Cheesy Vegetarian Pizza Beans
These Pizza Beans are made with creamy butter beans, rich crushed tomatoes, herbs, and plenty of gooey mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. It’s a vegetarian main dish, and they’re so easy to make in one pan.
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It also makes a warm appetizer for a casual get-together, game day, potluck, or family gathering. I love serving it warm straight from the oven when everyone can scoop it up and dig in.
And for more pizza recipes, the recipes below are worth trying:
- Cheesy Sheet Pan Italian Sausage Pizza
- Lunchbox Pizza Muffins
- Slow Cooker Pizza Ravioli
- Easy-to-Make Pepperoni Pizza Puffs
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups cooked butter beans, or 2 cans white beans
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil, for garnishToasted or grilled bread, for serving
- Polenta, for serving
How to Make Pizza Beans
Step 1: Cook the onion. Slice the onion into thin half-moons. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron or oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it starts to soften and turn translucent.
Step 2: Add the garlic and herbs. Stir in the garlic, thyme, oregano, parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for another minute or so, just until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Step 3: Make the tomato sauce. Add the crushed tomatoes and salt. Stir everything together and cook for about 5 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
Step 4: Add the beans. Stir in the butter beans and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let everything simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: Add the cheese. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top.
Step 6: Bake until bubbly. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned. For extra browning, turn on the broiler for the last 3–5 minutes, keeping a close eye on it.
Step 7: Garnish and serve. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Serve immediately with toasted or grilled bread, or spoon the beans over polenta.
Important Recipe Notes
- Use an oven-safe skillet: Since the beans go directly from the stovetop into the oven, use a cast iron or other oven-safe pan.
- Butter beans work best: Their creamy texture makes the dish hearty and comforting, but you can substitute other white beans if needed.
- If you want a more golden, bubbly cheese topping, broil for the last 3–5 minutes, but keep a close eye on it so the cheese doesn’t burn.
- The Pizza Beans are naturally gluten-free as written. If serving with bread, use your favorite gluten-free bread.
- For a faster version, use marinara sauce instead of crushed tomatoes and the dried herbs. Add the marinara and beans together and continue with the recipe.
- These are best served warm while the cheese is gooey and the tomato sauce is bubbling.
- Serving idea: Scoop the beans onto toasted or grilled bread, or serve them over polenta for a heartier meal.
Pizza Beans
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups cooked butter beans or 2 cans white beans
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil for garnish
- Toasted or grilled bread for serving
- Polenta for serving
Instructions
- Cook the onion. Slice the onion into thin half-moons. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron or oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it starts to soften and turn translucent.
- Add the garlic and herbs. Stir in the garlic, thyme, oregano, parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for another minute or so, just until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Make the tomato sauce. Add the crushed tomatoes and salt. Stir everything together and cook for about 5 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
- Add the beans. Stir in the butter beans and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let everything simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cheese. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top.
- Bake until bubbly. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned. For extra browning, turn on the broiler for the last 3–5 minutes, keeping a close eye on it.
- Garnish and serve. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Serve immediately with toasted or grilled bread, or spoon the beans over polenta.
