white bean casserole

5 from 2 votes

There's nothing quite as exciting as a dump-and-bake recipe, especially when it's high in protein and fiber like this white bean casserole. It's creamy, dreamy, and so, so easy to make with just a handful of ingredients. This high-protein dinner packs in 31 grams of protein compared to just 15g in other similar recipes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time40

Total Time45

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 556kcal

Author: Mika Kinney

Ingredients

1 pound orzo*
2 ½ cups chicken bone broth
2 cans white beans drained
1 leek thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon pepper and red pepper flakes each, omit red pepper flakes as needed
5 stems Tuscan kale leaves removed from the stems, leaves diced and stems finely chopped
1 Lemon
½ c heavy cream or half and half or similar
2 tablespoon italian cheese blend

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prep your leeks, garlic, and kale.
In a square casserole dish, add the 2 cans white beans, 1 leek, 1 pound orzo*, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper and red pepper flakes, the zest from the lemon, and kale stems. Mix to combine. Then add 2 ½ cups chicken bone broth and stir to coat. Use the back of a spoon to push down the orzo into the broth so it's fully coated. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
See notes on orzo cook times!
When you remove the dish from the oven, use a mitt to hold it and carefully stir in the kale leaves, juice from half a lemon, ½ c heavy cream, and 2 tablespoon italian cheese blend. Optional to leave out the Italian cheese or just top it with it. Once the kale leaves have wilted and softened, serve!

Video

Notes

*Orzo: Orzo cook times vary depending on the quality of the orzo. Cheaper orzo will only cook for a total of 30 minutes, while more expensive, high-quality orzo will cook for closer to 45 minutes.

Storage: This will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. I don't recommend freezing it. Reheat with a splash of broth or cream so it gets creamy again.

Meal prep it: I love to add everything but the broth to the baking dish in the morning or the night before. Then, when I get home, I just pop it in the oven with the broth, and dinner is ready in under an hour with no prep!

Dry beans can be used, but they need to be cooked first.

Different pasta options: Any small cut pasta, like mini star pasta, will work. A thicker cut pasta, like mini shells, can work, but will need more liquid and a longer cook time.

Other vegetables: Feel free to swap kale for spinach or even add tomatoes, mushrooms, or zucchini in before baking. Finish with basil for a little sweetness.

Nutrition