Pizza beans

I'm a big fan of beans – they're versatile, they're delicious and they're cheap. This recipe gives dried or canned beans a pizza vibe. Serve on pan-fried breads made with purchased pizza dough or mop up with crusty bread.

Pizza beans. Credit: Mary Makes It Easy / Geoff George

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1½ cups (270 g) dry white beans or 2 cans white kidney beans (e.g. cannellini), drained and rinsed
• Olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1½ tsp dry Italian seasoning
• ¼-½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 400 g cans tomatoes, crushed, diced, or whole
• 2-3 handfuls dark leafy greens
• 2½ cups (285 g) grated mozzarella cheese, smoked or plain
• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) prepared basil pesto  
• Crusty bread or ½ ball store bought pizza dough, for serving

Serves 4-6.

The cooking time given above is for making the recipe with canned beans. If using dry beans, allow about 2 hours 30 minutes total cooking time. (The beans can be cooked in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer, see below). You will also need to allow 12-24 hours soaking time.

Instructions

1. If using dried beans, you’ll need to soak them overnight for up to 24 hours. Simply cover the beans with about 10 cm (4 inches) of cool water and leave on the counter overnight. Alternatively, you can quick soak the beans by rinsing and adding to a large pot. Cover with a few inches of cool water, season with salt, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 2 minutes. Remove the beans from the heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let the beans soak for 1 hour. Whether you’ve soaked the beans overnight or using the quick method, drain the beans before cooking.
2. To cook soaked beans, transfer to a pot and cover with a few inches of water. If desired, you can add some flavourings to the water like a few smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, spices, or veggie scraps. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for up to 2 hours until tender but not mushy, checking the beans every 15 minutes or so after the first half hour. When tender, drain and season with salt. Use immediately or store cooked beans in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
3. For the pizza beans, place a cast iron or oven safe skillet over medium heat. Add in 3 teaspoons of oil along with the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and lightly golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and continue to cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add another 3 teaspoons of oil to the pan along with the beans and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the beans have picked up a little colour and the skins are just starting to burst. Carefully add the canned tomatoes, using the back of a spoon to break up the tomatoes if using whole. Place an off-kilter lid over the pan to avoid splatter and cook for 10 minutes to bring the flavours together. Add in the greens and stir to wilt.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and scatter over the grated cheese. Transfer to the centre rack of your oven and turn the grill (broiler) on to high. Grill (broil) until the cheese is melted and lightly golden brown, about 5 minutes. Dollop with pesto.
6. If serving with crusty bread, the dish is good to go but, to really lean into the pizza vibes, divide a ball of store-bought pizza dough in half and store one half for a later use. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add in a little oil. Divide the dough into four equal pieces, roll out into a thin oval and fry one piece at a time until lightly golden on each side.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.