This Italian Baked Cannelini Beans recipe is so cheesy good, made with onions, garlic, cannelini beans, rosemary and tomatoes! A great side dish!
Friends, enjoy a simple side dish, or weeknight meal by trying our Baked Cannelini Beans recipe. A quick trip to the pantry is all you need to put an Italian spin on this Baked Cannelini Beans recipe. Add your favorite cheese and herbs!
Table of Contents
Baked Cannelini Beans
Do you keep cannelini beans stocked in your pantry, but you don’t really know what to do with them? Look no further than this amazing Cheesy Italian Baked Cannelini Beans recipe!
Why we love this recipe
- Delicious paired with hot crunchy bread and a fresh green salad!
- We love this white bean casserole, but you could also add in other ingredients like kale, noodles, and even roasted vegetables.
- It’s the perfect vegetarian dish to bring to a party.
- Serve as a main dish or a side dish.
- The leftovers are delicious served in a wrap for lunch.
Ingredients for Italian Baked Cannelini Beans
Here are the ingredients for this traditional Italian beans recipe:
- Onion + garlic
- Tomatoes: we use fire roasted tomatoes (you can get them at Trader Joe’s)
- Cheese: we use Parmesan and Fontina but you can mix it up
- Rosemary: fresh is the best, but optional to use dried leaves
- Cannelini beans
Different, yet so tasty and fresh (we love rosemary!)
Add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes for an extra pop of heat!
Bring it to your next potluck, or better yet, serve it as a side for a vegetarian option at your next Italian dinner party!
How do you make Baked Cannelini Beans?
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and salt. Cook and stir until tender.
- Stir in tomatoes and rosemary. Bring to boiling; boil gently, uncovered, until slightly thickened.
- Stir in beans and half the Parmesan. Season to taste with crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Transfer to a 2-qt. rectangular baking dish.
- Top with remaining Parmesan and the Fontina. Bake until begins to lightly brown around the edges.
- Sprinkle with additional rosemary before serving.
How do you serve Italian cheesy beans?
You can serve this dish right out of the oven, nice and hot.
Serve as a side with other Italian main dishes (it’s a nice vegetarian option for guests).
Serve with sour cream, and other favorite toppings.
Set out the red pepper flakes for an extra bit of heat.
This recipe is not your traditional way to serve baked beans! My pantry is stocked with all kinds of beans, but I never want to run out of cannelini. This has become one of our favorite dishes.
Tips and substitutions:
- To add protein, add ground beef or turkey or even chicken.
- Optional to add mushrooms.
- Use dried rosemary leaves in place of rosemary (but fresh is the best).
- If you don’t have fire roasted tomatoes, you can add Smoked Paprika.
- Swap out the cheese for your favorite flavors. IE, we also love to use Sharp Cheddar cheese.
- Make ahead and keep in the fridge, and the bake right before ready to serve!
One reader (Jeffie) says:
The rosemary, the fontina cheese and now the mushrooms make this an exceptional addition to our vegetarian life. Add a salad and crusty bread and it is amazing.
More recipes to try with cannelini beans:
There are so many great recipes using these sweet, white beans, like this White Bean Cabbage Sausage Soup, or this Chicken White Bean Mozzarella Dip. Or if you are a chili lover, we love this Turkey Poblano White Bean Chili recipe! You may also want to try these BBQ Baked Beans.
Being intentional with our time
Lately I’ve been thinking about more ways to expand our outreach to friends and family, as people are struggling in these crazy times. We all long for greater friendships, and spiritual communion. I’m praying for an expanded mind, and a warmer heart, filled with greater peace and gratitude. This theme is essential for all of us, wouldn’t you agree?
Part of praying for newness, and being more intentional with our time, is we have to act on it. It’s easy to come up with new ideas, right?
But to implement them is another thing. Action!
One way to start is by inviting several people over for dinner!
Happy New Year, Friends!
Get the Recipe:Baked Cannelini Beans
Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens. This Baked Cannelini Beans recipe is so cheesy good, made with onions, garlic, cannelini beans, rosemary and tomatoes! A great Italian dish!
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 40 minutes mins
Yield: 6
Print RecipePin RecipeSave Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup coarsely chopped yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 28 oz can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, undrained
- ¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped, plus additional for garnish
- 3 15 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup cup shredded Fontina cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until tender.
Stir in tomatoes and rosemary. Bring to boiling; boil gently, uncovered, 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
Stir in beans and half the Parmesan. Season to taste with crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Transfer to a 2-qt. rectangular baking dish.
Top with remaining Parmesan and the Fontina. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until beginning to lightly brown around the edges.
Sprinkle with additional rosemary before serving.
Notes
Originally posted FEB 2017
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Main Course
Author: Sandy / Reluctant Entertainer
Did you make this recipe?Tag @reluctantentertainer on Instagram and hashtag it #reluctantentertainer!
Related Posts:
- Chicken Meatball Italian Wedding Soup
- Easy Caramelized Onion Crostini
- Browned Butter Rosemary Scallops with Mascarpone Polenta
- Butternut Squash Rosemary Soup
