Pizza Beans-Easy Cheesy Baked Cannellini Beans
Pizza Beans might sound a little strange at first, but trust me—this is one of those recipes that completely surprised me!
I didn’t want to like this dish nearly as much as I did, but from the first bite to the last, it was fantastic. Creamy cannellini beans are baked in a garlicky marinara sauce with Parmesan and Italian seasoning, then loaded with melted cheese and all your favorite pizza toppings.
Think of it as a combination of baked beans, pizza, and a cheesy Italian casserole. It’s easy to make, great for feeding a crowd, and perfect served with crusty bread or toasted crostini.
A bean recipe has no business tasting this good!
Ingredients
For the Bean Base
● 3 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
● 2 cups marinara sauce
● 3 tbsp minced garlic
● ¼ cup sliced scallions or diced yellow onion
● 1 tsp salt, pepper & garlic seasoning
● 2 tsp Italian seasoning
● ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
● 1 tbsp olive oil
Pizza Toppings
Here’s what I used, but feel free to customize your Pizza Beans with your favorite toppings:
● Sliced Muenster cheese
● Shredded mozzarella cheese
● Red onion
● Banana peppers
● Kalamata olives
● Turkey pepperoni
● Fresh basil
How to Make Pizza Beans
1. Build the bean base.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans to a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Add the sauce and seasonings.
Add the marinara sauce, scallions, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt-pepper-garlic seasoning, and olive oil. Stir everything together and spread the beans into an even layer.
3. Bake the beans.
Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and bake uncovered at 375°F for 30–45 minutes.
You’re looking for the sauce to bubble and reduce. Don’t rush this step! You don’t want watery Pizza Beans—the marinara should thicken and intensify in flavor as it bakes.
4. Load it up like a pizza.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and add your Muenster, mozzarella, turkey pepperoni, red onion, banana peppers, Kalamata olives, or whatever pizza toppings you love.
5. Finish baking.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling.
Finish with fresh basil and serve hot with crusty Italian bread, garlic bread, or toasted crostini.
More Pizza Bean Topping Ideas 🍕
This is where you can have some fun. Try different combinations depending on what you have in the fridge:
● Meat Lovers: Pepperoni, Italian sausage, bacon, and mozzarella
● Supreme: Sausage, peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives, and pepperoni
● Margherita: Fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan
● Spicy: Hot Italian sausage, jalapeños, banana peppers, and chili flakes
● Veggie: Mushrooms, spinach, roasted peppers, onions, and olives
● White Pizza: Skip the marinara and try Alfredo or a garlic cream sauce with mozzarella, ricotta, and spinach
Tips for the Best Pizza Beans
Drain and rinse the beans well. Extra liquid from the cans can make the finished dish watery.
Give the sauce time to reduce. The first bake is what transforms the marinara into a thicker, richer sauce that coats the cannellini beans.
Don’t add the cheese too early. Let the beans and marinara reduce first, then add your cheese and pizza toppings for the final 10–15 minutes.
Watch watery toppings. Fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, and some vegetables release moisture as they cook. Sautéing them beforehand can keep your Pizza Beans thick and saucy.
Broil for extra color. If you like those browned, bubbly pizza-shop cheese spots, broil the finished dish for 1–2 minutes before serving.
What to Serve with Pizza Beans
Pizza Beans are hearty enough to serve as an easy weeknight dinner, game-day appetizer, or party dish. My favorite way to eat them is straight from the baking dish with plenty of toasted bread for scooping up the cheesy beans and marinara.
You could also pair them with garlic bread, crostini, a simple Italian salad, or roasted vegetables.
However you serve them, don’t knock Pizza Beans until you’ve tried them. I certainly didn’t expect a pan of beans to disappear this quickly!
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Pizza Beans
Equipment
- 9×13 enameled cast iron pan
Ingredients
Bean Base
- 3 cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup sliced scallions or diced yellow onion
- 1 tsp salt, pepper & garlic seasoning
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Toppings
- 6 slices Muenster cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup Red onion
- 1/4 cup Banana peppers
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives
- 1/3 cup Turkey pepperoni
- 2 tbsp Fresh basil
Instructions
- Build the bean base.Preheat your oven to 375°F. Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans to a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add the sauce and seasonings.Add the marinara sauce, scallions, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt-pepper-garlic seasoning, and olive oil. Stir everything together and spread the beans into an even layer.
- Bake the beans.Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and bake uncovered at 375°F for 30–45 minutes. You’re looking for the sauce to bubble and reduce. Don’t rush this step! You don’t want watery Pizza Beans—the marinara should thicken and intensify in flavor as it bakes.
- Load it up like a pizza.Remove the baking dish from the oven and add your Muenster, mozzarella, turkey pepperoni, red onion, banana peppers, Kalamata olives, or whatever pizza toppings you love.
- Finish baking.Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling.
- Finish with fresh basil and serve hot with crusty Italian bread, garlic bread, or toasted crostini.