Cheesy White Bean Tomato Bake
A comforting cheesy one pot white bean bake with cherry tomatoes, kale and caramelized onions in a creamy sauce. You will love the simplicity of this protein packed vegetarian dish, which is perfect served with bread or baked sweet potatoes.
Ingredients
- olive oil, for cooking
- 2 small red onions, thinly sliced - or 1 large onion
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp dried sage
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 2 cups (300 g) cherry tomatoes , halved
- ¼ cup (60 ml) white wine, see notes
- 28 oz (400 g) canned cannellini beans, drained but not rinsed
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy (double) cream
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable stock
- ¾ cup (85 g) parmesan, vintage cheddar or another strongly flavored cheese, grated
- 4 oz (100 g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup (100 g) mozzarella , grated
- 2 cups (60 g) kale or spinach, chopped
- Optional garnishes: fresh parsley or chives, lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 360F.
- Heat a layer of olive oil in an oven safe saute pan or casserole dish and heat to a very low heat. Add the onions and sugar and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes until they are soft and sweating. While they cook, open the lid and stir a few times to prevent sticking.olive oil, 2 small red onions, 2 tsp sugar
- Turn up the heat to medium, add the balsamic vinegar and lots of salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 10 minutes (uncovered) until the onions are browning and sticky.1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- Add in the garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, then add the dried herbs. Once they are fragrant, pour in the wine and allow it to bubble for a minute or two. (If you would prefer to have your tomatoes cooked down more into the sauce, rather than in distinct pieces, you can add them now and allow them to break down a little before moving on to the next step - this is what I recommend if your tomatoes aren't super sweet / in season)5 cloves garlic, 2 tsp dried sage, 2 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1/4 cup white wine
- Add the beans, tomatoes, kale, cream, parmesan and vegetable stock to the pan and stir to combine.2 cups cherry tomatoes, 28 oz canned cannellini beans, 1/3 cup heavy (double) cream, 3/4 cup parmesan, vintage cheddar or another strongly flavored cheese, 2 cups kale or spinach, 1/3 cup vegetable stock
- Take off the heat and add the feta crumbles. Stir in to distribute the feta through the pan but try not to stir for too long - we don't want them to melt in, we want them to stay in distinct pieces.4 oz feta cheese
- Add the mozzarella to the top and then place in the oven, on a middle shelf, for about 20 minutes until bubbling. If the cheese isn't browning, move it to a higher shelf and cook for a little while longer.1 cup mozzarella
- Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 10 minutes, to allow the sauce to settle and thicken. Garnish with herbs and/or lemon if desired, and serve.Optional garnishes: fresh parsley or chives, lemon wedges
Notes
If you don't want to use white wine, just use additional vegetable stock and add a squeeze of lemon.
Calories: 479kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 607mg, Potassium: 858mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1484IU, Vitamin C: 22mg, Calcium: 485mg, Iron: 5mg