Creamy Italian Bean Skillet! If you love creamy bean recipes, cozy dinners, or anything “Italian-inspired” that feels special, this dish delivers big flavor and even bigger satisfaction.
This Creamy Italian Bean Skillet is your new budget-friendly comfort food obsession: rich, velvety, and downright lusciously creamy in every spoonful. Built around tender white beans and smoky roasted red peppers, it’s finished with a warm blend of Italian herbs and spices that makes the whole skillet taste like something you’d order (but without the price tag).
Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Hi there, Ameera here!
This skillet is seriously easy to make, and it turns out super creamy, the kind of sauce you want to keep dipping into. I’m not exaggerating: we devoured it. It has that comforting, luscious vibe that feels like a treat but comes together with weeknight-friendly steps, so it’s perfect for busy days when you still want something truly delicious.
If you’re into quick Italian bean meals or you want a cozy dinner that hits the spot fast, you gotta give this one a try!
Tips for Success:
- Flavor Profile: This Creamy Italian Bean Skillet is a budget-friendly dish that is creamy, luscious, velvety, and delicious. Full of Italian herbs and spices and featuring white beans and roasted red bell peppers, it’s sure to please bean lovers everywhere.
- Roasted Red Bell Peppers: Be sure to read the label when purchasing roasted red bell peppers. Select an oil-free brand if Whole Food Plant Based.
- White Beans: We used cannellini beans. You can substitute the cannellini beans for your favorite white bean like Great Northern Beans, navy beans, or chickpeas.
- Cashews Substitutions: Feel free to substitute the cashews with your favorite nut or seeds with the understanding that the flavor and texture will change accordingly. We have not tested any substitutions.
- Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Leftovers and Freezing:
Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator. Store in a covered air-tight container.
This dish can be frozen.
Pantry Products:
- Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients. Feel free to use your favorite vegetable broth.
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Kitchen Equipment:
- High-speed blender
- Large skillet
If you try this flavorful dish, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
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Creamy Italian Bean Skillet
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 40 Minutes
- Yield: 4.5 Cups 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Creamy Italian Bean Skillet is your new budget-friendly comfort food obsession: rich, velvety, and downright lusciously creamy in every spoonful.
Ingredients
Skillet Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion, fine dice
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth *
- 1 cup water
Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian Seasoning Mix (+/-)
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
- Pinch to 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (+/-)
- Pinch to 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
Other Ingredients:
- ½ cup [raw] cashews *
- 2 – [ 15.5 oz. can ] white beans, drained and rinsed *
- ½ cup finely diced roasted red bell peppers *
Serving Ideas:
- Steamed Rice/quinoa
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place the cashews into a small bowl, cover with boiling water, then allow to sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain off the water (discard) and set aside.
- Place all the Spice/Herb Ingredients into a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
- In a large skillet, add the finely diced onions, sauté over medium-high heat for 7 to 9 minutes, add a splash of water, if needed to avoid burning.
- Then lower the heat to medium, add the minced garlic and tomato paste, sauté, stir constantly for one minute.
- Then add all the remaining Skillet Ingredients, stir well, bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Then remove the skillet from the stove and allow to cool for several minutes; then scoop the skillet mixture into a high-speed blender along with the soaked cashews. Blend on high until smooth and emulsified, then return to the skillet.
- Add the beans, finely diced roasted red bell peppers, and the Spice/Herb Mix to the skillet, stir to incorporate, bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Taste test, add additional seasonings, if needed. If additional seasonings are added, simmer for several minutes.
- Remove from the stove and allow to rest for 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Products Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Equipment Used.
Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Serving: 4 (makes 4 ½ cups)
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