Think of these creamy white beans as a twist on the classic vodka sauce everyone loves with pasta. The starchy white beans soak up the velvety, tomato-vodka-cream base, and in about 30 minutes, you have a bubbling skillet of savory, spoonable beans. They’re perfect with a piece of crusty bread or better yet, topped with meatballs.

A skillet filled with creamy tomato and white bean stew, topped with grated cheese and rosemary, with a wooden spoon resting in it. There’s a striped towel, a bowl of grated cheese, and herbs nearby.

The beauty of this recipe is how unfussy it is — you only need a few pantry staples like canned beans, tomato puree, and, of course, a splash of vodka. I add fresh rosemary and red pepper to give the sauce an earthy background heat, and a generous swirl of cream and Parmesan makes it rich and silky.

Serving idea: The beans makes a super comforting bowl all by itself, but why stop there? If you want to level up, top off the beans with these juicy chicken ricotta meatballs.

A flat lay of recipe ingredients including a bowl of white beans, strained tomatoes, tomato paste, canned beans, an onion, garlic, a small bowl of cream, red pepper flakes, and rosemary on a light surface.

Karen’s ingredient notes

  • White beans: I tested the idea for this recipe a couple times, first using my go-to white bean, the soft and starchy cannellini, the next time with dried corona beans that I had cooked the day before in my pressure cooker (and wow, they are jumbo-sized and so delicious!). When I photographed the cooking process below, I used two cans of butter beans (which are identical to lima beans). They’re all great choices, and similarly creamy-textured. Tip: If you have time, think about cooking a batch of beans from scratch (head over to my base recipe for how to cook dried white cannellini beans).
  • Vodka: If you’ve cooked my pasta with creamy vodka sauce recipe, you’ll know that I recommend using basic, unflavored vodka for the sauce. It will give you a nice neutral flavor while adding it’s distinctive sharp sweetness. Keep in mind that it’s pretty subtle, and most of the alcohol will evaporate as it simmers. If you’d rather skip vodka altogether, you can leave it out and use an equal amount of broth.
  • Tomato puree: This recipe is all about texture — the plush, creamy beans in a smooth, velvety sauce. That’s why I chose tomato puree, (I buy it in jars labeled as passata) as the base instead of chopped tomatoes, although the difference in taste is no different. If you only have crushed or chopped canned tomatoes in your pantry, go ahead and use them!

How-to steps

  • Chopped onions, tomato paste, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and olive oil are being sautéed in a white skillet with a wooden spatula. A bowl of white beans and sprigs of rosemary are nearby.
    1. Stir tomato paste, chopped fresh rosemary, red pepper, and garlic into a skillet with softened chopped onions.
  • A hand pours clear vodka into a pan with sautéed onions and tomato paste, stirring with a wooden spatula. Nearby, a bowl of white beans and a sprig of rosemary are visible on the countertop.
    2. Pour in vodka and let it boil.
  • A white skillet with cooked onions, white beans, and tomato sauce being stirred with a wooden spoon, on a gray countertop with a sprig of rosemary and a small bowl nearby.
    3. Stir in tomato puree, heavy cream, and drained white beans.
  • A white skillet with a creamy tomato sauce, cooked beans, and grated cheese being stirred with a wooden spoon. Fresh rosemary and a small dish of chili flakes sit nearby on a gray surface.
    4. Simmer about 15 minutes, then add more heavy cream to finish, along with grated Parmesan cheese.
  • A white pan filled with creamy white beans with vodka sauce, garnished with fresh rosemary, sits on a gray surface. A wooden spoon rests inside the pan. A small bowl of chopped herbs is in the background.
    5. Sprinkle with more chopped rosemary and serve.
A skillet filled with creamy tomato and white bean stew, topped with grated cheese and rosemary, with a wooden spoon resting in it. There’s a striped towel, a bowl of grated cheese, and herbs nearby.
5 from 1 rating

White Beans with Creamy Vodka Sauce

Karen Tedesco
Think of these creamy white beans alla vodka as a twist on the classic vodka sauce everyone loves with pasta. The starchy white beans soak up the velvety, tomato-vodka-cream base, and in about 30 minutes, you have a bubbling skillet of savory, spoon-able beans  — perfect with a piece of crusty bread or topped with meatballs.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated or thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • ¼ cup vodka
  • 2 14-ounce cans (about 3 cups) white beans, such as cannellini, corona, or butter beans; drained
  • 1 cup tomato puree
  • ¼ cup vegetable broth
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • Kosher salt
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan (12-inches) over medium-high heat. Stir in 1 cup chopped onion and the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes, until the onion is softened.
  2. Add ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary to the pan. Stir the tomato paste around in the oil for about 30 seconds. Pour in ¼ cup vodka and bring it to a simmer.
  3. Add 2 14-ounce cans (about 3 cups) white beans (drained), 1 cup tomato puree, ¼ cup vegetable broth, ¼ cup of the heavy cream and a big pinch of salt (I suggest starting with 1 teaspoon). Let the liquid come to a simmer, then lower the heat and cover the pan. Cook 15 minutes (check on the beans to make sure the sauce isn't at a raging boil).
  4. Take the pan off the heat. Pour in the remaining ¼ cup of heavy cream and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until the beans are thick and creamy. Serve with additional cheese, if you like.

Notes

  • You can replace the vodka with broth (double the amount to 1/2 cup)

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 338kcal Carbohydrates: 15g Protein: 13g Fat: 25g Sodium: 374mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 7g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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