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A simple, hearty, and flavorful vegetarian dinner comes together with one pan in about 30 minutes, thanks to this Southern bean casserole recipe! The easy dish includes sweet and savory beans, greens, veggies, and plenty of melty cheese for a cozy, family-friendly meal.
Table of Contents
If you’re looking for even more meatless dinner ideas, be sure to try our broccoli cheddar veggie pot pie, this easy dump-and-bake sundried tomato pasta, a pan of zesty vegetarian enchiladas, and a pot of broccoli cheese soup, too!
Why You’ll Love this Bean Casserole Recipe
- Budget-friendly. If you need a satisfying and flavorful meal that won’t break the bank, then vegetarian cooking is the way to go! This dish is hearty enough for an entree, and it’s made with easy-to-find, affordable ingredients that offer tons of flavor and texture.
- Quick and easy. Spend a few minutes softening the veggies on the stovetop, and then finish it off in the oven. The whole meal is ready from start to finish in about 30 minutes!
- One Pan. If you have a cast iron skillet (or other oven-proof skillet), then this dinner goes straight from the stovetop to the oven with a single pan. That means fewer dishes to wash at the end, which is always a win!
- Versatile. Sure, you can offer the baked bean casserole as a side dish at a cookout, picnic, or potluck; however, it’s really a delicious vegetarian main course — especially when paired with cornbread, corn muffins, biscuits, rice, or baked potatoes.
The Best Pan to Use for this Bean Casserole
I love a 12-inch cast iron skillet or braiser for this recipe, which can go straight from the stovetop to the oven. If you don’t have a cast iron pan (or another oven-safe skillet), no problem — just transfer the bean mixture to a casserole dish before topping with cheese.
If you’re in the market for an oven-proof pan, be sure to check out this collection of the best cast iron skillets, which includes options at a variety of price points that I personally own and love. Here, I’ve shown the Smithey 12-inch round roaster — another beautiful heirloom piece that I use regularly!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for our favorite beans casserole recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Olive oil: to sauté the veggies.
- Red onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes: loads of vegetables bulk up the dish and provide a variety of savory flavors and textures.
- Brown sugar: for just a hint of sweetness that adds depth of flavor and nicely balances the savory ingredients.
- Kosher salt: to enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Chili powder, dry mustard, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper: pantry spices that give the dish plenty of zesty, smoky flavor.
- Canned baked beans: make sure to choose a can of vegetarian baked beans if you want a meatless meal.
- Canned pinto beans: or sub with another variety of beans that you enjoy. Good options include black beans, butter beans, white beans, red beans, and kidney beans.
- Greens: I use collard greens, but kale, turnip greens, and spinach all work as well.
- Water: to thin the sauce slightly.
- Apple cider vinegar: an acidic note that brightens up the dish.
- Soy sauce, tamari, or Worcestershire sauce: make sure to use soy sauce or tamari if you’d like to keep it vegetarian. These ingredients give the dish a salty, umami flavor.
- Colby Jack cheese: or pick another type of good melting cheese, such as sharp cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, or Gruyere cheese.
How to Make Bean Casserole
It’s comfort food with a Southern twist! You’ll find the detailed directions for this bean casserole in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Saute the veggies.
- Add the brown sugar, seasoning, and beans.
- Bring to a simmer and stir in the greens and remaining liquid.
- Cook until the greens are tender.
- Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake for 5-10 minutes, and then broil until the cheese is browned on top.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some easy sides to pair with the bean casserole:
- Sour Cream Cornbread, Moist Pimento Cheese Jiffy Cornbread, Honey Butter Cornbread, Jalapeno Cheddar Mexican Cornbread, Cast Iron Cornbread, Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Broccoli Cornbread, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, or Corn Sticks
- Homemade Soft Pretzels
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Bacon and Chives, Angel Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
- Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Bread, or One-Bowl Pumpkin Muffins
- Cranberry Muffins or Mom’s Cranberry Orange Bread
- Homemade Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Kale Apple Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing, Wedge Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, Southern Caesar Salad, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, Marinated Vegetable Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or Classic Caesar Salad
- Roasted Cabbage
- Homemade Applesauce, Southern Fried Apples, or Baked Apple Slices with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon
- Roasted Yellow Squash
- Carrot Salad
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: assemble the casserole in advance, but do not bake. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, cover with foil and bake until the filling is hot and bubbly. Remove the cover and transfer the dish to the broiler as instructed.
- Leftovers: store the leftover bean casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: warm the casserole in a skillet or saucepan on the stovetop over low heat, just until it reaches the desired temperature. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until warm.
Recipe Variations
- For a non-vegetarian meal, add ground beef, bacon, chicken, or ham to the casserole.
- Just about any variety of beans will work, so feel free to swap out the pinto beans and use black beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), white beans (navy beans), kidney beans, red beans, or butter beans.
- Try different types of cheese. Instead of Colby Jack, use a Mexican cheese blend, sharp cheddar cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, or mozzarella.
- Make it spicier by adding extra cayenne pepper, hot sauce, or crushed red pepper flakes to the bean mixture. Similarly, you can omit the cayenne entirely if you’d like a mild dish.
- Add diced sweet bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, corn, fresh green beans or canned green beans for even more flavor in your dish.
Tips for the Best Bean Casserole Recipe
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet or other oven-proof skillet, just transfer the bean mixture to an 11 x 7-inch or 9 x 13-inch baking dish before adding the cheese on top.
- To keep the dish vegetarian, look for baked beans that are labeled “vegetarian” and use soy sauce or tamari instead of Worcestershire sauce.
- Garnish the casserole with chopped fresh parsley or other herbs for a bright, flavorful finishing touch.
More Bean Casserole Recipes to Try
Franks and Beans
50 minutes mins
Ground Beef and Baked Bean Casserole
25 minutes mins
Easy Green Bean Casserole
40 minutes mins
One-Pan Cheesy Southern Bean Casserole
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Easy Southern comfort food with a vegetarian twist — and it's ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- ¼ cup chopped carrot
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (not drained)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit for a mild dish, or increase for a spicier dish)
- 1 (16 ounce) can vegetarian baked beans, not drained
- 1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans (or other beans of choice), drained and rinsed
- 5 ounces greens (such as collard greens, turnip greens, kale, or baby spinach), stems removed and chopped
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari (or I use Worcestershire sauce for a non-vegetarian option)
- 2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Colby Jack cheese (or sub with grated cheddar cheese)
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or other herbs; sliced green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large cast iron skillet (or other oven-proof skillet) over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomatoes (with their juices), brown sugar, kosher salt, chili powder, dry mustard, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne. Add the beans; bring to a simmer. Stir in the greens, water, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce; cook until the greens are tender, about 5-7 minutes for heartier greens like collards and kale, or almost instantly for baby spinach. Remove from the heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 5-10 more minutes, until the cheese melts and the filling is hot and bubbly. If you like the top more browned and crisp, place it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes (don’t walk away – keep an eye on it)!
Notes
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet or other oven-proof skillet, just transfer the bean mixture to an 11 x 7-inch or 9 x 13-inch baking dish before adding the cheese on top.
- To keep the dish vegetarian, look for baked beans that are labeled “vegetarian” and use soy sauce or tamari instead of Worcestershire sauce.
- Garnish the casserole with chopped fresh parsley or other herbs for a bright, flavorful finishing touch.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of the recipeCalories: 238kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 12gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 833mgPotassium: 328mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2845IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 395mgIron: 2mg
Very good, it was a little soupy. I didn’t have bread so I served it with corn tortillas.