“3-Ingredient Pizza Beans: A Hit with the Little Ones!”
How I Made My Children Love Beans With Just Three Ingredients in a Pizza-Style Dish
In only 20 minutes, you may be enjoying the most cheese meal ever.
Now that I’ve reached my bean phase, I eat them almost every meal of the day, whether it’s a breakfast of fried garbanzos, a lunch of creamy gigante beans, or a night with smoldering Ayocote Negro black beans. Unfortunately, none of my children, aged 11 and five, has been infected with the bean bug.
Inspired by Deb Perelman’s legendary dish, I tried to sway them over to the bean side by giving them the pizza treatment by tossing large, meaty butter beans with marinara and topping them with heaps of grated cheese. I am relieved to report success!
Pizza Beans: The Recipe
Making a pot of these cheesy, saucy beans for supper is as simple as it gets. It just takes around 20 minutes to prepare and requires only three ingredients: canned beans, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
You’ll need two 15-ounce cans of drained cannellini or butter beans, two cups of canned marinara sauce (I swear by Rao’s, but you do you. ), and at least a cup of cheese, along with anything else you want, and a casserole dish of your choosing (I use a 2 1/2-quart dish). A pizza cheese mix or shredded mozzarella is my preference.
A half cup or two of ricotta is a great addition; it makes the pasta taste like it was cooked in the oven, and I’m all for that.
Put the beans in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted.
Toppings, Please!
Please feel free to reimagine the pizza beans in your own way. Pepperoni slices are a fan-favorite addition to our pizza. The ones that form a pepperoni cup when cooked are my favorite.
Since pizza is the focus, feel free to add whatever you like—from crumbled cooked sausage to red onions to banana peppers to anchovies, if you must.
Pizza Beans: What to Pair Them With
A bottle of wine is all I’d need while watching Next in Fashion on the sofa while munching on pizza beans and a bag of chips. For a more formal family gathering, I like to add focaccia or garlic bread and a simple green salad. You might also try adding some sautéed broccoli rabe or spinach.
The shelf life of leftover pizza beans in the fridge is roughly a week. Reheated and heaped high over garlic-rubbed bread, they make a delicious lunch.
The Best Pizza Sauce Ever!
- Classic Tomato Sauce:
- 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- In a blender or food processor, puree the tomatoes until smooth.
- In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the tomato puree, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.
- White Pizza Sauce:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is golden brown.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- Cook the sauce for 5-7 minutes, until it has thickened.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pesto Sauce:
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- In a food processor, pulse the basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and garlic until finely chopped.
- With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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