These High Protein Pizza Beans are the one pot dinner of your dreams. They come together in just 30 minutes and each serving has over 30 grams of protein and 20 grams fiber per serving. Paired with crusty bread they impart all the pizza flavors with added protein and nutrients.
I love beans! For more yummy bean recipes try my spinach and artichoke beans, alfredo beans, or my lemon feta beans.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Pizza-inspired comfort food. It has all the cozy flavors of pizza with a rich tomato sauce, melty mozzarella and parmesan in every bite.
High in protein + fiber. It is packed with beans, bone broth and cheese for 37 grams of protein and 19 grams of fiber per serving to keep you full and satisfied.
Creamy + cheesy. Partially mashed beans create a velvety sauce while mozzarella and parmesan make every bite perfectly melty.
One pan and easy to make. It comes together with simple ingredients in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Cannellini beans
- Marinara sauce
- Chicken bone broth
- Fresh basil Salt
- Italian seasoning
- Parmesan cheese
- Kale
- Low-moisture mozzarella
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.
- Kale – Spinach, Swiss chard or another leafy green all work.
- Parmesan – Pecorino Romano is a great substitute.
- Fresh basil – Parsley also works.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Heat the onion and garlic until softened and fragrant.
Stir in the beans, marinara, broth, basil, parmesan and seasonings, then partially mash some of the beans to create a creamy sauce.
Simmer gently before folding in the kale.
Top with mozzarella and bake until melted and bubbly. Finish with red pepper flakes, a drizzle of olive oil and serve with toasted bread.
Storage instructions
You can store the extra beans in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 3 days.
Recipe Pro-Tips
Partially mash the beans. Mashing about 25% of the beans creates a creamy sauce while leaving plenty of whole beans for texture.
Keep it at a gentle simmer. Avoid letting the sauce boil so it stays rich and creamy without becoming too thick.
Grate your own cheese. Freshly grated mozzarella and parmesan melt more evenly and give the dish the best cheesy finish.
Use a good quality marinara. Since it's the base of the recipe, a flavorful marinara makes a big difference in the final dish.
Serve with crusty bread. Toasted sourdough is perfect for scooping up every last bite of the cheesy tomato sauce.
Recipe FAQS
I do believe you could use vegan parmesan, vegetable broth and vegan mozzarella to make this recipe vegan.
Beans, parmesan, bone broth and mozzarella all provide protein.
Not all parmesan is vegetarian, be sure to buy vegetarian parmesan if you are vegetarian.
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21 Protein And Veggie Packed Recipes You'll Actually Make
High Protein Pizza Beans
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion - finely chopped
- 4-6 cloves garlic - minced I used 6 but I like things garlicky
- 3 cans cannellini beans - drained 15 oz sized cans, great northern beans also work
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup chicken bone broth can sub vegetable broth or reg chicken broth
- 1 cup fresh chopped basil
- ½-1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan
- 2 cups fresh chopped kale can sub green of choice
- 1 cup shredded/grated low moisture mozzarella
optional toppings and sides
- pinch red pepper flakes
- drizzle olive oil
- toasty sourdough or bread of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the pot except for the kale and mozzarella cheese. Stir to combine.
- Partially mash the beans using a potato masher or jar, I mashed maybe 25% of the beans.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, being careful not to let it boil, and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn heat to low and fold in the kale.
- Turn off heat and sprinkle over cheese. Add skillet to oven and bake for 5-7 minutes, until cheese is nice and melty. Top with red pepper flakes and olive oil if using and serve with bread.
Ashley says
Super easy and adaptable to what’s on hand. I added a zucchini that was on the way out and realized part way through I was out of marinara. I used half a can of crushed tomatoes and some tomato paste , and other marinara making ingredients directly in the pan. Will definitely be making again in the future!
Melissa says
This recipe is AMAZING and so quick and easy! It didn’t get as thick as I thought it would — it ended up being more like a pizza flavored chili, but it was still perfect! The only thing I changed was using frozen spinach instead of kale. I would also suggest just adding the cheese on top of each bowl instead of baking it because scooping it out made a bit of a stringy cheesy mess. I served it with toasted sourdough and we all absolutely loved it. We are all full and there’s a ton left (it’s more like 6-8 servings than 4). It would be great for meal prep. Thank you for this wonderful recipe — we have added it to the rotation. I can’t wait to try the other bean recipes on the site!
Kristi says
Hey Melissa, frozen spinach has more liquid so thats probably why it wasn't as thick! So glad you liked the recipe!
Nicole says
So delish! Had to simmer a bit longer to reduce liquid, but absolutely fabulous!
Kristi says
Thank you so much nicole!
Amanda says
This was so adaptable when we didn't have all the ingredients! And as a pregnant person with a disability, finding recipes that bring canned, frozen and prepared foods alive is a priority! We are also big eaters (my spouse in 6"5!) And 2 of us could only eat about 1/3 of the recipe.
Here's our substitutions:
* 1 can canelli beans + 1 cup dry pink lentils
*1/2cup extra broth to help lentils cook
* No parmesan, so stirred in 1/2 cup extra aged cheddar
* 1 cup frozen chopped spinach cubes
Kristi says
Thanks for trying Amanda! I'm so happy this recipe helped out you and your husband, best of luck with the pregnancy!
MC says
So flavorful and filling! It’s also so quick to make with very little prep. I used arugula instead of kale since I had it on hand. I was generous with the cheeses. Really good on sourdough bread; with two slices each, I think this skillet gets about 6 servings instead of 4. This just became part of our weeknight rotation!
Kristi says
Thanks so much MC!!
Torie says
Super yummy. I added chickpeas and did dried basil instead but this was delicious
Kristi says
Thank you Torie!!
Anne says
I had my 3.5 year old help me make these and he LOVES them. I ended up just stirring in the cheese to get dinner on the table faster, but if I have more time next time I make them, I will try topping with cheese and baking. I am so glad I found this recipe. Thank you!
Kristi says
Thank you Anne!! So glad these are kid approved!
ASHLEY RONCALI says
All I have are dried northern beans. So I would have to cook them before adding them in?
Kristi says
Yes they would need to be cooked first but northern beans work
Marguerite says
3 cans of cannellini beans have a very different nutritional profile when they're drained and rinsed, please take that into account if you're food tracking
Becky Siler says
Please explain.
M says
Can’t get enough!
Kendall Dupuis says
These were so easy and delicious, such a great way to get my fibre in! I just discovered your page and can’t wait to try more recipes 🙂
Kristi says
Thank you Kendall!!
Patricia says
These beans are life changing! So easy to make too.