Description
A quick, 15-minute weeknight dinner featuring creamy white beans, garlic, lemon, and spinach in a rich skillet sauce. This vegetarian-friendly meal is pantry-friendly, requires only one pan for easy cleanup, and delivers sophisticated Mediterranean flavors without the effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cans (15 oz each) Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- 4–5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 medium Yellow onion, diced
- 3 cups Fresh baby spinach
- ½ cup Chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian)
- 1 large Lemon (zest and juice)
- 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup Fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice onion, mince garlic, zest and juice lemon, chop parsley, and drain/rinse beans.
- Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
- Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add drained beans to the skillet and stir for 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth and sprinkle with dried oregano; simmer for 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Toss in fresh spinach and stir until wilted (about 1 minute).
- Remove skillet from heat. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
For a thicker sauce, mash about ¼ of the beans against the side of the pan before adding cream. Use fresh lemon juice and zest for best flavor. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze out all excess water. This dish is best served fresh; freezing is not recommended as the cream may separate.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the skillet
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 12
Keywords: Mediterranean, white beans, skillet dinner, weeknight dinner, vegetarian, creamy, one pan, quick meals, healthy dinner, gluten-free