5-minute creamy tomato beans
These 5-minute creamy tomato beans are rich in flavour, made with just a handful of ingredients and come together in one pan! If you can stir a pot, then you can make this recipe – it’s so easy, delicious and packed full of fibre.
It’s no secret that I am partial to a bean. They’re incredibly affordable, versatile and nutritious, making them an excellent choice for a side dish (or even main event!). This dish came about one night when I threw together dinner in a hurry with not much in the fridge, and I got so many requests to share the recipe after posting on IG that I decided to test it and write it up properly – so here we are!
Why I think you’ll love these creamy tomato beans
If you’re looking for a quick, delicious and nutritious side dish, then I’ve got you with these creamy tomato beans!
- One-pan and no fuss – if you can stir a pot then you can make this dish. Literally no skill required, minimal washing up and a tasty dish at the end!
- Quick to make – emphasis on the quick. You can make these creamy tomato beans in 5 minutes flat.
- Greek-inspired flavour combo – while the crème fraîche isn’t very typical of Greek cuisine, the combination of tomato and dill is. I love how the dill transforms this dish from something basic to a dish with way more depth of flavour!
- High in fibre – cannellini beans are an excellent source of fibre, with around 9g of fibre per serve.
- Good source of protein – approximately 10g protein per serve, making this dish a nice addition to any meal.
Ingredients you’ll need, some substitutions
- Olive oil – I like to use a relatively light extra virgin olive oil that’s good for cooking. Something mid-range that’s not too strong in flavour works perfectly here.
- Garlic – whole cloves with the skin left on but lightly smashed allows their flavour to easily infuse the oil, but helps to prevent them from burning. You could also finely slice the garlic, leaving it in the oil instead of discarding before adding the beans if you’d like more of a prominent garlic flavour.
- Beans – I used canned cannellini beans in this recipe, but you could substitute it for other beans like butter beans or even chickpeas. If you’d like to use dried beans instead of their canned counterparts, you’ll need to start a day ahead and soak the beans in plenty of water overnight then cooking until tender, before making this dish.
- Tomato paste – I like to use a concentrated tomato paste like this one – a little goes a long way!
- Crème fraîche – this is my secret weapon for adding more of a complex flavour profile to this dish in only a few minutes. Crème fraîche is a cultured dairy product which is made by combining cream with cultured buttermilk. It’s tangy and a little nutty, but not as sour as sour cream. It just adds a little edge! You can however substitute it for regular cream (minimum 35% fat content), mascarpone or even coconut cream for a vegan alternative.
- Herbs – fresh dill works amazingly in this recipe, and adds a unique flavour profile to this dish. However you can substitute dill for a variety of soft herbs. Why not try basil, parsley, chives or even tarragon?
How to make creamy tomato beans in 5 minutes (step by step)
1. Infuse olive oil with garlic
To quickly infuse the oil with garlic, add smashed whole cloves to olive oil and heat rapidly for two minutes until fragrant. A trick I like to do here is keep the skin on the garlic cloves which helps prevent them from burning. Once fragrant, remove from the pan and discard (or save for
2. Add the drained beans and tomato paste
Add approximately 240g drained cannellini beans to the garlic oil, along with tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds or so to allow the tomato paste to caramelise.
3. Add the crème fraîche and season
To the tomato beans, add the crème fraîche and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, before rapidly simmering for 2 minutes.
4. Finishing touches
Remove from the heat and stir through fresh dill and a small splash of vinegar. The vinegar adds a little hit of acidity that helps to balance the creaminess of the beans – though it’s optional of course; taste the dish and see what you like!
Serving suggestions
I think these beans are an excellent side dish to accompany any protein and veg combo, but I particularly like them with my Greek-inspired lemon and oregano chicken. The dill and tomato flavours of the beans are reminiscent of Greek gigantes, so they work pretty harmoniously with those sorts of flavours.
If you’re looking for a crisp salad option to go with it, check out this crunchy green salad.
And if you just want to enjoy these beans on their own, I highly recommend continuing with the Greek vibe and enjoy them with a dollop of Greek pot set yoghurt (I love this brand).
How to store these beans as leftovers
You can easily store these beans as leftovers, simply place in an airtight container or Tupperware and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To reheat, add to a small pan with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce, heat gently and stir frequently until piping hot.
Thats about it for my easy 5-minute creamy tomato beans 🙂 I really hope you love these and they become an addition to your weekly dinner prep. If you make them, I’d love to hear what you thought – drop a comment below and let me know.
5-minute creamy tomato beans
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves left whole but smashed
- 1 x 400g can of cannellini beans drained (yielding approx 240g)
- 60 g tomato paste
- 75 g crème fraîche
- 2 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a sauté pan and add the smashed garlic cloves. Cook over a medium heat for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Remove the garlic from the oil.
- Add the beans and stir to coat in the garlic-infused oil, then add the tomato paste. Cook for 30 seconds before deglazing with 1/4 water to loosen the mixture.
- Add the crème fraîche and stir to combine, creating a creamy tomato sauce.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and allow the beans to rapidly simmer for a couple of minutes before removing from the heat.
- Finally stir through the chopped dill and add a splash of white wine vinegar for a hit of acidity.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and extra fresh dill.
