Recipe Background
If a culture and cuisine encounter beans, it is inevitable that a baked bean dish will result at some point or another. And here we see Italian Baked Beans; the result of the Little Boot taking the beloved concept of baked beans in a new Mediterranean direction! The beans are tender and creamy, braised in rich marinara and topped with all sorts of creamy, sharp cheeses! Italian Baked Beans might just give Boston baked beans a run for their money!
If a culture and cuisine encounter beans, it is inevitable that a baked bean dish will result at some point or another. And here we see Italian Baked Beans; the result of the Little Boot taking the beloved concept of baked beans in a new Mediterranean direction! The beans are tender and creamy, braised in rich marinara and topped with all sorts of creamy, sharp cheeses! Italian Baked Beans might just give Boston baked beans a run for their money!
Ingredients
- 4 cups canned cannellini or white beans drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- red pepper flakes optional, to taste
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- lacinato kale to taste, torn, thick stems removed
- 1/4 cup parmesan or pecorino cheese grated
- 5 slices fresh mozzarella can substitute mozzarella, shredded
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a 9-inch ovenproof skillet or a similarly-sized baking dish, add the beans, the olive oil, the salt, the black pepper, and the red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
- Add the marinara sauce and the water to the bean mixture and stir to combine.
- Add the torn kale to the bean mixture and stir to combine.
- Shake the skillet lightly to level the bean mixture.
- Sprinkle the bean mixture evenly with the parmesan.
- Place the mozzarella slices onto the bean mixture.
- Bake, uncovered, until bubbling and golden, about 25-35 minutes.
- Optionally, broil the bean mixture until the top is deeply golden-brown, about 1-2 minutes.
- Serve hot.
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