One-Pan Tuscan White Beans

Name: Creamy Tuscan White Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons vegan butter (or oil ); 1/2 cup chopped onion (or a mix of red onion and shallots); 4 garlic cloves (minced); 4 ounces sliced or chopped mushrooms; 2 tablespoons chopped green onion; 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato, (chopped if the pieces are too large); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon Italian herb blend; 1 1/2 cups of cashew milk; 15- ounce can of cannellini beans (or white beans or other beans of choice); 3 tablespoons vegan Parmesan (plus more for topping); 1 cup frozen spinach (thawed); red pepper flakes or black pepper, (parsley, and more vegan Parm, for garnish)

Published: Jul 19, 2023 · Modified: Apr 19, 2024 by Richa 42 Comments

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These Tuscan White beans have a luscious sauce made from sun dried tomato, Italian herbs, lots of caramelized onion, mushrooms, and nondairy cream such as cashew cream. These decadent beans are great for weeknight dinner, they need just a few minutes and few pantry ingredients! Soyfree recipe, option for gluten-free and nutfree

panful of Tuscan beans with a piece of flatbread dipped into it

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love Tuscan Beans
More Vegan Italian Recipes
Recipe Card
Ingredients and Substitutions
Tips
How to Make Tuscan Beans
Frequently Asked Questions

This hearty recipe is based on the Tuscan chicken I’ve seen at restaurants. I decided to use that base sauce, because it’s all in the sauce! All the amazingly luscious flavor. I decided to add white beans to it instead! The sauce is creamy, decadent, and flavorful and pairs amazingly with the beans. Serve with some fresh garlic bread or sourdough for a meal to remember.

You can add anything to the sauce that you like, such as vegan chicken substitutes or soy curls. It can also be served over pasta or top a grilled cauliflower or baked potato or a pizza!

I add cannellini beans or any other large white beans, and it makes a fabulous lunch or dinner served with fresh bakery bread, sourdough, toasted garlic bread, or naan or other flatbread for dipping. Or serve these Tuscan white beans over toast or grilled cauliflower or any which way you like! Let me know how you served them.

Why You’ll Love Tuscan Beans

hearty, creamy, and healthy
versatile – use any beans or other plant-based chicken substitutes that you like!
rich, flavorful sauce packed with mushrooms, onion, garlic, and sun-dried tomato
naturally gluten-free (if you don’t use the flour option)

More Vegan Italian Recipes

Recipe Card

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close-up of a panful of Tuscan beans with a piece of flatbread dipped into it

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5 from 21 votes

Creamy Tuscan White Beans

These Tuscan White beans have a luscious sauce made from sun dried tomato, Italian herbs, lots of caramelized onion, mushrooms, and nondairy cream such as cashew cream. These 30 min 1 Pot decadent beans are great for weeknight dinner, they need just a few minutes and few pantry ingredients! Soyfree recipe, option for gluten-free and nutfree

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: tuscan beans, tuscan white beans

Servings: 4

Calories: 242kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegan butter or oil
½ cup (80 g) chopped onion or a mix of red onion and shallots
4 garlic cloves minced
4 ounces (113.4 g) sliced or chopped mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato, chopped if the pieces are too large
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian herb blend
1 ½ cups (354.88 ml) of cashew milk , which is a scant ½ cup of cashews blended with 1 ½ cups of water and optionally add 1 teaspoon flour while blending, to help it thicken even more
15- ounce (425.24 g) can of cannellini beans or white beans or other beans of choice
3 tablespoons vegan Parmesan plus more for topping
1 cup (156 g) frozen spinach thawed
red pepper flakes or black pepper, parsley, and more vegan Parm, for garnish

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the vegan butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and garlic and a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion is starting to turn golden. 5-6 mins. Stir frequently, so the garlic doesn't burn.
Once the onion is turning golden, add in the mushrooms and green onion and another good pinch of salt and continue to cook. If the pan is drying out too much, you can add another teaspoon of butter or a splash of water and continue to cook until the mushrooms are somewhat golden on most of the edges. This can take anywhere from 7 to 9 minutes.
You want the garlic to also turn nice and golden, but evenly and not get too brown in any one particular place, so stir often.
Add in the sun dried tomato, salt, pepper, and Italian herbs, and mix really well. Then add in your non-dairy cream, the white beans, and Parmesan, and mix well. Bring the cream to a boil. If the mixture is thickening too much, add another ¼ to ½ cup of water and mix and bring to a boil.
Then then fold in the spinach and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes . Taste the mixture carefully, and adjust the salt and flavor. Switch off the heat. Garnish with some parsley, pepper flakes or black pepper, and some more vegan Parmesan, and serve along with some good sourdough, fresh bakery bread, naan or other toasted bread or garlic bread.
Store for 3 days in a covered container in the fridge

Video

Notes

Store refrigerated for upto 3 days. Reheat on a skillet or in microwave. The cashew milk can thicken a lot, so when reheating, add in a bit more non-dairy milk or water to reheat..

To make this with soy curls, add about three 3 ounces of soaked and drained soy curls along with the mushrooms and continue to cook until the soy curls also are starting to get golden on the edges along with the mushrooms.

Variations: You can add in just a little bit of lemon zest to change up the flavor profile, and you can also add in some black pepper or red pepper flakes to add an element of heat.

Nut-free: use other non dairy cream or thick nonDairy milk such as full fat coconut milk or oat milk. Or blend ¾ cup silken tofu with 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon flour and use.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Tuscan White Beans

Amount Per Serving

Calories 242 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 633mg28%

Potassium 518mg15%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 4740IU95%

Vitamin C 7mg8%

Calcium 150mg15%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe?Please do leave a comment and rating below.. Tag me on Instagram @veganricha

white beans, veggies, and seasonings in bowls on a kitchen counter

Ingredients and Substitutions

vegan butter – To sauté, this gives the sauce a rich flavor!
aromatics – Onion and garlic bring lots of umami to the Tuscan beans sauce.
mushrooms – Adds a meaty texture and even more flavor.
sun-dried tomato – Savory-sweet sun dried tomato makes this sauce so special!
Italian herb blend – Also called Italian seasoning.
cashew milk – A blend of cashews and water. You can add 1 teaspoon of flour to your cashew milk blend for a thicker sauce.
cannellini beans – Large, white beans. You can use other canned or cooked white beans or butter beans or even other bean varieties, such as chickpeas, if you like.
vegan Parmesan – Adds salty, creamy profiles to the sauce.
frozen spinach – Some green veggies to balance out the richness of the sauce.
garnishes – red or black pepper adds some heat to balance the creaminess. Parsley adds a fresh flavor, and more vegan Parmesan makes this dish feel so decadent!

Tips

When you’re cooking the onion and garlic, make sure you’re stirring frequently. The garlic can burn if you don’t keep it moving around in the pan.
Cashew milk thickens a lot when it’s cooking, especially if you use the optional flour. If it’s thickening more than you want, add splashes of water to thin it back out. If you want it thicker, just keep simmering.

How to Make Tuscan Beans

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the vegan butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and garlic and a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion is starting to turn golden. Stir frequently, so the garlic doesn’t burn. 5-6 mins

garlic and onions in the pan, before cooking

garlic and onions in the pan, after cooking

Once the onion is turning golden, add in the mushrooms and green onion and another good pinch of salt and continue to cook.

adding green onion to the pan of cooked garlic and onions

If the pan is drying out too much, you can add another teaspoon of butter or a splash of water and continue to cook until the mushrooms are somewhat golden on most of the edges. This can take anywhere from 7 to 9 minutes. You want the garlic to also turn nice and golden, but evenly and not get too brown in any one particular place, so stir often.

Add in the sun dried tomato, salt, pepper, and Italian herbs, and mix really well. Then add in your non-dairy cream, the white beans, and Parmesan, and mix well.

adding sun-dried tomato and spices to the pan of cooked mushrooms

cashew milk added to the pan of beans and veggies

vegan parmesan sprinkled onto the tuscan beans in the pan

Bring the cream to a boil. If the mixture is thickening too much, add another ¼ to ½ cup of water and mix and bring to a boil. Then fold in the spinach and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Taste the mixture carefully, and adjust the salt and flavor. Switch off the heat. Garnish with some parsley, pepper flakes or black pepper, and some more vegan Parmesan, and serve along with some good sourdough, fresh bakery bread, naan or other toasted bread or garlic bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this recipe gluten-free?

As long as you don’t add the optional flour to the cashew milk, this recipe is gluten-free as written.

What are Italian white beans called?

Cannellini beans are probably the most well-known Italian beans. They’re large white beans that come from Southern Italy. Rotondo and Sorana beans are other types of Italian white beans.

Can I make this without nuts /cashews ?

Yes, use other non dairy cream or thick nonDairy milk such as full fat coconut milk or oat milk. Or blend ¾ cup silken tofu with 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon flour and use.