Cheesy Bean and Tomato Bake
By Andrea Rivera WawrzynPublished on January 4, 2023
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
What Kids Are Saying
"Delicious! Just like Grandma's chicken Parm, but minus the chicken plus the beans." —Adia, recipe tester, age 11
Ingredients
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, opened1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, measured separately1 small onion, peeled and chopped fine¾ teaspoon table salt 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced1 teaspoon dried oregano Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, opened⅓ cup water Pinch sugar ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (½ ounce)1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)½ cup panko bread crumbs
Before You Begin
Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Set colander in sink. Pour beans into colander. Rinse beans with cold water and shake colander to drain well.
- In 12-inch ovensafe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes (oil should be hot but not smoking).
- Add onion and salt and cook, stirring often with wooden spoon, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomatoes, water, and sugar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer (small bubbles should break often across surface of mixture), stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Add drained beans to skillet and stir to coat with sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and slide skillet to cool burner.
- Stir Parmesan and half of mozzarella into beans. Spread beans into even layer. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella evenly over top.
- In small bowl, combine panko and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Use spoon to stir until panko is coated with oil. Sprinkle panko evenly over top of cheese.
- Ask an adult to transfer skillet to oven. Bake until cheese is melted and panko is well browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Ask an adult to use oven mitts to remove skillet from oven and place on cooling rack (skillet will be VERY hot). Place oven mitt on skillet handle so you remember handle is HOT. Let beans cool for 5 minutes. Serve.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4 to 6What Kids Are Saying
"Delicious! Just like Grandma's chicken Parm, but minus the chicken plus the beans." —Adia, recipe tester, age 11Ingredients
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, opened
1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, measured separately
1 small onion, peeled and chopped fine
¾ teaspoon table salt
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, opened
⅓ cup water
Pinch sugar
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (½ ounce)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
½ cup panko bread crumbs
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, opened
1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, measured separately
1 small onion, peeled and chopped fine
¾ teaspoon table salt
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, opened
⅓ cup water
Pinch sugar
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (½ ounce)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
½ cup panko bread crumbs
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, opened
1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, measured separately
1 small onion, peeled and chopped fine
¾ teaspoon table salt
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, opened
⅓ cup water
Pinch sugar
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (½ ounce)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
½ cup panko bread crumbs
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Meet the one-pan weeknight dinner kids can help put together and the whole family is sure to love! White beans are stirred into a quick-cooking tomato sauce; topped with cheese and bread crumbs; and baked until gooey, creamy, and crunchy! This recipe uses two types of cheese: mozzarella and Parmesan. Have kids take a taste of each cheese and observe their different flavors and textures. Firm, flavor-packed Parmesan has been aged, sometimes for more than a year! During that time, it loses water through evaporation, giving it a stronger flavor. This also means that it doesn’t melt as well as younger, moister cheeses, such as mozzarella. Soft, stretchy mozzarella isn’t aged at all. It’s full of water and is great at melting into gooey perfection. The trade-off? It doesn’t have nearly as much flavor as its older counterparts.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Set colander in sink. Pour beans into colander. Rinse beans with cold water and shake colander to drain well.
- In 12-inch ovensafe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes (oil should be hot but not smoking).
- Add onion and salt and cook, stirring often with wooden spoon, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomatoes, water, and sugar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer (small bubbles should break often across surface of mixture), stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Add drained beans to skillet and stir to coat with sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and slide skillet to cool burner.
- Stir Parmesan and half of mozzarella into beans. Spread beans into even layer. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella evenly over top.
- In small bowl, combine panko and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Use spoon to stir until panko is coated with oil. Sprinkle panko evenly over top of cheese.
- Ask an adult to transfer skillet to oven. Bake until cheese is melted and panko is well browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Ask an adult to use oven mitts to remove skillet from oven and place on cooling rack (skillet will be VERY hot). Place oven mitt on skillet handle so you remember handle is HOT. Let beans cool for 5 minutes. Serve.
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