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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.
More White Bean Recipes
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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.
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Easily adapted for my restrictions. Very tasty & quite satisfying!
Awesome, so happy to hear that, Brandi! Thanks for the 5 star review!
Made this a couple of months ago and we absolutely loved it! Tonight it is on the menu again because – well it’s Friday. We are tired and need something easy, hearty, healthy. And most importantly, delicious. This is all of those.
So happy you liked it, Lora! Thanks so much!
Is there a way to get the nutritional information on the Tuscan White Bean Skillet. It looks WONDERFUL, but I’m on a diet.
Hi Poppy, there is a nutritional estimate printed under the recipe instructions above. Depending on how strict your diet is you may want to consult MyFitnessPal or another source of your own, but the estimate there should give you a reference point to start!
Easy, healthy, delicious. What more could you ask for? Made this according to the recipe, until the end… forgot the greens. Made with a side of brown rice, and even sans greens it was perfect. Thank you!!
There is next to no protein in this dish…how is that possible with 2 cans of beans? Might want to reevaluate.
I’m not sure what you mean, can you explain? There is, as you say, protein from the beans, and also the kale, but you could certainly add more of either to the dish to increase the protein content further.
according to the estimate, there is 16+ grams of protein. the average american only needs 25 grams a day. i wouldn’t call more than half of my daily needs “next to none”. this is also low in fat, high in fiber (which most of us don’t get enough of), and vegan, so it checks a lot of boxes for a lot of people. unless there is a body builder or hard core athlete involved, i think this satisfies that requirement just fine. a high protein diet is not healthy long term, especially for sedentary folks that aren’t turning it into muscle. i think most of us need to be more worried about getting vegetables & plant based vitamins into our system. however, if you felt you had to, you could use this as a side and not a main, or add cheese and/or eggs, or even substitute butter for a little more protein- however the fat grams would increase exponentially.
Anything with sun-dried tomatoes turns out amazingly tasty and aromatic! And this meal looks amazing, too! 😛
What a delicious way to serve beans. Love all the veggies in here too.
Amazing Bowl of flavor, health and goodness. Love to chill out with family and friends and finish this yummy Bowl with some amazing crunchy option.
This looks amazing! And your detailed instructions make it so easy!
This White Bean Skillet looks so delicious! OMG!