White Bean Skillet with Corn and Basil

White beans, corn, basil, and bread in a red skillet next to ingredients.

Thanks to milky sweet corn and starchy white beans, this vegetarian skillet has the perfect creamy texture! It's a great one-pan dinner that's loaded with plant foods.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Servings 2-cup servings

Calories 491kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Equipment

large skillet (12 inches)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion diced, about 1.5 cups
4 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper more to taste
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes more to taste
4 ears sweet corn shucked, yielding 3 to 4 cups kernels
30 ounces great Northern beans or any white bean, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice from about ½ large lemon
¼ cup whole milk sub half and half or heavy cream
¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the corn kernels, beans, broth, and lemon juice to the pan. Increase heat to bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. With a few minutes of cooking time left, add the whole milk or cream. You can mash some of the beans with the back of a spoon to add even more thickness if desired.
Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the parmesan cheese and basil.
Serve on its own or with bread, pasta, or whole grains. Enjoy!
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Notes

Possible additions: bacon, red bell pepper, poblano pepper
Storage and reheating: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of broth if needed or in the microwave until warmed through.

Nutrition