Sheet pan butter beans with tomatoes and pesto
Butter beans and cherry tomatoes roasted until the tomatoes burst and the beans crisp, then tossed with basil pesto and torn fresh mozzarella, a sheet pan dinner for two that feels like summer.
- 30 min total
- 10 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 2
- About $4.75 a serving
- 730 calories
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 2 cans butter beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 package cherry tomatoes
- ½ red onion, cut into thin wedges
- 3 tbsp basil pesto
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella, torn
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, torn (optional)
- ¼ French bread, for serving (optional)
From your pantry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 730 calories, 33 g protein, 69 g carbs and 36 g fat, and costs about $4.75 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No red onions? White onions or yellow onions work.
- No French bread? Sourdough bread works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°F.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
the beans, tomatoes and onion on a with the oil, salt and pepper, and spread them out.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
20 minutes, until the tomatoes have burst and the beans are in spots.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Timer: 20 min
Spoon the pesto over the hot pan and gently, pressing a few tomatoes so their juice mixes into the sauce.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Tear the mozzarella over the top and scatter the basil. Serve with bread for the juices.
Dolly’s tip: The warm beans soften the mozzarella just enough without melting it away.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
