One-Pot Butter Bean Lasagne
This one-pot butter bean lasagne is a total game-changer - it's a rich, creamy, tomato-loaded butter bean lasagne made entirely on the stovetop with broken lasagne sheets cooked straight in the sauce. No layering, no béchamel, no oven time (except a quick grill at the end for that golden, cheesy top). Sun-dried tomatoes, creamy mascarpone, and beautifully tender beans make it feel indulgent and special, but it's ready in about 20-30 minutes.
The combination of sun-dried tomatoes and butter beans makes this lasagne incredibly rich and satisfying - but the mascarpone creates this gorgeous, silky, creamy sauce that tastes light and fresh at the same time. The frozen spinach block melts straight in - no washing, no wilting, just stir and done. It's one of the easiest "impress everyone" dinners I know.
If you love butter bean recipes, try my butter bean curry, French onion butter beans, or marry me butter beans. For more easy Italian-inspired dinners, my vegetable lasagna and lentil bolognese are both reader favorites.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
So I cooked this recipe on a whim one day to use up some leftover sun-dried tomatoes and a jar of butter beans that had been sitting in the cupboard for a while, but it came together so perfectly that I had to re-make it and write down all the ingredient quantities so that you could make it at home!
I had a bowl for lunch and was literally scraping up every bit of the sauce I could get! Then, my boyfriend had some for dinner later the same day and told me he was using his finger to scrape up the sauce left in the bowl - so if that's not a winning review, I don't know what is!
The genius of this recipe is really the one-pot method. Instead of the traditional layering-and-baking approach (which takes an hour minimum), you break the lasagne sheets into pieces and cook them directly in the sauce on the stovetop. They absorb all that rich, tomatoey, mascarpone-laced liquid as they cook (just make sure you keep stirring them and prevent the sheets from sticking!), and you end up with a pasta dish that has all the flavor and comfort of a proper lasagne but in a fraction of the time. The quick grill at the end gives you that essential golden, bubbling cheese top.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the key ingredients. The full quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
For the Sauce
- Butter beans: Using jarred butter beans (rather than tinned) gives you more liquid to cook the lasagne sheets in, plus the bean stock adds extra body and flavor to the sauce. If using tinned, drain one tin and use a second tin's worth of water or vegetable stock to make up the liquid.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: These are the star ingredient for this recipe - they add a concentrated, sweet-sharp tomato intensity that regular tomatoes can't match. Use the ones stored in oil if you can; they're softer and more flavorful than the dry-packed ones.
- Chopped tomatoes: The base of the sauce, along with the butter bean stock. I'm fussy about my chopped tomatoes and only really use the Mutti brand, but use what you have!
- Mascarpone: Stirred into the sauce for a rich, creamy finish. It melts beautifully into the hot tomato sauce and gives it a light yet indulgent finish that I just don't think you can get with ricotta. Cream cheese works as a substitute, but mascarpone is smoother and milder. Of course, if you wanted to use a bechamel sauce and stir that in, you could!
- Frozen spinach: I've been using frozen spinach a lot recently as we just can't ever seem to get through a whole bag of fresh spinach before it goes bad! The block melts straight into the hot sauce with zero prep - no washing, no chopping, no wilting. It adds color, nutrition, and a subtle earthy flavor. Fresh spinach also works, but you'll need a much larger quantity (about 200g), and it'll wilt down significantly.
- Seasonings - smoked paprika, Italian seasoning: Smoked paprika gives a gentle warmth, Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, thyme) adds the classic Italian herb profile.
For Assembly
- Dried lasagne sheets: The sheets cook directly in the sauce for about 10 minutes. You don't need the fresh or no-boil type - regular dried sheets work perfectly. The key thing to remember when cooking this is to keep stirring the lasagne and make sure the sheets don't stick together when cooking.
- Grated mozzarella and cheddar: Scattered on top and grilled until golden and bubbling. The mozzarella gives you stretch and melt; the cheddar adds flavor and browning. Gorgeous.
- Fresh basil: 6-8 leaves, scattered on top after grilling for a fresh, bright finish.
How to Make This Butter Bean Lasagne
Step 1: Build the Base
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep, oven-proof pan or skillet. Add the diced onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Step 2: Add the Paste and Seasonings
Stir in the tomato paste, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste deepens in color.
Step 3: Simmer the Sauce
Add the chopped tomatoes, butter beans with their jar stock, the finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Step 4: Add the Creamy Ingredients
Stir in the mascarpone and the frozen spinach block. Keep stirring until both have completely melted into the sauce, creating a rich, creamy, green-flecked base.
Step 5: Cook the Lasagne Sheets
Break the dried lasagne sheets into small squares and stir them into the sauce, making sure they're submerged. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often and peeling apart any sheets that stick together. Add a splash of water or stock if the sauce is reducing too much before the pasta is cooked - the sheets need to stay submerged to cook evenly.
Step 6: Grill the Cheese Top
Remove the bay leaf. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and cheddar mix evenly over the top of the lasagne. Pop under the grill for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbling.
Step 7: Finish and Serve
Scatter with fresh basil leaves and serve straight from the pan while hot.
Expert Tips for the Best Butter Bean Lasagne
- Use an oven-proof pan: Since the final step is grilling, you need a pan that can go under the grill. Cast iron, stainless steel, or an oven-proof skillet all work. If your pan isn't oven-proof, transfer to a baking dish before adding the cheese and grilling. I swear by my Le Creuset shallow casserole pan.
- Stir the pasta often: Broken lasagne sheets love to stick together - which can result in uneven cooking and big clumps of pasta! Stir them every minute or two and gently peel apart any sheets that are clumping or sticking to the bottom of the pan. This is the one part of the recipe that needs a bit of attention.
- Keep the sheets submerged: The lasagne sheets need to be covered by the sauce to cook properly. If the liquid reduces too much before they're tender, add splashes of water or stock as needed. I keep a jug of stock beside the pan to top up the liquid as needed.
- Use jarred butter beans: The stock in the jar adds extra liquid and flavor for cooking the pasta! I use Bold Bean Co a lot - the quality is undeniable. If using tinned beans, add extra vegetable stock to make up the difference.
- Chop the sun-dried tomatoes finely: They're quite chewy, so fine chopping ensures they integrate into the sauce rather than sitting in big, tough pieces.
- Don't skip the grill step: The golden, bubbling cheese top is what makes this taste like a proper lasagne rather than just a pasta dish. Five minutes under the grill transforms it into a thing of real beauty!
What to Serve with this One-Pot Butter Bean Lasagne
This lasagne is rich and substantial on its own, but if you want a side:
- Garlic bread for the full Italian comfort experience
- A simple green salad with a lemony vinaigrette to cut through the richness
- Roasted green beans or steamed broccoli for something lighter
Storage and Meal Prep
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb more liquid as it sits, so add a splash of water or stock when reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stove with a splash of water, or in the microwave. You can always re-grill with extra cheese on top for a fresh golden crust.
- Freezer: Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove or in the oven. I would recommend either freezing the sauce without the lasagne sheets or potentially stirring the dried lasagne sheets into the sauce and stopping the cooking process at this point to avoid the pasta going soggy.
- Make ahead: You can make the entire dish up to the cheese-topping stage, refrigerate, and then bake for 30 minutes covered, and 10 minutes uncovered, when ready to serve.
FAQs
Well, look, sometimes a chef has to use a bit of creative license on a traditional food! It's a one-pot take on lasagne - all the same flavors and satisfaction, but without the layering and hour-long bake. The broken lasagne sheets cook directly in the sauce, absorbing all the flavor as they cook. It's more of a deconstructed lasagne, and it's every bit as comforting.
Yes! Drain one 400g tin of butter beans and add about 150ml of vegetable stock or water to replace the jar stock. The jar stock adds extra body and flavor, but the stock works well as a substitute.
Yes, but you'll need about 200g of fresh spinach, and it'll take a minute to wilt down. Frozen is much more convenient - the block melts straight into the sauce with no prep.
Make sure the sheets are fully submerged in the sauce. Stir often and peel apart any that stick together. If the sauce is reducing too fast, add splashes of water or stock. Different brands of lasagne sheets cook at different speeds, so taste-test around the 10-minute mark.
Absolutely - I'm planning on doing the same! Make the sauce as written (steps 1-4), then layer it in a baking dish with unbroken lasagne sheets and top with the cheese. Bake at 180°C for 40-45 minutes covered with foil, then remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to crisp up the top.
Sun-dried tomatoes are tomatoes that have been dried to concentrate their flavor. They're intensely sweet, tangy, and tomatoey - much more concentrated than fresh or tinned tomatoes. The ones stored in oil are softer and more flavorful. You can find them in most supermarkets near the olives and antipasti.
Swap the mascarpone for a plant-based cream cheese, use vegan mozzarella and cheddar, and check your lasagne sheets are egg-free (most dried ones are). The butter beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach are already vegan.
One-Pot Butter Bean Lasagne
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1.5 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 570 g jarred butter beans beans + the stock
- 50 g sun-dried tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 100 g mascarpone cheese
- 1 block frozen spinach
- 220 g dried lasagne sheets broken into pieces
- 100 g grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese
- 6-8 basil leaves
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pan and add the diced onion. Saute for 4-5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves
- Add the tomato paste and seasonings and stir into the onion, cooking off the paste for 1-2 minutes until it deepens in color.1.5 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, Salt and pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Add the chopped tomatoes, butter beans and the stock from the jar, and the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer.400 g chopped tomatoes, 570 g jarred butter beans, 1 bay leaf
- Stir in the diced sun-dried tomatoes, mascarpone cheese and spinach block until both have melted into the sauce.50 g sun-dried tomatoes, 100 g mascarpone cheese, 1 block frozen spinach
- Then, break your lasagna sheets into small squares and stir into the mixture.220 g dried lasagne sheets
- Allow the lasagna sheets to cook in the sauce for about 10 minutes - adding more water or stock as you think is needed. Take care to stir the lasagna often and peel apart the sheets where needed to avoid them from sticking together!
- Finally, sprinkle over the grated cheese mix and pop the lasagna under the grill for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.100 g grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese
- Top with the basil leaves and serve while hot!6-8 basil leaves
Nutrition
Notes
- Pan: Use an oven-proof pan so you can go from stovetop to grill. I use my Le Creuset shallow casserole pan nearly every day and it never fails me!
- Pasta: This is crucial!! Stir the lasagne sheets often, peel apart any sheets that stick together (and trust me they will!), and add water/stock as needed to keep sheets submerged.
- Butter beans: Use jarred butter beans with stock for extra liquid and to help thicken the sauce (I use Bold Bean Co). If using tinned beans, drain and rinse them, and add 150ml stock to make up for the lack of bean stock.
- Storage: Fridge 3 days, freezer 3 months. Add a little liquid when reheating, as the lasagne will have absorbed some of the sauce.
