Tuscan White Bean Skillet
Spice up your dinner routine with this easy Tuscan White Bean Skillet. Ready in under 30 minutes, perfect with a crusty loaf of bread! A delicious, easy dinner recipe that happens to be casually vegan.
If you enjoy this meal, try my simple and tasty Tuscan chickpea stew next!
I originally published this post on June 21, 2019. I have updated it with new photos and additional frequently asked questions; the recipe is unchanged.
I definitely have a thing for skillet meals. Something about being able to just throw everything in there and be done! Plus, the very word “skillet” conjures up something tasty to me – a meal that’s probably hearty, classic, and easy to make.
Needless to say, this simple white bean skillet chock full of Tuscan flavors checks all those boxes. And a few more for good measure. The dish also happens to be healthy and casually vegan. Like, low-key vegan. It’s not trying or going out of its way to be, it just conveniently works out that way. That’s how we like to roll here! You can read a little about why in this round-up of favorite meatless meals.
Ingredients & Common Substitutions
So, what makes this skillet so great and flavorful? As with all the best meals, it’s just a bunch of fantastic ingredients brought together in a simple, delicious way.
Your shopping list:
- 2 cans white Cannellini beans. Cannellini beans are a large Italian bean that work beautifully in any recipe that calls simply for “white beans.” They maintain a hearty, creamy texture when cooked. Great northern or white navy beans work well as substitutes.
- 1 can artichoke hearts.
- 1 can diced tomatoes – fire-roasted for bonus flavor!
- sun-dried tomatoes – I usually buy the oil-packed kind that is sold in a jar, but the fully dried ones work, as well; they will rehydrate partially as they cook in the skillet.
- kale – or substitute spinach, Swiss chard, or another leafy green.
- yellow onion – can substitute a white onion, sweet onion, or shallots.
- garlic.
- dried oregano, thyme, salt & pepper.
From there, it’s so easy to make. Literally one skillet, throw it all in, cook for awhile, and you’re done.
How To Make It
Chop a large yellow onion. Warm olive oil in a large skillet, and sauté the onions in it over medium or medium-high heat.
Add chopped garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. See!? It’s already looking colorful and pretty!
Quickly add in the drained beans, diced tomatoes with their liquid, artichoke hearts, oregano, and thyme.
Stir everything in, cover it up, and let it cook for about 8 minutes. This will soften the beans, reduce the liquid from the tomatoes, and bring out all the flavor.
Take off the lid, stir in the kale, let it wilt, and season with salt and pepper. Get excited! Dive in with some bowls and a loaf of crusty bread!
You don’t even need to feel bad eating seconds! There’s nothing bad in here, and lots of protein and veg.
Serving Suggestions
Eat this out of bowls with crusty slices of bread. Try sourdough, a baguette, Italian bread, or make your own Dutch oven loaf. Breadsticks are lovely, as well.
For more of a crunch factor, take slices of bread, brush on both sides with a smidge of olive oil, and toast quickly in the oven, on a grill, or in a grill pan over medium-high heat. Heaven!
Storage and Reheating
- Store any leftovers in the fridge, tightly covered, for 3-4 days.
- You can also freeze portions for a quick emergency lunch! Freeze in an airtight container or zip-top bag, removing as much excess air as is possible. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat as directed below.
- Reheat in the microwave on full power, or in a skillet over medium heat. If using a skillet, add a splash of water or broth while it warms up, to avoid sticking or drying out.
If you try this Tuscan White Bean Skillet, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
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Tuscan White Bean Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans white Cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (14.5 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 cups kale chopped
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until slightly softened. Add sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook for an additional 60 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add beans, diced tomatoes, artichoke hearts, oregano, and thyme to the skillet. Stir to combine. Keep heat on medium, cover the pan, and cook for 8 minutes.
- Uncover the skillet and add the kale, stirring for 2-3 minutes, until it wilts. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Video
Notes
- Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for an added kick of flavor.
- You can substitute spinach or another leafy green for the kale if desired.
Super quick and easy dinner. I used spinach and added a little shredded Parmesan cheese to the top when I plated it. I think next time I will cut back the herbs a little bit since I thought they were a little strong but it is a great meatless dinner option that can be modified in all kinds of ways.
I made this tonight for dinner, I added some things I had leftover,such as chick peas, broccoli and I had leftover chicken so I added that, kept all the other ingredients the same. It was so delicious! Thank you
Followed the recipe with the suggested additions of red wine vinegar and sprinkled feta cheese, and placed a large helping on 1/2 of a baked potato. Accompanied it with homemade baked pita chips sprinkled with olive oil and Za’tar. Really delicious!
This was absolutely delicious. I used fresh kale from my garden!
That sounds amazing! So glad you liked it!
Wow! That was so good. I just needed something quick to cook with the few ingredients I had on hand. It came together fast and I was not expecting it to be so tasty. Served with some orzo and I can’t stop eating it. Thanks so much for sharing. This is a keeper!
So happy you enjoyed this skillet! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I love the idea of this with orzo. 🙂
Great Recipe. Have made it twice now.
1st time I had no fire roasted tomatoes so added a bit of smoked paprika and used Spinach for greens.
Today I made it again with Fire Roasted tomatoes and used kale.
Both were really good – but definitely prefer Fire Roasted for the tomatoes and Spinach for the greens, so that will be the 3rd iteration.
I reduced beans to one can and used pinto, cause that’s what I had. This was terrific! hoping it freezes well cause I can’t eat it all!
How much Kale? It doesn’t even Mention it in the ingredients, or when to put it in
Hi Cheri – the second to last ingredient listed in the bullet points is “2 cups kale” and the third and final point in the instructions is “Uncover the skillet and add the kale.”
The flavor of this recipe was great, especially with the artichoke hearts. My only complaint is that it tastes REALLY beany! If I make it again, I would use a multi-grain pasta. Also, you have to chop your kale up into really small pieces or it’s very stringy and spreads unevenly throughout the dish. I probably won’t make it again, but if I do, I’ll use spinach.
Delicious! I added mushrooms and used spinach instead of kale. Great with bread.
So happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to leave this note!
Just not my thing. Tasted like random things thrown in a pot together instead of all the flavors complimenting eachother. I ate a bowl and then just tossed the leftovers.
Sorry this was not to your liking!
Looked at the ingredient list and then went straight to whippin it up in the kitchen. I didn’t follow along exactly, and even added left over sushi rice and it was absolutely PHENOMENAL! Thanks for this recipe! It’s going to be a new family favorite since the kids gobbled it up QUICKLY! 🙌🏼
I am so happy to hear that, Brittany! Thank you for taking the time to share this!
I substituted heart of palm for the artichokes and spinach for the kale. I’m no cook but THIS was super easy! It may be a go-to when my husband doesn’t feel like cooking…
So happy you liked it! Thank you for leaving this feedback and idea!
Easy, tasty, and healthy! What more could you want? Thanks for this recipe, which I plan to make often. I keep all ingredients in my pantry.
So happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Can Great Northern Beans be substituted for the Cannelini beans?
Yes, that will work great, and everything else can stay the same.
Love this recipe! I change it up depending on what’s on hand – almost never use sundried tomatoes (nothing against them), and sometimes add Beyond sausage, always double or triple the kale and it’s always delicious. Thanks so much for a trusty recipe that even a horrible cook can’t mess up.
I am so glad this works for you, Holly, and I love the idea of adding Beyond sausage! They have so many great products. Thank you for leaving a review!
Delish! I made this with cranberry beans, sprinkled w feta cheese and served w oiled sourdough bread. Very satisfying and WW friendly I might add. 🙂
We added Andouille pecan smoked sausage and subbed baby spinach for the kale. Outstanding dish and the leftovers will be even better!
That sounds delicious! Thank you for leaving this review!
Simple and delicious. I just used 2 tsp of Italian seasoning in place of oregano and thyme, fire roasted tomatoes for extra flavor. Served with a squeeze of lime juice, crumbled feta, and a dollop of tzatziki. Will definitely be making again!
Those adds sound delicious, Viviane, thank you for sharing and thank you for leaving this review!
Enjoyed this recipe this evening. It tasted so healthy! I sautéed a few shrimp at the start and then added them to your finished recipes. Nice combination.
That sounds delicious! Thank you so much for the idea!