Healthy cooking and eating can often feel elusive, expensive and time prohibitive. This quick and family-friendly recipe, made with affordable pantry staples, proves the opposite to be true. White beans are packed with plant-based protein and fiber, and provide a neutral base for punchy tomato sauce and creamy mozzarella cheese, giving pizza vibes, but delivered in a healthful way. Tomato sauce is a flavorful way to incorporate a plethora of vitamins and minerals into your diet. Rich in vitamins C, A, K, B, potassium, folate and manganese, as well as cancer-fighting lycopene, you’ll want to incorporate tomatoes into your cooking to support your overall well-being. Mozzarella cheese contains gut-boosting probiotics, as well as protein, calcium and iron. Incorporating just a few vegetarian meals throughout your week benefits both your health and the health of the planet. Serve this recipe alongside a big green salad and some toasty bread to soak up any extra sauce.
Serves 4
Total Time: 40 minutes (10 minutes of hands-on time)
Ingredients:
- 2 15-ounce cans of giant white beans (substitute cannellini or Northern white beans if needed), rinsed and drained
- 1 26-ounce jar of tomato sauce
- 6-8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese (or substitute 1 cup shredded mozzarella)
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh basil, to serve (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large baking dish, mix together the beans and tomato sauce and smooth into an even layer.
- Top the beans with the mozzarella cheese, sprinkle over the parmesan cheese, then the panko breadcrumbs. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly around the edges. Broil for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese if desired.
- Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle over the fresh basil, if using. Enjoy!
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