One of our absolute favorite parts about cooking is the discovery of a new (to us) combination that has us totally obsessed from the get-go. Now, we’ve made and loved panzanella before, which is an Italian salad consisting of stale bread and tomatoes, among other things, that soak up a vinegar-y dressing and tastes delightfully refreshing in the summer, but the way we used bread in this recipe was a bit different….
This roasted white bean spinach tomato skillet is heartier than a salad, thanks to the spinach and beans, and is a deliciously hot, cheesy dish that will have everyone clamoring to eat a giant serving of veggies because it’s just that good. We credit a lot of that to the toasted and golden, garlic-flecked cubes of sourdough that make up the base of this recipe. They toast perfectly, then soak up the remaining liquid from the spinach, tomato and beans. Speaking of tomatoes, you won’t believe how amazing they are in this skillet dinner!
Adding the tomatoes once you’ve toasted the bread, but before the whole thing goes in the oven gives them time to sear and pop, which releases their juices and adds just the right amount of sweetness to the dish. Cherry or grape tomatoes are just the ticket here and they’re by far our favorite part, so don’t skip them! Hot, crusty bread, sweet tomatoes, and nutrient and protein-packed spinach and cannellini beans, all topped with cheese…it really doesn’t get better than this!
White Bean Tomato Skillet
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
- 1 sourdough loaf, cut into cubes (2 1/2 cups)
- 2 1/2 pounds grape or cherry tomatoes, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (10.25 oz.) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add bread cubes. Cook, stirring frequently so bread browns and absorbs oil, for 5 minutes, or until toasted.
- Add tomatoes and garlic and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until tomatoes start to break down. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir in Italian seasoning.
- Stir in spinach and cannellini beans, then remove from heat and stir in freshly chopped basil.
- Top with parmesan cheese, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Place in oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned and tomatoes are bubbly.
- Serve hot and enjoy.
Recipe adapted from Well Plated