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    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

    Jan 28, 2018 · Modified: Oct 18, 2021 by Becca Heyes · This post may contain affiliate links · 42 Comments

    Cheesy Bean Bake

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    Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    4.72 from 14 votes
    Jump to Recipe Rate this Recipe

    This cheesy bean bake is the perfect vegetarian crowd-pleaser! With cheesy beans, rice and a rich tomato sauce.

    Cheese and tomato bean bake in a baking dish, with a scoop removed

    I'm so excited about this cheesy bean bake! You guys love my very veggie lentil bake so ridiculously much (way more than I thought you would, actually) that I thought I'd make you a bean-based alternative - and it worked even better than I was hoping!

    I think I might have enjoyed this bean bake even more than I enjoyed the lentil bake? Maybe? It's a tough one to call. But it's a good sign when I make such a big batch of something that we have to eat it for three nights on the trot, and we don't mind one bit.

    (You could probably freeze any leftovers if you prefer... I just wanted to eat it)

    Cheese and tomato bean bake in a baking dish with a scoop removed

    What's in this cheesy bean bake?

    There are four main ingredients in this cheesy bean bake:

    • beans (three kinds!)
    • cheese
    • tomatoes
    • arborio rice

    The end result is nice and rich, with a hint of creaminess from the cheese, and a crispy topping.

    The arborio rice (the kind you use in risotto) also adds to the creaminess, and gives a great carby base (good stodge!). Honestly, I could happily eat this every night with some garlic bread. Just my kind of comfort food!

    Cheese and tomato bean bake on a plate with garlic bread and salad

    Can I add extra veg?

    I didn't add many extra veg to my cheesy bean bake - just some onion and tomatoes in the sauce.

    You could add more though, if you like - just pre-cook them and mix them right in before baking. Peppers, mushrooms, courgette (zucchini) - that kind of thing would work well.

    Cheese and tomato bean bake on a plate with salad and garlic bread, shot from above

    How to serve cheesy bean bake

    I made sure this recipe makes a nice big batch - it'll feed 6 people (or 4 or 5 if you're extra hungry...).

    It's the perfect crowd pleaser - great to feed the whole family, or a big group of friends.  Who wouldn't love a rich, tomatoey, cheesy bean bake?

    We had ours simply with some garlic bread and salad. It's hearty and filling on its own, so it doesn't need much to augment it, just some little sides to add interest.

    I know I'll definitely be making this cheesy bean bake again very soon!

    Cheese and bean bake on a plate with salad and garlic bread

    Cheesy bean bake

    This cheesy bean bake is the perfect vegetarian crowd-pleaser! With cheesy beans, rice and a rich tomato sauce.

    If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!

    4.72 from 14 votes
    Print Pin Comment
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 365kcal
    Author: Becca Heyes

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon oil
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 160 g (~ ⅔ cup) arborio rice
    • 600 ml (~ 2 ½ cups) vegetable stock
    • 3 x 400g tins of beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 ¼ cups, each when drained) - I used haricot beans, cannellini beans and black beans
    • 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes (~ 2 ⅔ cups in total)
    • 3 tablespoon tomato puree
    • 200 g cheddar cheese, grated (~ 2 cups when grated)
    • Black pepper

    Instructions

    • Heat a dash of oil in a large wok, and add the onion and garlic. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the arborio rice, and cook for another minute or two. Next, add the vegetable stock a little at a time, stirring regularly and allowing most of the excess liquid to be absorbed by the rice before adding more - it should take around 20 minutes in total. The rice should be almost cooked.
    • When you've added all of the stock, add the drained beans, chopped tomatoes, and tomato puree. Mix well, and allow to simmer for another 10-15 minutes, until not too much excess liquid remains. Add about ¾ of the grated cheese, and plenty of black pepper, and mix again to melt the cheese.
    • Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish, and top with the remaining grated cheese. Bake at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for around 30-40 minutes, until cooked to your liking. For a slightly firmer bean bake, allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 portion - Calories: 365 kcal - Carbohydrates: 42.5 g - Protein: 17.2 g - Fat: 14.3 g - Saturated Fat: 7.5 g - Cholesterol: 35 mg - Sodium: 235 mg - Potassium: 556 mg - Fiber: 9.6 g - Sugar: 5.5 g - Calcium: 293 mg - Iron: 2 mg

    Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @EasyCheesyVeg or tag #EasyCheesyVegetarian!
    Nutrition Facts
    Cheesy bean bake
    Amount Per Serving (1 portion)
    Calories 365 Calories from Fat 129
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 14.3g22%
    Saturated Fat 7.5g38%
    Cholesterol 35mg12%
    Sodium 235mg10%
    Potassium 556mg16%
    Carbohydrates 42.5g14%
    Fiber 9.6g38%
    Sugar 5.5g6%
    Protein 17.2g34%
    Calcium 293mg29%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for ⅙ of the recipe.

    Don't forget to also try the recipe that inspired this one - one of my most popular recipes, my very veggie lentil bake!

    Very veggie lentil bake

    More Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

    • Smoked Cheese and Broccoli Tart
    • 40 Vegetarian Mushroom Recipes
    • Slow Cooker Mushroom Stroganoff
    • Vegetarian Chilli Mac (One Pot!)
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    Comments

    1. Joy Cooke says

      November 16, 2022 at 7:00 pm

      Fairly quick to make & delicious, this will definitely be a regular dish in our house!5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca Heyes says

        November 17, 2022 at 10:19 am

        Thanks Joy, glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. peter says

      May 16, 2022 at 3:34 pm

      Loved this meal,more like this please.5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        May 26, 2022 at 9:10 am

        Thanks!

        Reply
    3. Charlie says

      January 04, 2022 at 11:59 am

      Thank you for this recipe! I wouldn't have thought to cook something like this.

      I have a spicy preference, so when adding the tomatoes I also added 1tbsp hot chilli flakes, 1tbsp garlic and herb powder (from Sainsbury's, it's really good!) and some onion salt. I will happily be eating this all week.

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        January 07, 2022 at 9:41 am

        Sounds great, thanks Charlie! :)

        Reply
    4. Chris Sunley says

      September 07, 2020 at 4:03 pm

      Can you freeze CHEESY BEAN BAKE

      Regards

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        September 09, 2020 at 1:55 pm

        I haven't tried it but I don't see why not! Definitely worth a try :)

        Reply
    5. Joanne says

      March 06, 2020 at 8:34 pm

      I made this for the second time today and loved it even more! I replaced about a third of the beans with sweetcorn, which was really nice. Great recipe.4 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        March 09, 2020 at 8:49 am

        Great idea, glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!

        Reply
    6. Joanne says

      February 15, 2020 at 8:40 pm

      Tried this recipe today and it was really tasty. I ate it with spinach and garlic bread. Yum. Thank you 🙂3 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        February 21, 2020 at 1:50 pm

        Thanks Joanne!

        Reply
    7. Catherine Kellendonk says

      November 20, 2019 at 10:57 pm

      Just drain the beans or drain and rinse, kindly?

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        November 21, 2019 at 9:21 am

        It doesn't really matter, just whatever you usually do :) I usually give them a quick rinse but not particularly thorough.

        Reply
    8. Kelly says

      October 10, 2019 at 7:23 pm

      how heart healthy is this recipe with 38% saturated fats and 12% cholesterol. It sounds delicious though but I need to watch my saturated fats and cholesterol intake, how can I reduce those levels

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        October 14, 2019 at 9:41 am

        Just reduce the amount of cheese, and use your preferred oil or cook the onion and garlic in a dash of water instead of oil :)

        Reply
    9. Deborah Connolly says

      September 04, 2019 at 4:05 pm

      Hi could I make it on the stove earlier in the day and just place it in the oven when ready for dinner?

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        September 30, 2019 at 2:59 pm

        I don't see why not! :)

        Reply
    10. Vicky Smith says

      March 31, 2019 at 7:33 pm

      This was delicious I did add extra vegetables to it.5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        April 07, 2019 at 4:46 pm

        Thanks Vicky, glad you liked it!

        Reply
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