Make this cheesy white bean tomato bake for a super easy dinner for one. It takes just 15 minutes and can be made with pantry ingredients and enjoyed with crusty bread.
[This cheesy white bean tomato bake recipe was originally posted in December 2022. It has been updated with cooking instructions, storage tips and substitutions, FAQ, related recipes and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
Table of contents
If you haven't planned any meals for the week, easy pantry dinners are your way to easy and delicious dinners. Just slowly or quickly stock your pantry, fridge, and freezer with easy to throw together ingredients.
Recipes like this cheesy white bean tomato bake are perfect when you're hungry, tired and didn't plan dinner. It comes together quickly, with one pan and minimal effort. Plus it's super comforting and delicious.
Perfect for a warm night or dark winter evening.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the cheesy white bean tomato bake recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick visual + description of what's in this recipe.
- White beans: use whatever white beans you have.
- Diced tomatoes: You can use regular diced tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes, depending on how small you want them to be. I do mash them in this recipe.
- Spinach: You can add some fresh spinach to this cheesy white bean tomato bake, if you'd like. Or serve vegetables on the side, or skip them.
- Mozzarella cheese: It melts well, and tastes delicious with the tomatoes and spices.
- Italian seasoning
- Tomato paste: This will add more tomato flavor and thicken the bake so it's not watery.
- Olive oil
- Garlic
Instructions
Scroll down to the cheesy white bean tomato bake recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.
1. Start making your cheesy white bean tomato bake by preheating the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a small oven safe skillet, fry garlic and Italian seasoning in olive oil. Cook until light golden brown. Turn off heat once garlic is golden to avoid burning it.
3. Add tomato paste and tomatoes to make tomato sauce.
4. Smash with a potato masher if you like smaller chunks.
5. Add a handful of spinach (optional) and beans. Stir. The consistency will be the same after baking, add water if desired. Season with salt, pepper, and/or red pepper flakes.
6. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over your cheesy white bean tomato bake.
7. ake for 8-10 minutes, broil for 1-2 minutes if desired. Transfer to a serving dish or enjoy your cheesy white bean tomato bake straight from the skillet. Serve immediately with crusty bread.
Storage/Reheating Tips
Store leftover cheesy white bean tomato bake in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. This dish should freeze well too.
To reheat, microwave, covered until warmed through. You can also bake or broil it, just know that you may want to microwave it before broiling because the top will be browned and the beans will be cold probably.
Substitutions/Tips
- If you don't have an oven safe skillet, start cooking garlic and seasonings in a skillet, then transfer to an oven safe dish for remaining steps.
- You can use 1-2 sliced garlic cloves instead of minced garlic.
- Swap the spinach for another hearty green like kale, or even arugula in the spring. Omit if you don't want or have any.
- You can cook down the tomatoes if you'd like before adding cheese. The consistency of the sauce is about the same before baking as after.
- Celery sticks, peppers, and chips are great to dip into this cheesy white bean tomato bake as well.
- Other great add-ins: Parmesan cheese, onions, mushrooms, etc are good added to this cheesy white bean tomato bake.
FAQ
Serve your baked tomatoes and beans with crusty bread and a salad, if you'd like. These salads would be good with it: Apple Cucumber Salad, Copycat Chick Fil A Salad, Warm Kale Salad.
Add lots of flavor to your beans, and texture too. Cook white beans in tomato sauce, like this recipe, or with sauteed vegetables and bread for example. There are lots of other recipes too.
Baked white beans in tomato sauce and cheese is very easy and super tasty. You can serve beans in tomato sauce over bread or dip bread into it. You could also serve beans cooked in tomato sauce over greens for salad.
What to do with leftover ingredients
When you're cooking for one, you often have leftover produce, cans of whatever ingredient, etc. Here are a couple ideas on how to use up the leftover ingredients. It'll help you save money by wasting fewer ingredients.
- Tomato Paste: Rice and Bean Soup, Chicken Parmesan Pasta, Sticky Tofu
- Diced Tomatoes: Canned Tomato Pasta, Turkey Pumpkin Chili, Black Bean Pasta
- White Beans: Leek and White Bean Bowl
- Spinach: Lentil Curry with Spinach for One, Spinach Orange Salad, Spinach Apple Banana Smoothie, Thai Inspired Beef Bowl, Spinach Strawberry Salad
- Mozzarella Cheese: Buffalo Chicken Flatbread, Single Serving Pizza
Did you make this cheesy white bean tomato bake? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Cheesy White Bean Tomato Bake (single serving)
Equipment
- 1 small oven proof sautee pan
- rubber spatula
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning heaping
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ can diced tomatoes
- handful fresh spinach leaves
- ½ can white beans (cannellini or great northern) drained
- salt, pepper, to taste
- pinch red pepper flakes optional
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- crusty bread optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a small oven safe skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon of garlic, and heaping ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning. Pan fry until garlic is golden brown, stir frequently. Turn off heat.
- Add 1 Tablespoon tomato paste, ½ can tomatoes. Smash with potato masher, if desired.
- Add a handful of spinach, ½ can drained white beans, and 1 Tablespoon of water. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired. Stir. Add water if you'd like.
- Sprinkle about ½ cup shredded mozzarella over bean and tomato mixture. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until cheese is melted and tomato sauce is bubbling. Broil for 1-2 minutes if desired.
- Transfer to bowl or enjoy straight from the pan. Serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- Don't have an oven safe skillet? Just use a small skillet to cook the garlic and seasonings, then transfer to a small oven safe dish for remaining steps.
- Minced garlic is easiest, especially if you have but if you have fresh garlic, slice 1-2 cloves and use that.
- If you have spinach or other greens you can add them to this dish, but you don't have to add greens to it.
- Don't mash tomatoes if you like bigger tomato chunks, mash to desired thickness. You can also mash the beans if desired.
- You can cook down the tomatoes if you'd like before adding cheese. The consistency of the sauce is about the same before baking as after.
- Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese after baking, if desired.
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Julia says
Love these simple ingredients dishes, family was satisfies as well as I was, and I know I fed them something good! I made it in a bigger baking dish and have some leftovers for tomorrow.
Rebecca says
this recipe is easy to double/triple. glad you enjoyed it!
Rachna says
This is perfect and tasty. I love that this is a one person recipe.
Rebecca says
right?! 1 serving recipes are great. enjoy
Andrea says
Easy to make with simple ingredients, this is a fantastic meal. Perfect for my family.
Rebecca says
great! enjoy
Ned says
What a great recipe to share! I can't wait to make this for my next family party!
Rebecca says
enjoy
Anjali says
This is such an easy and delicious meal! We made it for dinner tonight, served it with some crusty bread, and it was great!
Rebecca says
it's so good with crusty bread
Gina Abernathy says
I was looking for something to make that was easy and tasty tonight for dinner. This was it! Simple and satisfying.
Rebecca says
perfect!