An easy pantry dinner is a win, especially on the night dinner seems to have arrived before anyone made a plan for it. This is the kind of meal I mean: something warm on toast, made mostly from what is already in the kitchen, with very little standing between you and eating.

Start with canned white beans, a little garlic, and greens. Then use what you have. An English muffin is a perfectly reasonable base. Kale can stand in for spinach. Ricotta, cottage cheese, or a little pesto can take the same idea in a different direction. We are getting dinner done, not defending a rigid set of ingredients.

For more bean-dinner inspiration, see Ina Garten's Tuscan White Beans. Her recipe takes a different, slower approach with dried beans and vegetables. The quick toast method below is our own simpler pantry version, rather than a reproduction of her recipe.

The basic version: two generous servings

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 cans white beans, about 15 ounces each, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup vegetable stock or water, plus a little extra as needed
  • 2 large handfuls washed baby spinach
  • 1/2 lemon, zest and juice to taste
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 to 4 slices of bread, toasted
  • Optional: parsley, grated hard cheese, ricotta, cottage cheese, or pesto

Use cannellini beans, butter beans, or another cooked white bean you enjoy. Check the stock and any additions for your household's dietary needs. Water works if you do not have stock; taste and adjust the seasoning at the end.

Step 1: Warm the garlic and beans

Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium-low heat. Stir in the garlic for about a minute, just until fragrant, reducing the heat if it browns too quickly. Add the beans and the stock or water.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for roughly five to eight minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash a spoonful or two of beans against the pan and stir them back through to thicken the liquid. Add another splash of water if needed. You want a creamy, spoonable mixture.

Step 2: Add whichever greens you have

Stir in baby spinach until wilted and the beans are hot throughout. If using kale, remove tough stems, chop the leaves, and add them earlier with a little extra liquid; allow enough time for them to become tender. Already-cooked greens can go in near the end and heat through.

Turn off the heat. Add a little lemon zest and juice if you have them, then season to taste. Go gradually with the lemon. A spoonful of pesto may already bring plenty of flavor, so taste before adding more of everything.

Step 3: Put it on something toasted

Use sliced bread, a split English muffin, or another suitable base. Spread on ricotta or cottage cheese if you like, then add the hot beans. A little cheese or pesto on top is optional. Keep the toast alongside if you prefer it crisp.

Use the method as a starting point, not a reason to buy six ingredients you do not usually keep. The dinner still works without the decorative parsley, and the meal is not failing because your bread came from the freezer. A pan of beans, something toasted, and a few minutes to sit down: that is a good result for tonight.