PERSONAL INTERNET EDITIONDinner / Sample recipe
Tomato beans
30 minutes · vegan · gluten-free
Creamy white beans simmered with tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil for a flexible one-pan meal.
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Let’s make it
- Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.
- Stir in the tomatoes and salt, then simmer until slightly thickened.
- Fold in the beans and cook until creamy around the edges.
- Finish with parsley and a final drizzle of olive oil.
Tomato beans are the kind of meal that can sit between categories. They are a stew with toast, a side dish beside eggs, or a warm topping for rice. The method is forgiving, but the order matters. Garlic blooms gently in oil first, tomatoes reduce next, and the beans go in last so they stay intact while still turning creamy.
Canned beans work well here. Rinse them if the liquid tastes flat, or keep a little of the liquid if it is savory and helps the sauce thicken. The tomatoes should cook long enough to lose their raw edge. When the beans are added, press a few against the side of the pan to give the sauce more body.
This recipe welcomes leftovers. Fold in roasted peppers, wilted greens, or a spoonful of chili paste if the meal needs more force. For a calmer version, add a little water and simmer it into something closer to soup.
The finished pan should look relaxed rather than dry. Beans continue absorbing liquid as they sit, so keep a splash of water nearby and loosen them before serving. Good olive oil at the end makes the whole dish feel deliberate. Serve with lemon if the tomatoes taste especially sweet.
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