Creamy Vegetarian Tuscan White Bean Skillet

There’s this little corner cafe near my apartment that serves the most incredible white bean dish — creamy, garlicky, with pops of sun-dried tomato in every bite. I spent an entire weekend trying to recreate it at home, and honestly, I think my version might be even better. The secret is letting the beans get a little crispy on the bottom before stirring in the spinach and tomatoes. It’s become my go-to weeknight dinner when I want something that feels fancy but takes less than 25 minutes from start to finish.

A Taste of Tuscany Without the Plane Ticket

This skillet is everything I love about Italian cooking — simple ingredients, big flavors, and a meal that brings people together. Serve it with some crusty bread for dipping into that gorgeous, creamy sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed), drained and roughly chopped
• 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Heat the oil: Warm the extra virgin olive oil in a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
2. Toast the garlic: Add the sliced garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 1–2 minutes. Watch carefully — garlic burns fast.
3. Add the tomatoes: Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, letting them release their oils into the pan.
4. Build the base: Add the drained cannellini beans, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5–6 minutes, using the back of a wooden spoon to lightly mash about a third of the beans against the side of the pan — this creates a creamy sauce.
5. Wilt the spinach: Add the baby spinach in handfuls, stirring between each addition until wilted, about 2 minutes total.
6. Finish the dish: Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, and fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve: Top with extra shaved Parmesan, fresh basil leaves, and another pinch of red pepper flakes. Serve hot straight from the skillet with crusty bread on the side.

Tips

• Make it dairy-free: Skip the Parmesan and double the nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor without the dairy.
• Add protein: A couple of fried eggs on top make this an even heartier meal.
• Swap the greens: Kale or arugula work beautifully in place of spinach — kale just needs an extra minute or two to wilt.
• Storage: Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce.
• Use quality sun-dried tomatoes: Oil-packed varieties have better flavor and texture than the dry kind for this recipe.