Author: These pizza beans are cozy, saucy, and wildly comforting. Creamy butter beans are simmered in a garlicky marinara, topped with a simple homemade vegan cheese sauce, and finished with basil. It's a quick, one-pan dinner that comes together in about 25 minutes and is perfect for scooping up with garlic bread.
Pizza. Beans. Need I say more? If you love pizza, then you're going to flip for this cozy, scoopable dinner situation. Pizza beans have all the flavors of pizza, with garlicky tomato sauce and gooey vegan cheese, but in a hearty bean dish. Because we start with canned beans, this recipe comes together lickety-split, making it perfect for weeknights. And if you miss the crust, well, just scoop these saucy beans up with some focaccia, naan, or garlic bread. YUM.
Why These Pizza Beans Work
- All the pizza vibes: You get the marinara, plenty of garlic, dried oregano, and lots of cheesy goodness in every bite.
- Rich and comforting: Gooey vegan cheese sauce and creamy white beans make the perfect plant-based comfort food meal.
- One-pan, easy peasy: Everything comes together easily in a single skillet, which means less to clean up after dinner.
- Ready in 25 minutes: You can't even get pizza delivered that fast!
Ingredients for Pizza Beans
This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients, with canned beans and jarred marinara to keep things quick and easy.
Pizza Bean Base
- Olive oil: Used to sauté the aromatics.
- Yellow onion and garlic: Essential for that classic pizza flavor.
- Dried oregano: Brings that familiar pizzeria vibe.
- Red pepper flakes (optional): For a little heat, but leave them out if you prefer.
- Butter beans: Creamy and tender, these are perfect for soaking up the sauce.
- Marinara sauce: Use your favorite jarred or homemade marinara sauce.
- Baby spinach (optional): Adds a pop of green and wilts right into the sauce.
- Salt and pepper: To taste.
- Fresh basil and vegan Parmesan (optional): For a tasty finish.
Vegan Cheese Sauce
- Garlic powder and salt: For seasoning the cheese mixture and adding some savory flavor.
- Plant-based milk: I like using oat or soy milk.
- Raw cashews: Be sure they're raw; they blend smoother than roasted.
- Nutritional yeast: Adds cheesy, savory flavor.
- Lemon juice: For that cheesy tang.
- Tapioca starch or cornstarch: Thickens the sauce and gives it that melty authentic cheese texture.
How to Make Pizza Beans
- Soften the Cashews: If needed, boil the cashews for about 10 minutes until tender, then drain and rinse. Set aside. (If you have a high-powered blender, you can skip this step.)
- Cook the Base: Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the oregano and red pepper flakes and cook briefly to bloom the spices.
- Simmer the Beans: Stir in the butter beans and marinara sauce. Let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until thick and saucy. Add a splash of water if needed. Stir in the spinach and let it wilt.
- Make the Cheese Sauce: Blend the plant-based milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, starch, garlic powder, and salt until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and glossy.
- Assemble: Spoon the cheese sauce over the beans in swirls or dollops.
- Broil (optional) and serve: Place under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes until lightly browned and bubbling. Top with fresh basil and vegan Parmesan, and serve hot with garlic bread or crusty bread.
Tips and Variations
- Bean swaps: Butter beans are big in size, and extra creamy, but cannellini, great northern beans, white kidney beans, or even chickpeas all work.
- Use a good marinara: Since this is a simple recipe, your marinara really matters. Choose one you love for the best flavor.
- Don't skip seasoning: Taste before serving and adjust salt and pepper. Depending on your marinara, you may need a little extra.
- Add toppings: For more pizza vibes, add vegan pepperoni, sautéed mushrooms, olives, roasted red peppers, vegan sausage, smoked tofu, or jalapeños.
- Swap in shredded vegan cheese: This recipe comes together fast, but if you're short on time, you can make it even faster by topping the pizza beans with a store-bought vegan mozzarella instead of making the cheese sauce.
- A note about the cheese sauce: When making the cheese sauce use tapioca starch as it will get you better stretchiness. If your sauce gets too thick at any point (it can happen if it rests for awhile) you can thin it with water or plant-based milk over the heat and whisking it in until it is more pourable
How to Serve Pizza Beans
This dish is best served hot and scooped up with something delicious:
- Garlic bread
- Focaccia
- Crusty bread
- Toasted baguette slices
- Dinner rolls
- Potato chips or tortilla chips
You can also serve it over pasta, polenta, or even quinoa. This is a great way to use up leftovers!
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftover pizza beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of water if the beans have thickened.
- Freezing: For best texture, freeze the beans and cheese sauce separately for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat separately. Add a splash of water to the beans or plant milk to the cheese sauce if needed to loosen.
More Recipes for Pizza Lovers
If you try these pizza beans, let us know by leaving a comment and rating it. I'd love to see what you made. Share your creation in the It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken Community (this is where we're all hanging out now!) or tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Pizza Beans (Easy One-Pan Dinner)
These pizza beans are cozy, saucy, and wildly comforting. Creamy butter beans are simmered in a garlicky marinara, topped with a simple homemade vegan cheese sauce, and finished with basil. Serve with garlic bread and try not to eat the whole pan.
Servings:
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Ingredients
For the pizza beans:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional for spice
- 2 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) butter beans, (also called lima beans) drained and rinsed
- 1 jar (20 oz/ 600 mL) marinara sauce, (or 2½ cups homemade)
- 2 cups baby spinach, optional
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves and vegan parmesan, optional for topping
For the vegan cheese sauce:
- 1 cup plant-based milk, (such as oat or soy)
- ½ cup raw cashews, (softened if needed, see step 1)
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons tapioca starch, or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Soften the cashews (optional): If you have a high-powered blender, you can skip this step. Otherwise, add the cashews to a small pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes until very tender. Drain and rinse well before using in the cheese sauce. (Softening the cashews helps them blend smoothly into a creamy sauce.)
- Cook the base: Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the oregano and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Simmer the beans: Stir in the butter beans and marinara sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes until thick and saucy, adding a splash of water if needed to thin. Stir in the spinach (if using) and let it wilt. Reduce heat to low.
- Make the cheese sauce: Add the plant-based milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, tapioca starch, garlic powder, and salt to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, 3-5 minutes.
- Top with the cheese sauce: Spoon the cheese sauce over the beans in swirls or dollops.
- Broil (optional): Place the skillet on the top oven rack under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and bubbling. Watch closely, as it can brown quickly.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil and vegan parmesan if desired. Serve hot with garlic bread, focaccia, or crusty bread.
Notes
Bean swaps: Butter beans (also called lima beans) are my favorite here because they're big and creamy, but you can also use cannellini beans, great northern beans, white kidney beans, or chickpeas (a little less creamy, but still delicious).
Using store-bought vegan cheese:If you prefer, you can skip the homemade cheese sauce and use store-bought vegan mozzarella instead. For best results, buy a block and grate it yourself. If using pre-shredded, give it a quick rinse in a strainer and pat dry to remove some of the starchy coating (this helps it melt more smoothly). Sprinkle over the pizza beans and place under the broiler until melted, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Extra pizza toppings: For even more pizza flavor, stir in or sprinkle on your favorite toppings. Try vegan pepperoni, sautéed mushrooms, black olives, roasted red peppers, cooked crumbled vegan sausage, smoked tofu cubes, or sliced jalapeños.
Oil-free option: Skip the olive oil and sauté the onion in a splash of water or vegetable broth instead. Add more as needed to prevent sticking.
Gluten-free option: This recipe is naturally gluten-free. Just be sure to serve with gluten-free bread or sides if needed.
Storage + reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. If the beans thicken, add a splash of water.
Freezing: For best texture, freeze the beans and cheese sauce separately for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat separately in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. If the beans thicken, add a splash of water. If the cheese sauce thickens, add a splash of plant milk and stir until smooth. Dollop the warmed cheese sauce over the hot beans and enjoy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 1357mg | Potassium: 1475mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 2344IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 7mg
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