Irresistible Cheesy French Onion White Beans: Easy One-Pan Dinner!
Canned white beans can make a substantial French onion-inspired dinner without becoming soup. The onions cook until deeply golden, then simmer briefly with beans and a little broth. A layer of melted cheese gives the skillet its familiar French onion finish, while toasted bread adds crunch if you have some on hand.
The distinction from soup is mostly about liquid. Use enough broth to coat the beans and loosen the browned bits in the pan, but not enough to submerge them. The result is a spoonable skillet dinner with soft onions, intact beans, and cheese in every serving.
Cheesy French Onion White Beans
Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: About 15 minutes
Cook time: About 45 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, about 1 pound (450 g) total, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, optional
- 2 cans (15 ounces or about 425 g each) cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup (180 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, plus a little more if needed
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, optional; use a vegetarian version if needed
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup (about 4 ounces or 115 g) shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
- 1 to 2 slices sturdy bread, toasted and torn into pieces, optional
Instructions
Cook the onions. Heat the oil in a 10- to 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and salt. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the onions soften and turn deep golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Lower the heat if they begin to scorch. If browned bits stick to the pan, add a tablespoon or two of water and scrape them up.
Add the seasonings. Stir in the garlic and thyme. Cook for about 1 minute, until the garlic smells fragrant. If using wine, pour it in and scrape the bottom of the skillet. Simmer until most of the wine has evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Simmer the beans. Add the drained beans, broth, and Worcestershire sauce, if using. Stir gently and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a light sauce around the beans. Season with pepper and taste before adding more salt.
Add the cheese. Position an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler and turn the broiler on. Scatter the cheese over the beans. If using bread, tuck the toasted pieces into the top of the skillet, leaving some exposed so they stay crisp.
Broil and serve. Broil for 1 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese melts and develops a few browned spots. Broilers vary, and the cheese can go from golden to burnt quickly. Let the skillet stand for a few minutes before serving.
Getting the onions golden without burning them
The onions take longer than the beans, and they provide most of the dish’s flavor. Thin slices cook down into a soft, sweet layer that gives the skillet its French onion character. A wide pan helps moisture escape; a crowded pan will still work, but the onions may spend more time steaming before they brown.
Start over medium heat and stir occasionally. Once the onions have softened and begun to color, pay closer attention to the bottom of the skillet. Brown residue is useful flavor, but blackened patches taste bitter. Turn down the heat when the pan looks too hot, and loosen stuck bits with a small splash of water. You can repeat that as needed without adding much liquid to the finished dish.
Aim for onions that are evenly golden to deep brown and soft enough to fold into the beans. They do not need to be nearly black. If time is short, stop when they are well browned rather than rushing them over high heat. Cooking them faster at a higher temperature is more likely to burn their edges than to develop the same sweetness.
The optional wine lifts browned onion bits from the pan and adds a little acidity. Broth can do the same job if you prefer not to open a bottle. Thyme and a small amount of Worcestershire sauce round out the savory flavor, but the onions should remain the main event.
Choosing beans and controlling the sauce
Cannellini beans have a creamy interior and work well here, though some canned brands are softer than others. Great northern beans are slightly smaller and often hold their shape well during a short simmer. Either makes a good dinner. Avoid stirring vigorously once the beans go into the skillet, especially if they look delicate after draining.
Rinsing removes the thick canning liquid, making it easier to judge how much broth the dish needs. Start with the amount in the recipe, then watch the skillet as it simmers. The finished beans should sit in a small amount of glossy liquid, not float in broth. If the pan looks soupy, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes before adding the cheese. If it looks dry, stir in a splash of broth or water.
Salt levels vary among canned beans, broth, cheese, and Worcestershire sauce. Taste the beans after the liquid reduces, when those flavors are concentrated. A squeeze of lemon juice at the table can brighten a particularly rich batch without changing the cooking method.
Cheese, bread, and the right skillet
Gruyère melts smoothly and has a nutty flavor associated with French onion soup. Swiss cheese is usually less expensive and works well, too. Shred either from a block if possible; it tends to melt more evenly than some packaged shredded cheeses. For a stronger topping, use a mixture of Swiss and a little Parmesan, checking the Parmesan label if the meal needs to be vegetarian. Traditional Parmesan is made with animal rennet.
The bread is optional because the beans already make the dish filling. Toasting it first keeps the exposed pieces crisp under the broiler. Day-old sandwich bread, a leftover roll, or a piece of baguette can all work. Tear the bread into manageable pieces so each serving gets some cheese and crunch.
Use a skillet whose pan and handle are rated for broiler heat. Cast iron and many all-metal stainless steel skillets are suitable, but check the manufacturer’s instructions, especially for nonstick pans or handles with plastic, wood, or silicone parts. If your skillet cannot go under the broiler, transfer the hot beans to a broiler-safe baking dish before adding the cheese. You can also cover the skillet briefly over low heat to melt the cheese, though it will not brown on top.
Vegetarian swaps and inexpensive ways to serve it
For a vegetarian skillet, use vegetable broth and omit the Worcestershire sauce unless its label confirms that it contains no anchovies. A small splash of soy sauce can add savory depth in its place, though you may need less salt. Check the cheese label as well if you avoid animal rennet.
This recipe is flexible about what accompanies it. Serve the beans in shallow bowls with a green salad, or spoon them over baked potatoes to stretch the skillet into more servings. Roasted cabbage or steamed greens are inexpensive sides that cut through the richness of the cheese. For lunch the next day, warm a portion and pile it onto toast.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. Bread topping will soften in storage, so keep any extra toasted bread separate and add it after reheating.
The onions require patience, but the rest of the meal comes together quickly from cans and a few familiar ingredients. Keep the broth modest, let it reduce around the beans, and finish with cheese: the skillet will have the comfort of French onion soup and enough substance to stand on its own for dinner.
