Description
Pizza Beans is a comforting and easy one-skillet dish featuring blistered cherry tomatoes, cannellini beans simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce, and a bubbly, golden cheese topping. Served warm with crusty bread, it's a perfect vegetarian meal for any day of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce and Beans
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 cans cannellini beans (15 oz / 400 g each), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
Cheese Topping
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella, or 1 fresh mozzarella ball torn into chunks (about 7-8 oz or 200 g)
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan
Garnish and Serving
- 1 handful fresh basil
- 4 slices crusty bread, toasted for serving
Instructions
- Blister the tomatoes: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 pints halved cherry tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes until the skins start to blister.
- Add aromatics and seasonings: Stir in 2 cloves grated garlic, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (if using), ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add beans and simmer: Add 2 cans drained and rinsed cannellini beans and 1 cup broth. Mix well, bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 10 minutes until tomatoes soften and the sauce thickens.
- Add cheese and broil: Preheat your oven broiler. Top the skillet mixture evenly with 1½ cups shredded mozzarella or torn mozzarella chunks and ⅓ cup grated parmesan. Broil for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden in spots. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Finish and serve: Remove the skillet from the oven, sprinkle 1 handful fresh basil on top, and serve warm with 4 slices of toasted crusty bread to scoop up the cheesy beans.
Notes
- Extra virgin olive oil can be substituted with avocado oil or light olive oil.
- Cherry tomatoes can be swapped for marinara sauce or canned diced/crushed tomatoes.
- Garlic may be replaced with garlic powder or roasted garlic for a different flavor profile.
- Use tomato passata or marinara sauce instead of tomato paste if desired.
- Dried oregano can be changed to Italian seasoning or dried basil.
- Cannellini beans can be substituted with great northern beans, butter beans, or chickpeas.
- Vegetable broth can be replaced with water plus a pinch of salt or chicken broth.
- Mozzarella cheese can be fresh, shredded, or substituted with cheddar, crumbled feta, provolone, fontina, or dairy-free mozzarella.
- Parmesan can be substituted with pecorino Romano.
- Fresh basil may be replaced with fresh oregano or basil pesto.
- Serve with whole grain toast or warm pita as alternatives to crusty bread.
- To develop deep flavor, let the tomatoes blister undisturbed to caramelize their sugars.
- Use an oven-safe skillet to transition easily from stovetop cooking to broiling.
- Cook tomato paste briefly to enhance richness and depth of flavor.
- Add a splash of broth or water if the sauce thickens too much during simmering.
- Tear mozzarella into irregular pieces for better melting and bubbly cheese topping.
- Stay attentive while broiling as cheese browns quickly.
- Leftovers can be stored airtight in the fridge up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
