Easy Pesto Beans

easy pesto beans

The weather outside is frightful, but these pesto beans are so delightful! 

What’s better than making your favorite cozy recipes after a cold run? This recipe is on repeat in my kitchen all winter when I need some extra warmth but don’t want to spend too much time cooking. 

These easy pesto beans are perfect for vegetarian athletes or those who love dipping bread in a cozy stew. Let me know what you think! 

What you need for Easy Pesto Beans

Immersion Blender: If you make a lot of soups or stews, an immersion blender is a game-changer! I have this inexpensive immersion blender but you can also mash the tomatoes if you like a chunkier stew. 

Cherry Tomatoes: These sweet, juicy tomatoes have more pectin than other tomatoes that creates a thicker stew. They are also rich in fiber, vitamin C, and other antioxidants that can help with inflammation for athletes. 

Cannellini Beans: Just one cup of cannellini beans has about 40 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of protein, and 10 grams of fiber. This combo of nutrients is perfect to help endurance athletes recover from training! 

Olive Oil: My favorite oil for cooking, but avocado oil is another healthy option with a high smoke point. These are great sources of monounsaturated fat, which can help lower blood cholesterol levels and provide antioxidants like vitamin E. 

Pesto: I use store-bought pesto most of the time for convenience but I love this recipe for homemade pesto! If you’re a plant-based or dairy-free athlete, sub nutritional yeast for parmesan cheese or follow a vegan pesto recipe.

Mozzarella Cheese: This is totally optional but I think it makes the texture creamier. Plus, who doesn’t love cheese? 

Garlic and Shallots: I’m a big fan of frozen fruits and veggies to prevent waste and save some money, but I find frozen garlic and shallots don’t work as well for me. I recommend fresh garlic and shallots to get the best taste. 

How to Make Easy Pesto Beans

While I love to cook, I hate doing dishes so this one pan recipe is perfect for quick cleanup! 

Start by frying your shallots in olive oil on medium heat, then add garlic and cherry tomatoes once shallots are golden brown. Cover your pan and leave on low heat until the tomatoes are soft. 

Use an immersion blender for a smoother texture or mash softened tomatoes by hand for a chunkier stew. Pour in your beans and leave to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add pesto and mozzarella to taste. I recommend toasted sourdough as a dipper but use your favorite bread! 

FAQ

Can I use another type of beans?

Yep. Great Northern beans and garbanzo beans (chickpeas) are the most similar in taste to cannellini beans. 

Can I use canned tomatoes? 

If you don’t want to use cherry tomatoes, a better substitute is grape tomatoes to keep the stew thicker and sweeter to complement the pesto. I don’t recommend canned tomatoes or you will end up with a very watery base. 

Is this recipe vegan? 

No, pesto is made with parmesan cheese but you can use a vegan pesto and omit the mozzarella cheese for a plant-based stew!

bean dish with cherry tomatoes and pesto

Easy Pesto Beans

Print Pin Recipe
Course Main Course
Keyword beans, cherry tomatoes, easy, pesto, pesto beans
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Equipment

  • 1 Immersion Blender

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 shallot diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 12 oz cherry tomatoes
  • 2x 15 oz cannellini beans
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • pesto add to taste
  • fresh mozzarella optional

Instructions

  • Add olive oil and shallot to large pan on medium heat and cook until golden brown. Sprinkle with salt as needed.
  • Add garlic and cherry tomatoes, then turn heat low and cover with lid for 5 minutes (or until tomatoes are soft).
  • Use an immersion blender (mashing is fine if you like chunkier tomatoes) to mash tomatoes until smooth. You can add broth for a thinner soup texture.
  • Add cannellini beans and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
  • Serve with pesto and mozzarella to taste and enjoy with some toasted sourdough.

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