Pizza beans are one of the Internet's favorite comfort-food trends of 2026, and this white bean skillet version turns the concept into a Mediterranean-style one-pan dinner. Fiber-rich cannellini beans simmer in a fire-roasted tomato sauce with fennel and oregano, picking up the rich flavors of pizza sauce, then finish under melted mozzarella. Scoop it up with whole wheat pita bread or grilled sourdough slices for a hearty meatless dinner in about 30 minutes.
Recipe highlights ✨
- Hearty and satisfying, without meat. Cannellini beans, tomatoes, and vegetables simmer down into a saucy, substantial base that fills you up quickly and leaves you satisfied all evening.
- Plenty of fiber and protein. This bean skillet recipe has 18 grams of protein and a whopping 12 grams of fiber per serving (this includes the accompanying whole wheat pita bread). It also boasts plenty of healthy fats and micronutrients for a well-balanced one-pan family meal.
- A convenient and dependable Meatless Monday anchor. Made with simple veggies and pantry staples, it's a crowd-pleasing vegetarian favorite.
Bean skillet dinners make Meatless Monday work
Calling anything from 2003 a tradition might be a stretch, but Meatless Monday earns the designation. The concept goes back further, to the days of World War I rations, but it's been consistently showing up in social media feeds and on family dinner tables for more than two decades now. That's long enough to count as a habit, not just a health trend.
As a solid source of fiber and protein, beans are a staple of Meatless Monday dinner recipes. Paired with vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, they have the same bulk and staying power you'd expect from meat. Like my Mediterranean chickpea skillet, these pizza beans fill you up quickly and keep you full well past mealtime.
Familiar flavors close the deal. A family member who pushes back on lentil stew might ask for seconds of something that tastes like pizza: rich tomato sauce, melted cheese, and toasted bread to scoop it all up with. Building a meatless dinner around a flavor everyone already loves can help get the ball rolling when you're trying to change your family's eating habits for the healthier.
Ingredients and substitutions
Tomatoes: Good canned tomatoes are a must. I use Muir Glen's fire-roasted diced tomatoes for their depth, and either Mutti or DeLallo for the tomato paste. Cheaper brands tend to taste thin once the sauce reduces, so this is one place worth spending a little more.
Mushrooms: Use fresh mushrooms here, not canned. White button or cremini both work, and sautéing them until their moisture cooks off is what makes them meaty and chewy rather than rubbery.
Bell pepper: One large green bell pepper, or two small ones if that's what you have. Red or yellow pepper works too, though green keeps the classic pizza flavor most people expect.
Beans: Cannellini beans add bulk and texture. Drain and rinse them before adding, so you're not diluting the sauce with extra liquid.
Oregano and fennel: Dried oregano and crushed fennel seed really reinforce that Italian pizza flavor. Don't skip the fennel; it's the ingredient that recalls that "Italian sausage" taste, even though there's no sausage in the pot.
Black olives: These just add to the "combination pizza" flavor stack. Feel free to leave them out if you aren't a fan.
Cheese: Pre-shredded mozzarella is the move here. Convenience matters more than a fresh grate in a weeknight skillet like this cheesy white bean skillet, and pre-shredded melts just fine under the broiler.
Bread: I serve this recipe with whole wheat pita bread or grilled sourdough. The whole wheat pita adds a significant boost in fiber and protein, so I highly recommend it if you can find it.
Tips for the best pizza beans skillet
Let the tomato paste caramelize. Don't rush this step. Cooking the tomato paste in the pan until the edges start to darken concentrates its flavor and gets you much closer to real pizza sauce.
Crush the fennel seed. Whole fennel seeds can hide in the sauce and surprise you with an unpleasant bite. Crushing it, or using ground fennel if that's what you have, releases more of its flavor and gives the sauce that "Italian sausage" flair that makes this bean skillet dinner actually taste like pizza.
Take the shortcut when you need it. Short on time or pantry space? Swap in a can of Italian-style diced tomatoes, which usually include basil, oregano, and garlic. I'd still add the fennel seed, since that's the flavor nothing else replaces, but you can skip the additional dried herbs.
Make it your own. This skillet is a good base for playing around with pizza toppings you actually like: sun-dried tomatoes, a handful of spinach, a different olive. I'd love to hear what you'd add. What are your favorite pizza toppings?
Meal prep and storage
Prep ahead: Dice the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms up to a day ahead and store them in the fridge, so all that's left to do is cook. You can also make these pizza beans ahead and reheat them when you're ready to eat; just hold off on the cheese until you're ready to serve, so it's freshly melted and soft when it hits the table.
Storage: Leftovers keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or in the microwave, covered, in one-minute increments at 70% power.
Did you make this recipe?
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Cheesy Pizza Beans Skillet
Special Equipment
- 10-inch oven-safe skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 8 ounces white button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 green bell peppers, chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ⅓ cup vegetable broth, or water
- 1 14-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon fennel seed, crushed (or ¼ teaspoon ground fennel)
- 2½ cups low-sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cans)
- ¼ cup sliced black olives, drained
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional/to taste
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 pieces whole wheat pita bread, warmed
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 medium onion,, 2 cloves garlic,
- Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have released their moisture and it has mostly cooked off. Add the green bell peppers and sauté until they just start to soften, 2-3 minutes.8 ounces white button or cremini mushrooms,, 2 green bell peppers,
- Add the tomato paste and mix it into the vegetables. Let everything cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes, until the tomato paste starts to deepen in color.3 tablespoons tomato paste
- Carefully pour in the broth or water and stir into the vegetables and tomato paste, scraping to release any browned bits stuck to the pan.⅓ cup vegetable broth,
- Stir in the canned tomatoes, oregano, crushed fennel seed, beans, salt, and pepper flakes.1 14-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes,, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, ½ teaspoon fennel seed, crushed (or ¼ teaspoon ground fennel), 2½ cups low-sodium cannellini beans,, ½ teaspoon kosher salt,, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes,
- Bring to a moderate simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the moisture from the tomatoes reduces and the mixture becomes saucy. While the stew simmers, move an oven rack to the second level down from the top and turn your broiler on high.
- Stir in the olives. Taste the stew and add more salt if needed (this will depend on the saltiness of your tomatoes, so this is definitely a "salt to taste" situation). Sprinkle the cheese over the top of your skillet.¼ cup sliced black olives,, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil until the cheese is melted and toasty, about 3 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition*
*All nutritional values are estimates only. They are calculated by an online resource.
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