Pesto Beans (One-pan!), Creamy

These Creamy Pesto Beans have become my new go-to busy-night dinner that gets on the table in only 15 minutes but is still packed with so much flavor! It’s a great way to use up leftover pesto, especially in the summer.

Love a creamy bean recipe? You’ll love these Creamy Romesco Butter Beans as well as my Marry Me Butter Beans and my One-Pot Brothy Beans!

Why you’ll love this simple bean recipe!

I make my pesto cream sauce SO often (especially in the summer) and have been wanting to try it with beans instead of pasta for a while. Turns out, it’s certainly flavor-packed and something I will certainly be making on a regular basis!

There are only some things that are FAR better kitchen-made instead of store bought and, in my opinion, pesto is completely one of them. Store bought pesto only does NOT compare to from-scratch pesto. AND that explains why I have so many different pesto variations on my blog including this old-school basil pesto, this walnut pesto AND this creamy vegan pesto!

Why you’ll love it:

• Read in 15 minutes – seriously such a simple and speedy after-work dinner.
• Packed with protein – the beans make this more filling and fiber-full than a pasta based meal.
• Rich and CREAMY – the pesto, cream, and paremsan create a sauce that clings to every single bean!
• Made in ONE SKILLET – did I mention it’s a one pan meal!? Minimal cleanup but maximum flavor!

Ingredients needed

The sauce ingredients for this simple recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the basics needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!

• Cannellini Beans – these or butter beans are great in this method (although truly any beans work well). They provide a savory creamy texture that truly helps to soak up the sauce.
• Heavy cream – this gets the sauce nice and creamy! For a vegan version, you can use vegan cream, a thick oat milk type of plant milk, or even coconut cream.
• Water – this helps to thin the sauce a bit so it isn’t too thick. As desired, you could add this in at the end only if it’s needed. Vegetable broth would also work well and add extra flavor.
• Butter – personally, I prefer unsalted butter in this dish but use what you have on hand.
• Pesto sauce – the star of the recipe! Either from-scratch or store bought will work well but I think making it at home is ALWAYS worth the time it takes (which truly isn’t much). My kitchen-made basil pesto or my walnut pesto are both great options here!
• Parmesan cheese – I always suggest that you freshly grate the Parmesan. It melts into the sauce SO much better than pre-shredded cheese that is coated in a substance which makes it hard to melt in. If you want to keep it vegan, I suggest a vegan parmesan or even swap it for nutritional yeast.
• Salt + pepper – taste before you add in because the pesto and parmesan may add enough salt to the dish as is. But fresh black pepper is always a good idea:)
• Optional – it’s not currently in the recipe but a few minced garlic cloves would be satisfying in this method!

How to Make It

Only a reminder that you can find the FULL written recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you:)

1. Start the sauce. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add in the cream and water. Bring to a simmer.

1. Add in the butter + pesto. Add in the butter and pesto sauce, stir, and simmer for 5 additional minutes.

1. Mix in the cheese + beans. Add in the Parmesan and stir for about 2 minutes until it’s melted and fully combined. Add in the white beans to the creamy sauce and mix to combine.

1. Finish it off. Let simmer gently for an additional minute until the sauce slightly thickens and the beans are warmed through. Serve with fresh basil leaves, crusty bread, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
   Store leftovers in an airtight container!

Recipe Tips

• Keep the heat low – You’ll want to genuinely watch the heat on the sauce so it doesn’t separate. If it simmers too aggressively, the cream could break.
• Add the Parmesan slowly – make sure to stir it in gradually to prevent it from clumping into the sauce.
• Taste before adding salt – the pesto and parmesan are both pretty salty so you may not need any additional salt in this dish.
• Want it thicker? If you want the sauce a bit thicker then you can simmer it for a few additional minute. You can also add in more Parmesan to thicken it.
• Use silken tofu in place of cream – similar to my creamy tofu sauce recipes, you can replace heavy cream with blended silken tofu for a lighter, higher in protein version!

Frequently Asked Questions