Cheesy White Bean Tomato Bake
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This cheesy white bean tomato bake is the ultimate easy and cozy dinner recipe. We take canned white beans and simmer them in a fire-roasted tomato sauce then smother them with cheese.
This white bean tomato bake is the kind of cozy dinner I want to eat straight from the baking dish with a big piece of bread nearby for scooping. Creamy white beans simmer in a rich tomato sauce, are topped with plenty of melty cheese, and are baked until bubbly and golden around the edges. It’s simple comfort food in the very best way.
I was originally inspired by a version from NYT Cooking, but over time, I’ve tweaked it to fit how we like to eat. I made it saucier with fire-roasted tomatoes because more sauce means more bread-dunking opportunities. I also leaned harder into the cheese situation and added spinach and fresh basil, which make the whole dish feel brighter and more balanced.
The flavors here are simple but incredibly satisfying. Garlic, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, creamy white beans, bubbling mozzarella, salty parmesan, and fresh basil all work together beautifully. Serve it as a cozy vegetarian dinner with bread and a salad, or spoon it onto the table as a hearty side dish alongside roasted meat or grilled chicken.
What to serve with cheesy white bean tomato bake
These saucy beans almost demand to be served with buttered bread. A thick slice of sourdough or our no yeast bread with herbs and cheese will do the trick. And a simple green salad tossed in one of our salad dressings will complete the meal.
Cheesy White Bean Tomato Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- 15 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes (can sub diced tomatoes)
- 1 teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, sea salt, and pepper
- 2 14-ounce cans butter beans (or other white beans) (drained and rinsed)
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 1 ounce fresh basil (thinly sliced)
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups grated mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and stir. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you'd like.2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, 15 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, 1 teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, sea salt, and pepper
- Stir in the beans then bring that pan to a simmer. Add the spinach and let it wilt then stir in the basil and water. Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the parmesan cheese then the mozzarella over the top.2 14-ounce cans butter beans (or other white beans), 5 ounces baby spinach, 1 ounce fresh basil, ¼ cup water, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 cups grated mozzarella
- Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheesy has melted and the beans are bubbling. For an extra golden top, broil for 2 minutes.
Equipment Used
Video
Nutrition
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My cast iron pan isn’t real large, can I make this and put it in a baking dish and it would be just as good?
You can definitely do that! If you have a large, ovenproof pan (not cast iron) that would work too.
We’ve made a version of this every week for the past 6 weeks. Every iteration gets better. This week I subbed the spinach for leeks and used half fresh grape tomatoes and half canned. I also topped it with burrata filling before using Italian blend and parm on top. My husband and daughter have celiac, so it’s nice having a recipe that is hearty and filling without having to figure out a bunch of gluten free subs. Love this so much!!!
Oh I love hearing that so much! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipe!
Great recipe to learn, cooks up SO fast. I didn’t have canned beans, so I had to cook mine beforehand, which I think really ratcheted up the flavor (slow cooked in chicken stock with bay leaf, rosemary, oregano, and fennel seeds). I can see so many possibilities for augmenting this dish in the future. Thank you for the wonderful dinner!!
I bet these were extra fantastic with homemade beans!!
Oh my. This is so good and so easy and fast. I made a half recipe. Fantastic. Anyone complaining about it being soupy or bland likely did not drain their beans. Flavorful and pretty. I did back off of the salt as I typically do not like high salt and the tomatoes already have quite a bit. You can always add salt. So I’d back off to half and go from there. This is going to be a staple.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! It looks delicious!!
I absolutely love this recipe, just as written. It is SO good. I usually have all the ingredients on hand, and it has become a staple in my rotation. I make homemade Italian bread to go with it.
I’m so happy you enjoy the recipe!
This was a hit at our Xmas party!
I love that! Merry Christmas!
This turned out great! Everyone loved it and we have left overs too. Very economical recipe to make.
I’m happy it was a hit!
We all (parents + 4kids) LOVE this recipe. So easy. I like to make it for lunch sometimes, too. I have made many substitutions but my favorite is using stewed tomatoes (I cut them up). I like the fire roasted, as well, but the flavor of the stewed tomatos makes this seem more complex than it is. Almost always serve with homemade sourdough.
That’s a great idea to use stewed tomatoes – I really enjoy them too.
Turns out EXTREMELY bland, basically a tomato soup with beans in the end.
Did you remember to add the salt and pepper? There is quite a few flavorful ingredients here so unless you skipped the salt or maybe used unsalted tomatoes, I’m not sure what happened.
We have gotten many recipes from this site and have been more than pleased with about 99%. This, however, was the worst concoction I have ever put in a skillet. It felt more like meatless chili. Too much cheese, too much tomato and the acid from the combination was overwhelming. We each had less than a serving and threw it out. We will keep trying many of the recipes here but this one was a strike-out for the whole family.
I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t a hit for you.