Full of flavour and vibrant colour, these Mediterranean Baked Beans are a very satisfying meat-free meal or side dish. For convenience, we have used canned beans, making them perfect for busy nights. The beans are baked in the oven until succulent and creamy, with olive oil, tomatoes, Mediterranean herbs, and spices.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- This is an easy recipe, perfect for those days when time is short, but you still want to provide a meal which is enjoyable and nourishing.
- You can make it in advance. Like a lot of similar dishes, such as my Lentil and Vegetable Stew, the flavours have time to develop and are even richer the next day.
- You can vary the recipe to suit your taste or according to ingredients that you have on hand.
- This one-pot, meat-free meal requires little more than some crusty bread to enjoy with the sauce.
- The dish is naturally gluten-free, nut-free and vegan if you omit the cheese topping.
Recipe Inspiration: my work from home lunches often feature a can of beans, and like my Tuscan Stewed Beans, this is one of my favourite ways to enjoy them.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Extra virgin olive oil – our preference is to use the first pressed, unrefined olive oil. EVOO is a vital ingredient in Mediterranean dishes. Use the best quality olive oil that you have.
- Brown/yellow onion – a versatile onion and the most popular for cooking. Use a white onion if you prefer.
- Garlic – for the best flavour, we use fresh garlic cloves.
- Canned tomatoes – we use crushed tomatoes, but you can use diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes and chop them yourself.
- Water – after adding the tomatoes to the saucepan, we rinse the can with a small amount of water to remove the remaining tomato.
- Rosemary – fresh rosemary adds great flavour. If you only have the dried herb, use one third of the amount as it is concentrated.
- Fresh thyme leaves – this aromatic, fresh herb adds great flavour.
- Dried oregano – a traditional Mediterranean herb. In this instance I prefer the dried herb as the flavour is more subtle than the fresh.
- Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt – essential seasoning ingredients.
- Dried chilli pepper flakes – adds gentle heat. Add according to your preference or omit if you prefer.
- Cannellini beans – creamy and mild flavoured, they are extremely versatile. One of our favourite ways to use them is in the quick and easy Cannellini Bean Dip.
- Fresh basil leaves – add vibrant colour and flavour to the finished dish.
- Feta cheese or fresh goat cheese – add some to the Baked Beans when serving. This is optional, but we love the added creaminess and contrast of flavours.
Variations:
Herbs – vary the herbs to suit your taste. For instance, you could use marjoram, parsley or a bay leaf if you prefer.
Spices – if you would like a smoky edge to the beans, some smoked paprika would work well.
Other additions – Kalamata olives or some baby spinach would be delicious.
How To Make Mediterranean Baked Beans:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Sauté your onion and garlic:
Heat an ovenproof saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat and add the olive oil and chopped onions. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
2 – Prepare the tomato sauce:
Add the tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3 – Add in the beans:
Add the beans and stir. Put the lid on the saucepan, and place in the oven.
Cook for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through and ensuring there is enough liquid – add a little water if it gets dry.
4 – Cook until richly flavoured:
Once cooked, serve with fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. I also like to crumble over some feta or goat cheese and enjoy with crusty bread.
Hint: always ensure you check the finished dish to see that the seasoning is to your liking. Add additional salt, pepper or chilli flakes if necessary.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
Yes, you could use another type of bean, such as a borlotti, butter bean or kidney bean.
Yes, you can. In fact, if it’s made a day ahead, it gives the flavours time to meld and develop. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yes, it is ideal to freeze. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Be sure to label and date the container as frozen dishes can be difficult to identify.
Top Tip:
Although this recipe can be prepared on the stovetop, we have found the flavour develops much better when oven baked.
Serving Suggestions:
My Mediterranean Baked Beans are extremely versatile, suitable to serve at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Some serving suggestions are:
- With rice or polenta – they go so well together.
- Just add bread, such as my No-Knead Spelt Focaccia. It is ideal for enjoying the delicious sauce.
- Enjoy them for breakfast with an egg and toast.
- Whole Roasted Baby Potatoes or Roasted Brocollini make a great side dish.
These Mediterranean Baked Beans are hearty and nutritious and a great addition to your family meal plans. Perfect for days when time is short, they are comforting, nourishing, and sustaining, as well as budget friendly.
Alex xx
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Mediterranean Baked Beans
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
For the Mediterranean Baked Beans:
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 1
- 1 medium brown/yellow onion – finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves – finely chopped
- 400 g (14 oz) tin of crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon water – I rinse out the can of tomatoes with it
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary – finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves – finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper See Note 2
- ½ teaspoon red chilli pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 800 g (28 oz) tinned cannellini beans – drained and rinsed See Note 3
For Serving:
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves – finely chopped
- extra virgin olive oil – a drizzle
- feta cheese or fresh goat cheese – to serve
- crusty bread
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (355 F).
- In a medium-sized oven proof saucepan on your stovetop, heat to medium and add in the olive oil and chopped onions. Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring to ensure it doesn't burn. Add in the garlic and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes, water, herbs, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add in the beans and stir. Put on the lid, and place the dish in oven.
- Cook for 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove from the oven and stir. Ensure there is enough liquid – add in a little water if it gets a bit dry.Once cooked, check that the seasoning is to your liking, adjusting if necessary.
- Serve with the fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. Crumble over some feta cheese or goat cheese if you like, and enjoy with some crusty bread.
Notes
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour. Add more red chilli pepper flakes if you like the heat.
- Cannellini beans: you could also use butter, borlotti or red kidney beans.
- Storage: the Mediterranean Baked Beans can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: allow to cool completely before storing in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Be sure to label and date the container as frozen dishes can be difficult to identify.
- Reheating: gently reheat in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. Add a little water if necessary.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Liz
So yummy!!! We loved the additon of all the herbs—this will be our new go-to recipe for baked beans!!
Alexandra Cook
Thrilled to hear this, Liz 🙂
Thanks so much, Alex xo
Erin
These beans were unlike any I had ever had before but were SO good! I can’t wait to make these again.
Alexandra Cook
Hey Erin!
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, and I am so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Alex xo