Creamy Tomato White Bean Stew Recipe Easy and Comforting

There’s something about a bowl of Creamy Tomato White Bean Stew that just wraps you up from the inside out. Silky tomato broth, tender beans, maybe a little fresh basil on top it’s the kind of meal that makes you slow down.

I started testing versions of this back in 2019 when I was shooting for a wellness blog client, and the natural light that day was perfect golden hour streaming through her kitchen window. She stirred in just a splash of cream at the end, and I watched the whole pot transform into this glossy, restaurant-worthy bowl. That’s the move: add your dairy (or coconut milk) off the heat so it stays velvety and doesn’t split.

Thomas Baker

Creamy Tomato White Bean Stew Recipe Easy and Comforting

Enjoy the warm and rich flavors of this Creamy Tomato White Bean Stew, a perfect easy vegan meal that is both nourishing and satisfying. This plant-based stew blends protein-rich white beans with juicy cherry tomatoes and vibrant greens for a hearty lunch or dinner in just 25 minutes.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 204

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 small yellow onion sliced
• 8 oz. cherry tomatoes halved
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 15 oz can cannelini beans or other white beans of choice drained and rinsed
• 1¼ cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch tapioca starch or cornstarch
• 2 cups baby greens like baby arugula or spinach
• ¼ cup vegan cream cheese you can also replace with coconut cream or cashew cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 small lemon juiced
• ¼ cup fresh basil sliced to garnish

Method

 

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado or olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add the sliced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
2. Add halved cherry tomatoes to the pan and stir occasionally, cooking for about 5 minutes until they become tender.
3. Mix in the minced garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste, stirring consistently for 1 minute until aromatic and the paste color deepens.
4. In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot starch with a small amount of vegetable broth until smooth, then pour it into the remaining vegetable broth and stir well.
5. Pour the broth mixture into the saucepan and incorporate the drained white beans, letting everything simmer gently for 5 minutes to thicken slightly and heat through.
6. Blend in the vegan cream cheese and stir until it melts smoothly into the stew.
7. Add the baby greens and cook just until they begin to wilt, about 1 minute.
8. Squeeze in the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper according to taste, and finish by sprinkling fresh basil on top.
9. Serve the creamy stew on its own or alongside your favorite grains or toast for a complete meal.

Notes

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm gently in a pan over low to medium heat, stirring often and adding a splash of water or broth if needed to loosen the stew.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Tomato White Bean Stew

Here’s why this one’s a keeper: it’s cozy enough for a quiet weeknight but impressive enough to serve to friends. The tangy sun-dried tomatoes add depth, the vegan cream cheese melts into pure silk, and the baby greens wilt right in at the end, bringing a pop of freshness without any fuss.

• Ready in 25 minutes: Perfect when you need something warm and nourishing, fast.
• Plant-based and filling: Cannelini beans pack in protein and fiber, keeping you satisfied.
• One pot wonder: Fewer dishes, more time to curl up with your bowl.
• Endlessly adaptable: Swap the greens, change the beans, or adjust the creaminess to your liking.

Key Ingredients You’ll Need

This stew comes together with pantry staples and a few fresh touches. The yellow onion and garlic build the savory base, while cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes create layers of sweet-tart flavor. Tomato paste deepens everything, and arrowroot starch thickens the vegetable broth into a velvety sauce.

Cannelini beans are my go-to herethey’re creamy and hold their shape beautifullybut any white bean works. The vegan cream cheese is the magic ingredient that transforms this into something truly luscious. If you don’t have it, coconut cream or cashew cream will do the trick. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens every spoonful.

How to Make It Step-by-Step

Start by sautéing the onion until softened, then add the cherry tomatoes and let them break down into jammy sweetness. Once the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste hit the pan, your kitchen will smell incredible. From there, it’s just a matter of whisking the arrowroot starch into the vegetable broth, simmering with the beans, and stirring in the vegan cream cheese until everything turns glossy.

Toss in your baby greens lastthey’ll wilt in under a minutethen finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh basil. The whole process feels more like assembling than actual cooking, which is exactly what you want on a busy night.

Smart Swaps and Tweaks

One of the best things about this dish is how forgiving it is. Out of arrowroot starch? Cornstarch or tapioca starch work just as well. If you can’t find vegan cream cheese, a few tablespoons of coconut cream will give you that same silky richness.

Swap baby arugula for spinach, or even kale if you have itjust give kale an extra minute to soften. You can also play with the beans: great northern beans, navy beans, or butter beans all bring their own creamy texture. And if you want a little heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes stirred in with the garlic does wonders.

How to Serve and Store

Serve this over rice, quinoa, or a handful of fresh greens if you want to bulk it up. I also love it with a thick slice of sourdough toast for dunkingthere’s something about that crusty bread soaking up the broth that just hits differently.

Leftovers keep beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge for about four days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low-medium heat, stirring often and adding a splash of vegetable broth or water if it thickens up too much. The flavors deepen overnight, so day-two bowls are often even better than the first.

Troubleshooting Tips

If your stew turns out thinner than you’d like, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to reduce. If it’s too thick, just loosen it with a bit more vegetable broth or water. The vegan cream cheese should melt smoothly, but if it clumps, turn the heat to low and keep stirringit’ll come together.

Pro Tip: Always whisk your arrowroot starch with a little cold broth before adding it to the pan. This prevents lumps and ensures a silky, even texture throughout.

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FAQs (Creamy Tomato White Bean Stew)

You’ll love how this Creamy Tomato White Bean Stew comes together in just twenty-five minutes. The way those cherry tomatoes break down into glossy sweetness, the beans turning tender in that velvety brothit’s the kind of comfort that feels like a hug in a bowl. I’ve tested this dozens of times for blog shoots, and every single version photographs beautifully because it just looks as cozy as it tastes.

Want to make it heartier? Stir in some cooked pasta shells or serve it over creamy polenta. If you’re meal prepping, this stew actually tastes better the next day once all those flavors meld together. A little trick I picked up from shooting in home kitchens: drizzle good olive oil on top right before serving and snap a photothat sheen makes everything look restaurant-worthy. Leftovers reheat like a dream on the stovetop with just a splash of broth to loosen things up.

I’d love to see your bowl if you make thistag me or leave a comment with your favorite cozy soup memory. Did your mom make something similar on chilly nights? This recipe is perfect for sharing with someone who needs a little warmth this week. Save it, pin it, and come back to it whenever you need that from-scratch feeling without the fuss.