Pizza Beans
These pizza beans are exactly what they sound like - cannellini beans simmered in pizza sauce, topped with a bubbling golden layer of melted mozzarella, and finished with fresh basil and a drizzle of chili oil. All the flavors of pizza, none of the dough. They're ready in about 20 minutes, use one pan, and are completely addictive.
The concept is simple, but the result is genuinely brilliant - giving you a protein and fiber-rich recipe that tastes delicious, comforting, and hearty. The beans simmer in the pizza sauce until they've absorbed all that garlicky, herby, tomatoey flavor; then the mozzarella goes on top and under the grill until it's golden and bubbling. Scoop it up with garlic bread, and you've got a meal that's cozy, cheesy, and satisfying in a way that feels way more indulgent than it actually is - it's not quite pizza, but it's damn delicious!
If you love easy, cheesy bean recipes, try my garlic Parmesan beans, cheesy baked meatballs, or baked feta with chickpeas. For more Italian-inspired dinners, my pasta e ceci and marry me orzo are both reader favorites.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Anyone who's spent a minute on my blog will know that beans are my jam. Pizza? Also my jam. So when I saw a few concepts for pizza beans flying around - Smitten Kitchen popularized the concept - but I wanted my own stripped-back version that uses the fewest possible ingredients while still delivering maximum pizza vibes.
I tested this recipe several times over a couple of weeks - given how simple the ingredients list was, it was surprisingly hard to get the perfect flavor combination! My biggest takeaway was to let the sauce and the beans simmer low and slow for longer than anticipated - giving us a really thick, saucy texture that holds the cheesy topping perfectly and with white beans that really take on that garlicky, herby tomato sauce flavor.
While of course you could add whatever vegetables and pizza toppings you like to this recipe, I kept things simple - margherita vibes. Delicious as a light main meal with garlic bread and a simple salad on the side, or served as a side dish with a bigger main meal.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the key ingredients. The full quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Cannellini beans: Mild, creamy, and the perfect blank canvas for soaking up the pizza sauce. Butter beans or great northern beans also work well in this recipe. Chickpeas could also be used.
- Pizza sauce: Pizza sauce is thicker and more concentrated than regular marinara or passata - and it's already seasoned with garlic, oregano, and herbs, which does a lot of the flavor work for you. I use the Mutti brand which you can find online and in most supermarkets. If you can't find pizza sauce, use a good marinara and add a teaspoon of dried oregano and half a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Onion and garlic: One small onion, diced, and two garlic cloves, minced. Sautéed as the base for extra depth beyond what the pizza sauce provides.
- Mozzarella: Scattered over the top and grilled until melted, golden, and bubbling. Low-moisture mozzarella (the kind sold shredded in bags) melts and browns better than fresh mozzarella for this recipe. I tested the recipe with fresh mozzarella sliced into rounds and rather than turning melty and stretchy, it turned rubbery - so this is one instance where pre-shredded mozzarella definitely works better!
- Fresh basil: Adds that classic pizza freshness. Always add after cooking - basil wilts and turns brown if baked.
- Chili oil: Optional but recommended - it adds a smoky, spicy kick that elevates the whole dish. Store-bought chili oil or chili crisp both work.
How to Make Pizza Beans
Here's a quick overview of making this simple but delicious recipe - scroll down to the recipe card to have the ingredient quantities and instructions all in one place.
Step 1: Sauté the Base
Heat the olive oil in an oven-proof skillet. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté on low heat for 4-5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Step 2: Simmer the Beans
Add the pizza sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, then simmer for 5 minutes. Tip in the drained cannellini beans, stir them into the sauce, and simmer on low heat for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the beans have absorbed the flavor. Taste and adjust any seasonings as needed.
Step 3: Add Cheese and Grill
Scatter the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top. Place the skillet under the grill for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbling.
Step 4: Finish and Serve
Top with fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of chili oil if using. Serve straight from the skillet with garlic bread for mopping up the sauce! Yum.
Expert Tips for the Best Pizza Beans
As I mentioned, I tested this recipe a good handful of times while developing it. Despite only using a handful of ingredients, my first couple of test runs results in an overly watery sauce and flavor-less beans that didn't really take on the flavors of the sauce. Plus, I used fresh mozzarella (the kind that comes in a ball) at first, which turned a little rubbery when grilled.
So, here I've imparted some of my hard-learned tricks to guarantee that your pizza beans turn out truly sensational!
- Use pizza sauce, not passata: If you can find it, pizza sauce is thicker and already seasoned with herbs and garlic. It gives you that more concentrated pizza flavor with less work and way more flavor. I used the Mutti pizza sauce which has basil and oregano in it - simmered for 10 minutes, and you've got the perfect thick sauce for the white beans. If you can't find pizza sauce, try to use a basil tomato pasta sauce and follow the same instructions to simmer it low and slow with the white beans.
- Use an oven-proof skillet: Since the final step is grilling, you need a pan that can go under the grill. Cast iron is ideal - I used Le Creuset cast iron skillet for this recipe - it retains heat and keeps the beans bubbling at the table. If your pan isn't oven-proof, transfer to a baking dish before adding the cheese.
- Low-moisture mozzarella for the best melt: The shredded, bagged mozzarella browns and melts more evenly than fresh. Fresh mozzarella is lovely but releases a lot of water, which can make the top soggy rather than golden, and can turn rubbery when grilled rather than having that lovely stretchy, melty texture.
- Don't skip the chili oil: It's listed as optional but it genuinely transforms the dish, so if you can handle a little spice then go for it! The smoky, spicy drizzle over the melted cheese is what makes this feel restaurant-quality rather than just beans and cheese.
- Low and slow: My first couple of test runs of this recipe had far too much water in the sauce - resulting in flavorless beans in a mid tomato sauce with rubbery fresh mozzarella. Not ideal! The final recipe simmers the beans low and slow for 10 - 15 minutes until the sauce is thick and the beans have really absorbed all the flavors.
What to Serve with Pizza Beans
The classic pairing is crusty garlic bread for mopping up the sauce. Beyond that:
- A simple green salad or rocket with lemon dressing
- Over pasta for a cheesy bean pasta
- With crispy potato wedges for a full comfort-food spread
- We had our leftover pizza beans with a Quorn lemon and herb schnitzel and some smashed new potatoes on the side.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. The beans absorb more sauce as they sit, so they're actually delicious the next day.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. For the best result, reheat in the oven with a splash of water and add a little extra mozzarella on top for a fresh melted cheese layer.
- Freezer: Freeze the bean and sauce mixture (without the cheese) for up to 3 months. Defrost, reheat, add fresh mozzarella, and grill.
FAQs
Pizza beans are white beans simmered in a pizza-style tomato sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. The concept was popularized by Smitten Kitchen and has become a beloved quick dinner. They taste like all the best parts of pizza without the dough.
Pizza sauce is thicker and more concentrated than marinara. It's typically pre-seasoned with oregano, garlic, and basil - my go-to is the Mutti brand. If you can't find pizza sauce, use marinara and add a teaspoon of dried oregano and half a teaspoon of garlic powder to approximate the flavor.
Butter beans, great northern beans, or chickpeas all work. Cannellini beans are classic for pizza beans because of their mild, creamy texture, but it's flexible.
Absolutely - treat it like a pizza! Sliced olives, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, or even vegetarian pepperoni would all be great additions. Add them before the cheese goes on.
Both! With garlic bread it's a satisfying main for two. As a side, it'll serve 3-4 alongside something else.
Use vegan mozzarella (one that melts well) and skip the chili oil if it contains non-vegan ingredients. The beans and sauce are already vegan.
Pizza Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small onion diced
- 400 g pizza sauce
- 400 g canned cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 100 g shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4-6 fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon chili oil optional
Method
- Heat the olive oil in an oven-proof skillet, then saute the diced onion and minced garlic on low heat for 4-5 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small onion, 2 garlic cloves
- Add the pizza sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine with the onion and garlic and simmer for 5 minutes.400 g pizza sauce, Salt and pepper to taste
- Tip in the drained cannellini beans, stir them into the sauce, and simmer on low heat for another 10 - 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.400 g canned cannellini beans
- Scatter over the shredded mozzarella cheese and grill for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is golden and bubbly on the top.100 g shredded mozzarella cheese
- Top with the fresh basil leaves and chili oil if using, and serve!4-6 fresh basil leaves, 1 tablespoon chili oil
Nutrition
Notes
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. The beans absorb more sauce as they sit, so they're actually delicious the next day.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. For the best result, reheat in the oven with a splash of water and add a little extra mozzarella on top for a fresh melted cheese layer.
- Freezer: Freeze the bean and sauce mixture (without the cheese) for up to 3 months. Defrost, reheat, add fresh mozzarella, and grill.
Expert Tips for the Best Pizza Beans!
- Use pizza sauce, not passata: If you can find it, pizza sauce is thicker and already seasoned with herbs and garlic. It gives you that more concentrated pizza flavor with less work and way more flavor. I used the Mutti pizza sauce, which has basil and oregano in it - simmered for 10 minutes- and you've got the perfect thick sauce for the white beans. If you can't find pizza sauce, try using a basil tomato pasta sauce and follow the same instructions to simmer it low and slow with the white beans.
- Use an oven-proof skillet: Since the final step is grilling, you need a pan that can go under the grill. Cast iron is ideal - it retains heat and keeps the beans bubbling at the table. If your pan isn't oven-proof, transfer to a baking dish before adding the cheese.
- Low-moisture mozzarella for the best melt: The shredded, bagged mozzarella browns and melts more evenly than fresh. Fresh mozzarella is lovely but releases a lot of water, which can make the top soggy rather than golden, and can turn rubbery when grilled rather than having that lovely stretchy, melty texture.
