If you love pizza but want something heartier, more nutritious, and ready in about 30 minutes, this Pizza Beans is going to become your new weeknight obsession.
The concept is brilliantly simple: creamy white beans simmered in a bold, garlicky marinara sauce, blanketed with melted mozzarella, and finished under the broiler until bubbly and golden.
It tastes like your favorite slice, but it eats like a full, satisfying meal.
The dish was popularized by Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen back in 2017 and has since taken on a life of its own across food blogs, Instagram feeds, and weeknight dinner tables.
It’s one of those recipes that sounds almost too simple to be delicious, and yet it completely delivers every single time.
What I love most about this dish is how flexible it is. You can keep it purely vegetarian, pile on some pepperoni, or toss in whatever veggies you have hanging around.
One skillet, minimal cleanup, and maximum flavor.
You might also enjoy: Pepperoni Pizza Casserole
| Quick Recipe Summary | |
|---|---|
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 25 minutes |
| Total Time | 35 minutes |
| Servings | 4 servings |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
Why You’ll Love This Pizza Beans
This is the kind of dish that checks every weeknight box: fast, filling, budget-friendly, and completely crowd-pleasing.
You are working with pantry staples for the most part, which means no special grocery run required.
A couple of cans of cannellini beans, a jar of marinara, and some shredded mozzarella are all you need to pull off something that genuinely tastes indulgent.
- One-pan cleanup: Everything cooks in a single oven-safe skillet, which means fewer dishes and more time to actually enjoy your meal.
- Ready in about 35 minutes: From stovetop to broiled and bubbly, this recipe moves fast. It is ideal for weeknights when you need dinner on the table without the fuss.
- Protein and fiber packed: Cannellini beans are loaded with plant-based protein and dietary fiber, making this dish genuinely nourishing without feeling heavy.
- Completely customizable: Treat the beans like a pizza base. Add pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, olives, or any topping you love. It is hard to go wrong.
- Vegetarian-friendly: As written, this recipe is fully vegetarian, making it a solid meatless Monday option that even meat lovers will enjoy.
- Budget-friendly: A full batch feeds four people and costs very little compared to ordering pizza or making a more elaborate weeknight meal.
The same comfort-food magic that makes this skillet so irresistible also runs through my Baked Feta Pasta, which is another pantry-friendly dinner worth bookmarking.
Ingredients
This recipe keeps things simple. A short ingredient list with big, bold payoff is the whole point of pizza beans.
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained but not rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups good-quality marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 oz baby spinach (optional, about 2 large handfuls)
- 1 1/2 cups low-moisture shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
- Honey, for drizzling (optional but highly recommended)
Read Also: Pizza Sauce Recipe
Kitchen Equipment Needed
You do not need any special gear for this recipe. A broiler-safe skillet is the one must-have item that makes the whole method work seamlessly.
- 12-inch oven-safe or broiler-safe skillet (stainless steel or well-seasoned cast iron work great; avoid acidic marinara in unseasoned cast iron)
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Box grater or microplane for Parmesan
- Oven mitts (the skillet handle will be very hot after broiling)
- Can opener
- Small bowl (if mashing beans ahead of time)
Recommended Products for This Recipe
After making pizza beans more times than I can count, I have figured out which products genuinely make a difference. Here are the ones I keep coming back to.
1. Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce
Rao’s is consistently the gold standard for jarred marinara, and it shows in this recipe.
The flavor is clean, rich, and tomato-forward without any sweetness or metallic aftertaste, which means your pizza beans taste like they simmered for hours even when they did not.
It is a little pricier than other jars, but one taste will tell you why it is worth it.
2. Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
A well-seasoned cast iron skillet is the perfect vessel for this dish.
It goes from stovetop to broiler seamlessly, retains heat beautifully, and gives the beans a slightly caramelized edge that a regular pan cannot replicate.
Lodge’s 12-inch skillet is incredibly durable and a lifetime investment for your kitchen.
3. DeLallo Cannellini Beans
Not all canned beans are created equal. DeLallo’s cannellini beans are notably creamier and better seasoned than most store-brand options, which makes a real difference in a recipe where the beans are the star.
They hold their shape beautifully under heat and absorb the marinara without turning mushy.
4. Microplane Premium Zester and Grater
Freshly grated Parmesan off a microplane is a completely different experience from the pre-shredded stuff in a bag.
It melts into the dish in a way that adds real savory depth, and the fine texture means a little goes a long way.
This grater is also excellent for garlic, lemon zest, and hard cheeses across all your cooking.
Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make Pizza Beans
1. Set Up the Broiler and Prep Your Ingredients
- Position an oven rack in the top third of your oven, about 6 inches from the broiler element.
- Turn the broiler on to high and let it preheat while you cook. This will save you time later.
- Halve and thinly slice the yellow onion into half-moon shapes, about 1/8 inch thick. Even slices help the onion cook uniformly.
- Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves. Thinly sliced garlic infuses more gently into the oil than minced, giving a milder, more rounded flavor.
- Open and drain both cans of cannellini beans over a colander. Do not rinse them. The starchy liquid clinging to the beans helps thicken the sauce naturally.
- Optional but recommended: Place about 1/2 cup of the drained beans into a small bowl and mash them roughly with a fork until you have a chunky paste. This releases starches that make the finished sauce silkier and more cohesive.
- Measure out your marinara sauce, water, and spices so everything is ready to go once the pan is hot.
2. Cook the Onion
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in your 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Let the oil get hot enough that a piece of onion sizzles immediately when it hits the pan.
- Add all of the sliced onion and the 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Stir to coat the onion in the oil.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 9 minutes. You are looking for the onion to become soft, lightly golden at the edges, and slightly translucent in the center. Do not rush this step by cranking the heat. Low and slow here builds a much sweeter, more flavorful base.
- If the onion starts sticking, add a splash of water to loosen it from the pan and keep it moving.
3. Add the Garlic, Tomato Paste, and Spices
- Add the sliced garlic cloves to the skillet and stir them into the onion.
- Add the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Spread it around and let it cook directly on the pan, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. This process, called caramelizing the tomato paste, deepens its flavor and removes the raw edge.
- Add the 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and the 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir everything together and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- The bottom of the pan may look a little dark at this point. That is a good thing. Those browned bits are concentrated flavor, and they will dissolve into the sauce in the next step.
4. Build the Sauce and Add the Beans
- Pour in the 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce and the 1/4 cup of water. Use your spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This is where a lot of flavor lives.
- Add all of the drained cannellini beans, including the mashed beans from step one if you prepared them.
- Stir everything gently to combine. You want the beans to be evenly coated in the sauce without breaking them apart completely.
- Season with the black pepper and taste the sauce. Adjust salt if needed, keeping in mind that the Parmesan added at the end is salty.
- Let the mixture come to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the beans are heated all the way through.
5. Wilt the Spinach (Optional)
- If you are using baby spinach, add it to the skillet in large handfuls, stirring and folding after each addition.
- The spinach will look like a huge amount at first and then quickly wilt down to almost nothing within 1 to 2 minutes of stirring.
- Once all the spinach is wilted and incorporated into the bean mixture, distribute the mixture evenly across the bottom of the skillet.
- Skip this step if you prefer to serve the pizza beans without greens, or if you plan to serve them alongside a separate salad.
6. Top with Cheese and Broil
- Remove the skillet from the stovetop heat. Give the bean mixture one final stir and make sure it is spread evenly to the edges of the pan.
- Sprinkle the 1 1/2 cups of shredded low-moisture mozzarella evenly over the entire surface of the beans. Make sure to cover edge to edge so you get maximum melt coverage.
- Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven under the broiler. Use oven mitts, as the handle may already be warm from the stovetop.
- Broil for 3 to 6 minutes, watching closely the entire time. You are looking for the cheese to be fully melted, bubbling around the edges, and golden brown in spots on top. Every broiler runs differently, so start checking at 3 minutes.
- Do not walk away from the oven during this step. The cheese can go from golden to burnt very quickly under a broiler.
7. Finish and Serve
- Remove the skillet from the oven using oven mitts. Place it on a heat-proof trivet or surface. Remember: the handle is very hot and will stay that way for several minutes.
- Immediately sprinkle the 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan over the top of the melted mozzarella.
- Scatter fresh basil leaves across the top for a bright, herby finish.
- If you are using honey (and I highly recommend trying it at least once), drizzle a light zigzag over the entire skillet. The sweetness plays brilliantly against the salty Parmesan and tangy tomato sauce.
- Let the skillet rest for at least 3 to 5 minutes before serving. The beans and sauce will be extremely hot straight from the broiler, and resting lets everything settle.
- Scoop directly from the skillet into bowls, and serve with plenty of crusty bread or garlic bread for soaking up the sauce.
Read Also: Air Fryer Garlic Bread
Tips for The Best Pizza Beans
A few small adjustments make a noticeable difference between good pizza beans and truly great ones.
These tips come from making this dish dozens of times across all kinds of weeknight situations.
- Do not rinse the beans: The starchy residue coating the drained beans acts as a natural thickener. Rinsing washes that away and leaves you with a thinner, waterier sauce.
- Mash some beans: Taking 30 seconds to roughly mash about 1/2 cup of beans in a bowl before adding them to the pan transforms the sauce texture from brothy to genuinely silky and coating.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella releases a lot of water when it melts, which can make your sauce watery. Shredded low-moisture mozzarella melts into that gorgeous, stretchy, browned blanket you want on top.
- Caramelize the tomato paste: Cooking the tomato paste directly on the pan for a couple of minutes before adding liquid deepens the flavor significantly. Do not skip this step.
- Watch the broiler closely: The difference between perfectly golden and burnt can be under a minute. Stand by the oven and check frequently starting at the 3-minute mark.
- Let it rest before serving: Three to five minutes of resting after coming out of the oven lets the cheese set slightly and the beans cool to a safe eating temperature.
- Try the honey: A light drizzle of honey over the finished dish sounds unusual but is genuinely addictive. It mirrors what many people love about dipping pizza in honey.
This same philosophy of building layers of flavor from humble pantry ingredients is exactly what makes my Italian Marinara Sauce so deeply satisfying.
Serving Suggestions
Pizza beans are incredibly versatile when it comes to how you serve them.
They work equally well as the centerpiece of a cozy weeknight dinner or as a shareable skillet appetizer at a casual get-together.
- Garlic bread: This is the classic and most popular pairing. Check out my Cunetto’s Garlic Cheese Bread for a showstopping option that is perfect for scooping up the saucy beans.
- Over pasta: Spoon the pizza beans over a bowl of al dente pasta for something closer to a full pasta night. Rigatoni and penne hold the chunky bean sauce especially well.
- Over polenta: Creamy soft polenta is a dreamy base for pizza beans. The cornmeal soaks up the tomato sauce in the best possible way.
- With a simple green salad: A bright, lightly dressed salad like my Arugula Salad balances the richness of the cheesy beans beautifully.
- As an appetizer: Set the skillet in the middle of the table with a stack of crusty baguette slices and let everyone dig in. It is a fun, communal way to start a dinner party.
- With rice: Spoon pizza beans over steamed white or brown rice for a heartier, grain-forward bowl.
Variations of Pizza Beans
The original recipe is vegetarian and simple by design, but pizza beans take to additions and swaps extremely well. Think of the base as a canvas and build from there.
- Pepperoni Pizza Beans: Layer thin pepperoni slices directly over the mozzarella before broiling. They crisp up beautifully under the heat and add a smoky, spicy depth that is hard to resist.
- Italian Sausage Pizza Beans: Brown crumbled Italian sausage in the skillet before you cook the onions, then build the rest of the recipe on top. You will get a heartier, meat-forward version that is closer to a lasagna in bowl form.
- Mushroom and Olive Pizza Beans: Sauté sliced cremini mushrooms with the onion, and stir in sliced black or Kalamata olives with the beans for a deeply savory, umami-rich variation.
- Chickpea Pizza Beans: Swap the cannellini beans for drained chickpeas. They hold their shape a little better under high heat and offer a slightly nuttier flavor profile. My Crockpot Chickpea Stew uses a similar spice profile if you want more chickpea inspiration.
- Butter Bean Pizza Beans: Giant butter beans give this dish an almost luxurious, creamy texture. They are dramatic and delicious and worth seeking out.
- Spicy Arrabbiata Beans: Double or triple the red pepper flakes and use a spicy arrabbiata sauce in place of regular marinara for a version with serious heat.
- Three-Cheese Pizza Beans: Add crumbled feta or dollops of ricotta on top of the mozzarella layer before broiling for an even richer, more complex cheese topping.
- Vegan Version: Omit the cheese entirely and top the beans with dollops of cashew cream or your favorite vegan mozzarella instead.
Storage and Reheating
Pizza beans store beautifully, making them an excellent meal prep option that actually tastes great on day two and three.
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftover pizza beans to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The beans absorb more sauce as they sit, which makes the leftovers even more flavorful.
- Freezer: Pizza beans freeze surprisingly well. Let them cool completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-lock bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating on the stovetop: This is the best method for maintaining texture. Add the beans to a small saucepan with a splash of water or extra marinara, cover, and heat over medium-low until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
- Reheating in the microwave: Transfer a portion to a microwave-safe bowl, add a small splash of water to prevent drying out, cover loosely, and heat in 60-second increments, stirring between each, until hot.
- Re-broiling leftovers: If you want that fresh-out-of-the-oven cheese experience with leftovers, transfer beans to an oven-safe dish, add a fresh layer of shredded mozzarella on top, and broil for 3 to 4 minutes until melted and golden.
- Note on texture: The cheese loses its stretch after refrigeration and reheating, but the flavor is fully intact. Adding fresh mozzarella on top when re-broiling gives you that gooey pull all over again.
Nutritional Facts
The following nutritional information is an estimate per serving, based on 4 servings.
Values will vary depending on the specific brands and ingredients used, particularly the marinara sauce and cheese.
- Calories: Approximately 380 kcal
- Protein: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Dietary Fiber: 10g
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Potassium: 720mg
- Iron: 5mg
- Calcium: 280mg
Health Benefits of Key Ingredients
Beyond being delicious, pizza beans are quietly one of the more nutritious weeknight dinners you can put together.
The core ingredients each bring something meaningful to the table.
- Cannellini beans: These are one of the most nutrient-dense canned pantry items available. They are an excellent source of plant-based protein, high in soluble and insoluble fiber, and rich in folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium. The fiber content supports digestive health and helps regulate blood sugar levels after eating.
- Tomatoes and marinara sauce: Tomatoes are one of the best dietary sources of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant associated with reduced risk of certain chronic diseases. Cooking tomatoes, as in marinara sauce, actually increases lycopene availability compared to eating them raw.
- Olive oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet and is associated with heart health benefits. It provides monounsaturated fats that support healthy cholesterol levels.
- Garlic: Garlic contains allicin, a compound with documented antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It also contributes to cardiovascular health and supports immune function.
- Baby spinach: Spinach is a nutritional powerhouse. It contributes iron, vitamins K, A, and C, magnesium, and folate, all while adding almost no calories. Adding it to this dish is an easy way to increase your daily vegetable intake without noticing it much in the flavor.
- Mozzarella cheese: Mozzarella provides calcium for bone health along with protein. Using it in a moderate amount rather than going overboard keeps the dish balanced.
Read Also: Dense Bean Salad Recipe
FAQs About Pizza Beans
1. What kind of beans work best for pizza beans?
Cannellini beans are the most popular choice because of their creamy texture and mild flavor, which absorbs the marinara beautifully.
Butter beans and Great Northern beans are excellent alternatives. Chickpeas also work well if you prefer a firmer, nuttier bite.
2. Can I use homemade marinara sauce instead of jarred?
Absolutely. A good homemade marinara will produce an even more flavorful result.
My Marinara Sauce takes about 20 minutes to make and tastes incredible in this recipe. Just make sure it is well-seasoned before adding it to the beans.
3. Do I need an oven-safe skillet?
Yes, the broiling step requires a broiler-safe pan. A stainless steel or well-seasoned cast iron skillet are your best options.
If you do not have a broiler-safe skillet, you can transfer the simmered beans to an oven-safe baking dish, top with cheese, and broil in that instead.
4. Can I make pizza beans ahead of time?
You can prepare the bean and sauce mixture up to 3 days ahead, store it in the refrigerator, and then reheat it on the stovetop before topping with cheese and broiling fresh.
This is a great strategy for busy weeknights when you want a hot dinner in under 10 minutes.
5. How do I make pizza beans more filling?
The easiest way to bulk up this dish is to serve it over pasta, rice, or polenta.
You can also stir in cooked Italian sausage or browned ground beef with the sauce.
Adding a generous layer of ricotta dolloped on top before broiling also adds richness and extra protein.
Pizza Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans drained but not rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce good-quality jarred or homemade
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 oz baby spinach optional, about 2 large handfuls
- 1 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- fresh basil leaves for garnish
- honey optional, for drizzling
Equipment
- 12-inch oven-safe skillet
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Microplane or box grater
- Oven mitts
- Can opener
- Small bowl
Method
- Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven, about 6 inches from the broiler. Turn the broiler to high and let it preheat. Halve and thinly slice the yellow onion. Thinly slice the garlic cloves. Drain both cans of cannellini beans over a colander but do not rinse them. Optional: place 1/2 cup of the drained beans in a small bowl and mash them roughly with a fork into a chunky paste. Measure out the marinara sauce, water, and spices so everything is ready to add.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced onion and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 9 minutes until the onion is soft and lightly golden at the edges. If the onion sticks, add a small splash of water to loosen it.
- Add the sliced garlic cloves and stir them into the onion. Add the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until it deepens in color and becomes fragrant. Add the 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Pour in the 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce and 1/4 cup of water. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add all of the drained cannellini beans, including the mashed beans if prepared. Stir gently to combine. Season with the 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and taste for salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the beans are heated through.
- If using baby spinach, add it to the skillet in large handfuls, stirring and folding after each addition. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach is fully wilted and incorporated into the beans. Distribute the mixture evenly across the pan. Skip this step if not using spinach.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of shredded low-moisture mozzarella evenly over the entire surface, covering edge to edge. Transfer the skillet carefully to the oven under the broiler using oven mitts. Broil for 3 to 6 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is fully melted, bubbling at the edges, and golden brown in spots. Do not walk away during this step.
- Remove the skillet from the oven using oven mitts and place on a heat-proof surface. Immediately sprinkle 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan over the top. Scatter fresh basil leaves across the dish. Drizzle lightly with honey if desired. Let the skillet rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls and serve with crusty bread or garlic bread.
Nutrition
Notes
- Do not rinse the canned beans after draining. The residual starch helps thicken the sauce naturally.
- Mashing about 1/2 cup of beans before adding them creates a silkier, more cohesive sauce without extra effort.
- Use low-moisture shredded mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella, to get a stretchy, browned broiled top rather than a watery one.
- Cooking the tomato paste directly in the pan for 2 minutes before adding liquid is key to a deeper, richer flavor base.
- Every broiler runs differently. Start checking the cheese at the 3-minute mark to avoid burning.
- Let the finished skillet rest for at least 3 to 5 minutes before serving. It is very hot straight from the broiler.
- A light drizzle of honey over the finished dish balances the salty Parmesan and tangy tomato sauce beautifully.
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The beans absorb more sauce as they sit and taste even better on day two.
- To freeze, cool completely and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
- To reheat with fresh cheese, transfer leftovers to an oven-safe dish, top with fresh mozzarella, and broil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Conclusion
Pizza beans are one of those rare recipes that feels like a trick: impossibly simple to make, yet completely satisfying to eat.
A handful of pantry ingredients, one skillet, and about 35 minutes are all that stands between you and a bubbling, cheesy, tomato-rich dinner that tastes like comfort food from a restaurant.
Give this Pizza Beans a try this week, and I genuinely think it will earn a permanent spot in your dinner rotation.
If you make it, drop a comment below and let me know what toppings you used.
I always love hearing how people make this recipe their own.
Recommended:
- No Yeast Pizza Dough
- Pizza Dip
- White Bean and Kale Soup
- Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Three Bean Chili
