stir to wilt the spinach into the sauce.
- Add the cheese and bake.Scatter the grated Parmesan and mozzarella all over the top of the tomatoey beans, then finish with a couple of grinds of black pepper.
- Cook the beans.Transfer the pan to the oven, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted, golden, and oozy. Remove from the oven, then serve while hot and gooey.
This was so easy and tasty, we enjoyed it the next day too!
Ahhh I’m so pleased, it’s such a great one for leftovers 🙂
Made with dried (and pre boiled) great northern beans and cheddar instead of mozzarella and it turned out great! I did need to cook it on the stove longer than suggested here but that’s probably because of the different bean I used. Nice easy recipe, definitely a go to now