These French Onion Beans have all the rich, savory flavors of classic French onion soup but with a high-protein and high fiber twist. Made with sweet caramelized onions, creamy cannellini beans, melted Gruyere cheese, and kale, this one-pan recipe is the perfect cozy dinner.
The beans are simmered in a flavorful broth with garlic, herbs, and balsamic vinegar, creating a flavorful and creamy sauce. With 35 grams of protein and 18 grams of fiber per serving, this recipe is an indulgent yet nutrient-dense meal that will leave you feeling satisfied.
For more yummy bean recipes try my pumpkin beans, pesto shrimp orzo with beans or my broccoli cheddar beans.
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Why you'll love this recipe
High in protein and fiber. Each serving has 35 grams of protein and 18 grams of fiber.
Rich and savory. Caramelized onions, Gruyere cheese, and herbs give these beans all the delicious flavors of French onion soup.
Made in one pan. Everything comes together in one skillet for easy cleanup.
Great for meal prep. These beans can be made ahead of time and reheated throughout the week.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Onions
- Sugar
- Garlic
- Black pepper
- Dried thyme
- Red pepper flakes
- Dried rosemary
- Salt
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Chicken bone broth
- Canned coconut milk OR heavy cream
- Gruyere cheese
- Cannellini beans
- Kale
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Cannellini beans – Great Northern beans or butter beans both work well.
- Chicken bone broth – Regular chicken broth or vegetable broth can be substituted.
- Gruyere – Cheddar also works.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Caramelize the onions.
Add all remaining ingredients except for the kale and cheese and simmer.
Fold in cheese and kale and serve.
See the recipe card for full information on instructions.
Storage instructions
You can store the extra beans in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe Pro-Tips
Use a good quality cheese. I recommend finding a gruyere from switzerland. Swiss cows are naturally grass fed and the cheese tastes better.
Use pressure cooked beans if you have trouble digesting beans. I absolutely love the eden foods brand as they are pressure cooked and soaked!
Recipe FAQS
Yes! You can sub in 3 homemade roasted red peppers.
Beans, bone broth and cheese all add protein.
It depends, if you need it to be vegetarian make sure rennet is not included.
Other bean dinners to try
If you make these French Onion Beans (High Protein), please leave me a rating and review on this blog post. This is the best way to support me!
French Onion Beans (High Protein)
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter i do not recommend using oil as it makes it much harder to get the onions caramelized
- 2 large onions - finely sliced
- ½ teaspoon sugar of choice sugar helps the onions brown and caramelize faster
- 4-6 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes omit if sensitive to spice, add more if you like things very spicy
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- salt to taste my broth and soy sauce was salty so i only used a small pinch
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or sub any culinary vinegar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 ¼ cups chicken bone broth can sub reg chicken broth or veg broth
- ¼ cup canned coconut milk OR heavy cream
- ~⅔ cup shredded gruyere cheese can sub cheddar cheese, but make sure to grate it fresh from the block
- 3 cans cannellini beans - drained 15 oz size cans
- ~2 cups chopped kale or green of choice 1 small head of kale yielded this for me
optional toppings and sides
- additional shredded gruyere
- additional red pepper flakes
- toasty bread
Instructions
- Heat butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onions and sugar, cook for about 10. minutes until onions have started to soften and brown. Then turn heat to low. Continue to cook for 30-45 minutes, until onions are jammy and caramelized. Toss the onions occasionally to prevent them from sticking. If they stick deglaze the pan with water. If you have a good nonstick pan they should not stick. You do not need to baby them and watch them every second as they caramelize, I checked mine every 10 minutes or so to ensure they were not burning.
- After onions have caramelized turn heat up to medium and add garlic and seasoning. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until garlic is fragrant.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the skillet except for the kale and cheese. Stir to combine and then partially mash the beans. I mashed about 25% of the beans to give a creamier texture.
- Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Longer will impart deeper flavor but 10 minutes also works just fine.
- Turn heat to low. Add cheese, and stir until it has melted in. Then fold in the kale.
- Serve with your favorite toppings and sides and dig in.
kristi roeder says
These beans are so good and perfect for a cozy fall night!