This cheesy Lasagna Beans recipe is a mash-up of my famous lasagna soup and gigantes plaki (Greek baked beans), where giant beans replace pasta. I just know you’ll agree…beans never tasted SO GOOD!!
Have you met Smitten Kitchen’s pizza beans recipe yet? Deb’s mash-up of a Greek giant-beans-in-tomato-sauce dish and an American-style ziti combines tender gigante beans with rich tomato sauce and melty cheese – it’s a dish that’s every bit as wonderful as it sounds. I riffed on her genius idea, to create this Lasagna Beans recipe, where I replaced the lasagna noodles with giant white beans. Just like my Lasagna Soup, this new recipe has big dollops of that signature, irresistible Cheesy Yum. This is one bean recipe that’ll get your whole family running to the table!
What Makes These Lasagna Beans So Amazingly Delicious
For a more in-depth look at what makes this dish so irresistible, let me break it down:
- Super fun giant beans. Gigante beans are creamy, tender legumes and they’re the heart of this dish, bringing a fantastic texture that pairs perfectly with the other textures and flavors in this recipe.
- Rich tomato sauce. No jarred sauce here — we’re starting with a can of crushed tomatoes and layering in onions, garlic, and Italian seasoning for flavor.
- Italian sausage. For even more Italian flavor and a meaty bite. This makes the lasagna beans extra satisfying!
- Cheesy Yum (and extra cheese for good measure). A mixture of ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella is dolloped over the tomato/meat/bean mixture, then mozzarella and Parmesan tops the baking dish too. This gives fantastic creaminess and so much flavor!
What You’ll Need
Here’s a rundown of the ingredients you’ll need to bring this deliciousness to life! Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
Cheesy Yum:
- Ricotta – I use whole milk ricotta, which has maximum creaminess and full flavor.
- Parmesan – Adds a salty, nutty, umami flavor. You can use freshly grated, but this is a recipe where you can get away with using the green bottle of shaky cheese too. No shame!
- Salt & pepper – I use freshly ground pepper and kosher salt.
- Mozzarella – If you can find it, opt for whole milk mozzarella for richer, creamier results.
Lasagna Beans:
- Gigante white beans – You can substitute smaller cannellini beans if needed, but gigante beans are absolutely worth seeking out. They’re so unique and fun! These are the gigante beans I use, which I picked up at Whole Foods.
- Italian sausage – You can use mild or spicy sausage for this recipe. Just remember, hot Italian sausage can pack some serious heat!
- Onion and garlic – These form the backbone of flavor for the tomato sauce, adding savoriness and a hint of earthy sweetness.
- Crushed tomatoes – I like these because they have a bit more texture to them than tomato sauce.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper add classic Italian flavor to the sauce for these lasagna beans.
- Cheese – A combination of mozzarella for melty goodness and epic cheese pulls, along with Parmesan for flavor.
- Basil – For garnish.
What Are Gigante Beans?
Gigante beans are exactly what they sound like — gigantic beans! They’re a beloved ingredient in Greek cuisine, prized for their buttery texture and ability to soak up flavors beautifully. These large white beans are typically found dried and need to be soaked and cooked before use, so allow time for this. Follow the instructions in the recipe card and cook them well before starting the lasagna beans.
How to Make Lasagna Beans
You’ve got your gigante beans soaked, cooked, and ready to go — now it’s lasagna beans time! Here are the steps for making this recipe.
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 450ºF and make the Cheesy Yum by stirring together the ricotta, Parm, salt, and pepper, then folding in the mozzarella.
- Brown the sausage and onion. Add the sausage and onion to an oven-safe pan or Dutch oven set over medium to medium-low heat, and cook until the sausage is browned. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, then drain off any grease.
- Add the tomatoes and beans. Pour in the tomatoes and deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and fold in the beans. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the Italian seasoning and red pepper; simmer for 10 minutes.
- Assemble. Season to taste and spread the beans mixture into an even layer. Drop dollops of Cheesy Yum over the beans and sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.
- Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, then add the Parmesan and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more. The cheese should be melted and just beginning to brown in spots.
- Serve. Garnish with basil and serve with garlic bread.
Tips & Variations
Here are some pointers for making these lasagna beans, along with some ways to customize the recipe to your family’s tastes.
- Make sure the beans are cooked. Be sure to allow time for the beans to become perfectly tender and creamy. This will give you the very best lasagna beans experience.
- Add more liquid if needed. When you’re simmering the beans and sauce, if you notice the pot looks dry, you can add a splash of water. You want to make sure the mixture is saucy!
- Use an oven-safe pan. To go directly from the stovetop to the oven, use a Dutch oven or a braiser that holds about 3 quarts. If you don’t have one or you’re not sure if your cooking vessel is oven-safe, just transfer the beans mixture from your stovetop pan to a casserole dish and proceed with assembling the dish.
- Make it meatless. You can skip the Italian sausage and add diced green bell peppers and sliced mushrooms instead; cook them with the onion.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite pairing with lasagna beans is Cheesy Homemade Garlic Bread, although a good crusty bakery bread will also work. A simple salad dressed with Italian Vinaigrette is an awesome pairing too!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: You can also freeze leftover lasagna beans. Place them in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating
- To reheat: Warm your leftovers in a baking dish covered with foil in a 350ºF oven. The microwave also works if that’s your best (or only) option.
More Lasagna-Inspired Recipes
Lasagna Beans
Yield: 6 servings
A mash-up of my famous Lasagna Soup and gigantes plaki (Greek baked beans), where giant beans replace the pasta!
Print
Ingredients
Cheesy Yum
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella (use shredded whole milk mozzarella, if you can find it)
Lasagna Beans
- 12 ounces dry gigante white beans, cooked until tender and creamy, yet still firm (See Notes below) (or use 3 cups canned/cooked gigante white beans, rinsed and drained)
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) crushed tomatoes with no added salt/seasonings, with juices (do not drain)
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning mix
- ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup small fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Note: Before you start, know that if you are cooking dry gigante beans from scratch, you will need to allow extra time. See Notes below.
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
Cheesy Yum
- In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Then fold in mozzarella. Set aside.
Lasagna Beans
- Heat a 2.5 to 3-quart oven-safe deep saute pan, braiser, or shallow Dutch oven over medium to medium-low heat, and brown the sausage with the onion. Stir often, breaking the sausage into small bites. Once the sausage has cooked through and is a bit browned, stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain away any excess grease.
- Add crushed tomatoes to pan, stirring and scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Bring to a simmer, then fold in the cooked beans. Turn heat down to low and stir in the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Let simmer for 10 minutes. If the mixture is dry, depending on the tomatoes that you use, add a bit of water to loosen it up.
- Taste test, then add salt and pepper, to taste. (If your pan is not oven-safe, now transfer mixture to a 3-quart oven-safe baking dish.) Spread lasagna beans into an even layer, then dollop the prepared cheesy yum over the top, in 8 dollops. With the back of a spoon, press the dollops down into the lasagna beans a bit, to create a more even top surface. Sprinkle mozzarella over the top.
- Bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese is very melty. Then sprinkle Parmesan over the top and bake 5-10 minutes more, or until everything is bubbly and the cheese is melted and just a bit browned.
- Remove from oven and garnish with small fresh basil leaves. Serve with your favorite garlic bread, for scooping up the lasagna beans.
Notes
How to cook gigante beans:
- Add the dry beans to a colander and rinse under cool water.
- Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Let soak overnight, about 12 hours.
- Drain the beans and transfer them to a large pot. Add water to cover beans by 2 inches.
- On the stovetop, bring the water just to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Stir in 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt. Check the beans now every 20-30 minutes. The goal is for the beans to have soft, creamy centers while still holding their shape. With the beans I use, this usually takes right around 2 hours total simmering time.
- Drain the beans.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 776kcal Carbohydrates: 52g Protein: 46g Fat: 44g Saturated Fat: 20g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 16g Cholesterol: 126mg Sodium: 1346mg Potassium: 1784mg Fiber: 12g Sugar: 9g Vitamin A: 1002IU Vitamin C: 17mg Calcium: 652mg Iron: 9mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
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