Description
French Onion White Bean Bake combines tender white beans with sweet buttery onions, fresh thyme, savory stock, and melted Gruyère cheese. Finished with an optional crispy breadcrumb topping, this comforting bake makes a delicious vegetarian-friendly main dish or hearty side.
Ingredients
Scale
- 30 grams salted butter
- 1 large white onion (white onions are sweeter, but brown onions will also work), thinly sliced
- Small handful of thyme sprigs, leaves picked
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 700 grams jar white beans with their bean stock OR 2 × 400g (14oz) cans white beans, drained, with 200ml/7fl oz veg or chicken stock
- 70 grams Gruyere cheese coarsely grated (or Comté, or a mix of 50g (1¾oz) mature Cheddar and 30g (1oz) Parmesan or Pecorino)
- 50 grams crispy breadcrumbs mixed with 1 tablespoon olive oil, to top (optional)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Thinly slice the white onion and pick the leaves from the thyme sprigs.
- Melt the salted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook gently, stirring regularly, until softened and naturally sweet.
- Stir in the picked thyme leaves and apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Add the jarred white beans with their bean stock. Alternatively, add the drained canned white beans with 200 ml of vegetable or chicken stock.
- Stir gently to combine. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, adjusting to taste.
- Transfer the bean and onion mixture into an ovenproof baking dish and spread evenly.
- Scatter the grated Gruyère cheese over the beans.
- If using the optional breadcrumb topping, mix the crispy breadcrumbs with one tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle evenly over the cheese.
- Bake until the beans are heated through, the cheese has melted, and the topping is golden. Allow to settle briefly before serving.
Notes
- Use Comté or the suggested mature Cheddar and Parmesan or Pecorino combination instead of Gruyère.
- The breadcrumbs are optional and can be omitted for a softer cheese topping.
- Use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version or chicken stock for a non-vegetarian option.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baked, Stovetop
- Cuisine: French-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
Keywords: French Onion White Bean Bake, white bean bake, French onion beans, cheesy white beans, baked white beans, vegetarian bean recipe