Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Beans (Vegan High-Protein)
These Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Beans are rich with Mediterranean flavours and are a vegan, high-protein and gluten-free one-pan ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s delicious with breads, pasta or other wholegrains.
I have seen so many “marry me” chickpeas or beans, as a vegan alternative to the viral “marry me chicken”, so while this recipe is inspired by this trend, it’s a little different. I have used similar herbs like dried oregano and basil with the traditional sun-dried tomatoes, but we also have some chilli flakes, fresh tomato and lots of high-protein and high-fibre cannellini beans, too. This is a great one-pan mid-week meal that’s also great for meal prep, and like most sauce-based recipes, tastes even better the next day.
Why will I love this recipe?
These beans are amazing:
- Creamy, saucy and packed with flavour
- Mediterranean vibes
- A vegan, healthful spin on “marry me” chicken
- Full of fibre and protein from the beans
- Contains skin-friendly vitamins and minerals
- Great for the gut
- Contains at least 10 different plants
- Contains healthy fats from olive oil
- Naturally plant-based, egg-free and dairy-free
- Gluten-free and easily nut-free
- Great for meal prep
- Delicious for weekdays or weekends
- Ideal mopped up with bread or toast
- Also great with wholegrains like quinoa, buckwheat, rice or spooned into baked potatoes
- everyone will love them
- Easy to make in one pan
- Ready in 25 minutes
If you already love the sound of these beans, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s dicuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below and also see my “shop the recipe” section for my favourite and recommended products.
To make the beans:
- Olive oil: or your favourite oil for cooking with.
- Spring onion: or white onion, shallot or red onion.
- Garlic: for a lovely rich flavour.
- Herbs and spices: this recipe uses dried oregano, dried basil and chilli flakes.
- Fresh tomatoes: I love using one large ripe tomato here, but you can use smaller cherry tomatoes, too.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: these add so much flavour.
- Tomato puree: to add a rich tomato flavour.
- Cannellini beans: I use the Bold Bean Co cannellini beans, and make sure to save their bean brine or liquid, as we use some of this in the recipe.
- Coconut milk: I like to use a carton of coconut milk here, to keep the recipe lighter, but you can use a tin of full-fat or light tinned coconut.
- Dairy-free yoghurt or coconut cream: this adds creaminess. I use NUSH protein plain yoghurt, or Cocos Organic coconut yoghurt. Make sure it’s natural, unsweetened and contains only minimal ingredients.
- Spinach: for some iron-rich goodness. This recipe would also work kale.
- Salt and pepper: to season.
And to serve:
- Roasted cherry tomatoes: add a vine of tomatoes to a roasting tray in the oven and roast for 20 minutes to turn really sticky and juicy.
- Extra yoghurt: as above.
- Spring onion and herbs: for flavour and texture.
- Pine nuts: I love adding toasted/roasted pine nuts for flavour and crunch, but you can leave these off, or use sunflower seeds or some vegan parmesan, too.
- Bread or toast: I use sourdough bread here, but you can also enjoy these cannellini beans with pasta, wholegrains like brown rice, quinoa or buckwheat. These are also great served in a baked potato.
Are these beans gluten-free and nut-free?
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and nut-free, as long as your bread is gluten-free and do not add the pine nuts on top. You can also add some sunflower seeds on top, or serve these inside a baked roasted potato, with pasta or other wholegrains.
How do I make them?
These beans are ready to go in a few steps:
- Roast some cherry vine tomatoes: for 20 minutes in the oven on a tray (these are optional).
- Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan and fry the spring onion and garlic: for a few minutes.
- Add in the chopped tomatoes, herbs and chilli: and cook for 5 minutes, to soften.
- Pour in the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato puree, beans and their liquid: along with the coconut milk and yoghurt. Stir well.
- Place the spinach in the pan: and cook for another 5 minutes, to wilt the leaves.
- Serve in bowls with roasted tomatoes, extra yoghurt and bread: or other accompaniments.
How long will they last?
Once cool, keep these beans in the fridge for 2-3 days in a sealed container, or for 1 month in the freezer. Allow to defrost before warming back up in a saucepan for 5-10 minutes.
What other recipes can I try?
For more one-pan meals:
- Vegan Tomato Pesto Lasagne Soup
- Creamy Harissa Leek Aubergine and Butterbeans
- Sun-Dried Tomato Bean and Pasta Minestrone Soup
- Creamy Curried Chickpeas on Toast
- Chipotle Black Beans with Guacamole
Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Beans (Vegan High-Protein)
These Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Beans are rich with Mediterranean flavours and are a vegan, high-protein and gluten-free one-pan ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s delicious with breads, pasta or other wholegrains.
Ingredients
For the Beans:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 spring onions, chopped small
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- Herbs: 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, ¼ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 large tomato, chopped (160g)
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 60g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans (240g beans)
- 120 coconut milk (carton or tin)*
- 60g thick dairy-free yoghurt or coconut cream
- 60g baby spinach
- Salt and pepper
To Serve:
- 2 small vines cherry tomatoes, roasted
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- 1 spring onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp thick dairy-free yoghurt
- Fresh basil, chopped
- Bread, toast, pasta or wholegrains
Instructions
- If making roasted tomatoes, preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Add the tomato vines to the tray, rub with a little oil and roast for 20 minutes, until bursting.
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan and add the onion and garlic. Fry for 1-2 minutes, until softened slightly then add in the oregano, basil and chilli flakes with the chopped tomatoes. Cook over a medium-high heat for 5 minutes with a lid on, to soften the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Drain the cannellini beans, saving the brine/liquid. You will need about 80ml of the reserved liquid.
- Now add in the tomato puree, sun-dried tomatoes, beans and 80ml of their liquid, coconut milk and the yoghurt. Stir well over the heat for 5 minutes, to warm through.
- Add in the spinach and cook for a further 5 minutes to wilt the leaves.
- Ladle the beans into two bowls and top with a spoon of yoghurt, the roasted tomatoes, some pine nuts, spring onion and fresh basil. Serve with your favourite bread/toast or other wholegrains.
- Enjoy straight away or allow to cool and keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days or the freezer for 1 month. Allow to defrost and warm back up in the pan for 5-10 minutes.
Notes
*You can use a carton of drinking coconut milk for a lighter sauce, or for a creamier meal, use full-fat coconut milk (or try light coocnut milk).
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Beans so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest so please say hello!
With bean-y love x
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