The Best High-Protein, High-Fiber One-Skillet Dinner

I love cooking, but don’t always have much time or bandwidth for complex recipes. As a dietitian, I still care about nutrition, even when time is tight. I focus on eating high-protein, high-fiber meals because I know they keep me full and help me meet my health goals. However, finding dinners that strike the right balance of easy, tasty, and nutrient-rich can be tricky. 

It’s nice to have a few meals in my back pocket that I can return to over and over. This Creamy Pesto Beans recipe has quickly made its way to the top of that list. I typically have many of the core ingredients on hand—including pesto, lemon, Parmesan, garlic and cannellini beans—which makes the dish easy to whip up. Here’s why this one-skillet dinner keeps showing up on my weekly meal plans, and why I think it deserves a spot on yours too.

All the Reasons Why I Love This Creamy Pesto Beans Recipe

Helps Maintain Muscle

I don’t need to win any fitness competitions, but I do want to support my body as I get older, which means thinking about muscle mass. People lose 3 to 5 percent of muscle mass every 10 years after age 30. Having lean mass is important to protect against falls and injuries and keep my metabolism running efficiently. Eating plenty of protein, in conjunction with strength training, helps increase muscle mass and preserve existing muscle.

Beans are an often-overlooked protein powerhouse. This recipe uses two cans of cannellini beans, providing a generous serving and 24 grams of protein. There’s also a bit of Parmesan cheese and whole-wheat bread.

Supports Gut Health

Fiber doesn’t get enough credit for what it does in our bodies. Eating more fiber is linked with reducing chronic disease risk, including heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. It also improves blood sugar management and insulin sensitivity. Most people don’t consume enough fiber, and even as a dietitian, there are days I struggle to get enough. The good news? There are 12 grams of fiber in this recipe. That’s about 40 percent of what I need to eat in a day in a single meal.

Fiber supports digestive health by feeding good gut bacteria and reducing colon cancer risk. People who eat more fiber have more diverse gut bacteria. As fiber works its way through the digestive tract, some is fermented and produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These SCFAs support our metabolism and immune system and help reduce inflammation. Keeping our gut bacteria happy is important for overall health, and just one of the reasons I feel good about eating this fiber-rich dinner.

Good for Immune Support

These tiny cannellini beans continue to deliver on nutrition when it comes to immune-supporting nutrients. This recipe is rich in iron, magnesium and zinc, providing over 30 percent of the daily value for those minerals. Eating a variety of nutrient-rich foods helps keep your immune system running well, but those minerals are key.

Zinc is among the best-known for helping reduce cold symptoms and their severity. Being deficient in zinc reduces the body’s ability to form lymphocytes and T-cells, which help defend against infections. I’ll still be washing my hands, moving my body, and prioritizing sleep to help stay healthy, but I’m glad to know I’m supporting my immune system when I cook up these beans.

It’s Versatile and Forgiving

I love it when I can use a recipe as a guideline and get creative with what I have on hand. These creamy beans are perfect for that. I’ve added greens, like spinach and kale, or diced pepper, directly to the skillet. Instead of serving with bread, I’ve served them with whole-wheat pasta or farro. I frequently chop onions instead of shallots. The recipe is delightful as written, but if I’m missing an ingredient or have some vegetables to use up, I can do that too. 

It’s Convenient

It’s disappointing when you think you’re making a quick, easy recipe and end up washing a sink full of dishes, or when you didn’t realize you needed 4 hours of marinating time. This recipe is actually fast and simple. I consider it a win when dinner only uses one pan and comes together in under 30 minutes. These beans also don’t require much chopping or preparation, which I appreciate. It leans on some convenience foods, like store-bought pesto and canned beans, but the finished dish tastes completely homemade.

The Bottom Line

Even though the meal is quick, it doesn’t compromise on flavor or nutrition. The basil adds a pop of freshness and the Parmesan cheese brings an umami richness to the creamy beans that taste like they’ve been simmering away all day, even though they’re ready in half an hour. Every time I make it, I feel like I get to curl up with a cozy hug in a bowl.

Instead of feeling weighed down, as some creamy dishes can, the protein and fiber keep my energy up while delivering key nutrients that support muscle, gut, and immune health. If you haven’t made Creamy Peso Beans yet, consider this your nudge to get this one-skillet dinner on the table.