These Marry Me Butter Beans make a quick, comforting, and nutritious one-pan dinner with tender, protein-rich beans in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, ready in about 20 minutes.
For more easy ways to enjoy butter beans, try our Greek Yogurt Marry Me Butter Beans, creamy Butter Beans Marsala, or comforting Butter Beans Florentine.
Why you’ll love our marry me butter beans!
If you’re looking for a quick, comforting, and nutritious dinner, these Marry Me Butter Beans are hard to beat. 🥰 Tender butter beans simmer in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with garlic, spinach, and parmesan. It’s rich, satisfying, and packed with Mediterranean-inspired flavors.
What we love most is how simple ingredients turn into something so delicious. Butter beans are naturally rich in fiber and plant-based protein, while spinach, tomatoes, and olive oil add color, flavor, and wholesome goodness. 🌿
Louise and I make this recipe when we want something cozy and nourishing without spending hours in the kitchen. Everything comes together in one skillet, with minimal prep and easy cleanup.
Want a lighter version that’s still creamy? Try our Greek Yogurt Marry Me Butter Beans, swap the heavy cream for half-and-half, or use a plant-based cream. We often use rice or oat cream with excellent results.
Serve with crusty bread to soak up that delicious sauce. 🍅 It’s an easy way to enjoy more beans and vegetables any day of the week.
P.S: If you love creamy sun-dried tomato sauces, you’ll also enjoy our Marry Me Chickpeas, Marry Me Orzo, and protein-rich Greek Yogurt Marry Me Chickpeas.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Adds richness and Mediterranean flavor. Substitute avocado oil or butter.
- Garlic: Freshly grated gives the best flavor. If garlic-intolerant, use garlic-infused olive oil instead.
- Red pepper flakes: Add gentle heat. Substitute chili powder or a pinch of cayenne.
- Tomato paste: Gives the creamy tomato sauce a rich, concentrated flavor. Substitute sun-dried tomato paste.
- Butter beans: Tender, creamy, and rich in plant-based protein. Substitute cannellini beans or great northern beans.
- Vegetable broth: Creates a flavorful sauce. Substitute chicken broth or water with a little extra seasoning.
- Heavy cream: Makes these Tuscan butter beans wonderfully creamy. Substitute half-and-half, oat cream, rice cream, or any plant-based cream. For a lighter, protein-rich version with Greek yogurt, try our Greek Yogurt Marry Me Butter Beans recipe.
- Dried oregano: Adds Mediterranean flavor. Substitute Italian seasoning or dried thyme.
- Parmesan: Adds savory depth. Substitute Pecorino Romano or nutritional yeast.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Give these creamy butter beans a sweet, tangy kick. Use oil-packed or dry-packed.
- Spinach: Adds color and vegetables. Substitute kale or Swiss chard.
- Fresh basil: Brings freshness to this one-pan butter bean recipe. Substitute parsley.
- Lemon zest: Brightens the rich sauce. Substitute a squeeze of lemon juice.
How to Make Marry Me Butter Beans
Step 1. Build the Flavor Base
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the grated garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, stirring often.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add the drained and rinsed butter beans, season with salt and black pepper, and stir for 1 minute to coat them in the flavorful tomato mixture.
Step 2. Simmer Until Creamy
Pour in the vegetable broth and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The butter beans will soften and release some starch, naturally thickening the sauce.
Stir in the heavy cream, dried oregano, and spinach. Simmer for a few more minutes until the spinach wilts and the sauce becomes rich and creamy.
Step 3. Finish and Serve
Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and grated parmesan until combined.
Serve your butter beans straight from the skillet or spoon them over toasted crusty bread rubbed with garlic.
Finish with fresh basil, grated lemon zest, and extra parmesan for a delicious Mediterranean-inspired meal.
Serving Suggestions
- With crusty bread: Serve with toasted sourdough or garlic bread to soak up the creamy sauce.
- Over rice or quinoa: Turn it into a hearty, satisfying meal with extra plant-based protein.
- With baked potatoes: Spoon the creamy butter beans over a fluffy baked potato or sweet potato for an easy dinner.
- With extra protein: Pair with grilled chicken, salmon, or tofu for a more substantial meal.
- As a pasta sauce: Toss with penne, rigatoni, or orzo, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- For meal prep: Make a batch ahead and portion with brown rice or quinoa for easy weekday lunches.
- For potlucks: Bring in a covered casserole dish and serve warm with crusty bread. It’s easy to double for a crowd.
Tips
- Don’t burn the garlic: Cook it for just 30 seconds over medium heat. It should smell fragrant, not turn brown or bitter.
- Cook the tomato paste: Give it a full minute in the olive oil to deepen its flavor and remove its raw, sharp taste.
- Adjust the creaminess: For a lighter version, use half-and-half, oat cream, or rice cream. For extra protein, try our Greek Yogurt Marry Me Butter Beans recipe.
- Add the spinach last: It only needs a few minutes to wilt. This keeps it tender and bright green.
- Stir in parmesan off the heat: This helps it melt gently into the sauce without clumping.
- Taste before adding more salt: Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes are already salty, so adjust the seasoning at the end.
- Adjust the sauce thickness: If it’s too thick, add a splash of vegetable broth. If it’s too thin, simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes.
- Finish with something fresh: Basil and lemon zest balance the richness of the creamy sauce and brighten the whole dish.
- Make it ahead: The flavors develop as the beans sit. Reheat gently with a splash of broth to bring back the creamy consistency.
- Store and freeze: Refrigerate for 3–4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months, although cream-based sauces may separate slightly when thawed. Reheat gently, stirring well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Substitute half-and-half, oat cream, rice cream, or another plant-based cream. For a lighter, protein-rich alternative, try our Greek Yogurt Marry Me Butter Beans recipe.
Yes! Cannellini beans, great northern beans, or even chickpeas work well. Butter beans are our favorite because they’re large, tender, and naturally creamy.
Yes! Use plant-based cream, such as oat or rice cream, and replace parmesan with vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast. The result is a delicious, dairy-free butter bean skillet.
Absolutely! Thaw it first and squeeze out excess water before adding it to the skillet. This prevents the sauce from becoming watery.
Yes! They’re excellent for meal prep. The sauce thickens as it sits, so add a splash of vegetable broth when reheating to restore its creamy consistency.
Let them cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
To freeze: Transfer to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth.
Keep in mind that cream-based sauces may separate slightly after freezing, but stirring gently while reheating helps bring everything back together.
More Easy Bean Recipes
- Piccata Beans
- Mediterranean Butter Beans
- Italian Bean Stew
- Butter Bean Stew
- Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Mediterranean Greens and Beans
- Kidney Bean Curry
- Black Bean Soup
If you try this Marry Me Butter Beans Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Marry Me Butter Beans (20 Minutes, One Skillet)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cans butter beans 15 oz / 400 g each, or 3 cups cooked beans
- 1½ cup vegetable broth reduced-sodium
- ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half or non-dairy cream
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 cups spinach
- ½ cup grated parmesan or more to taste
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt + black pepper to taste
- 1 lemon cut into wedges to squeeze on top + optional basil leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Build the flavor base: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cloves garlic (grated) and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, stirring often.Stir in 3 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add 2 cans butter beans (rinsed), ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Stir for another minute to coat the beans.
- Simmer until creamy: Pour in 1½ cup vegetable broth and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans soften and the sauce starts to thicken.Stir in ½ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, and 3 cups spinach. Cook for a few more minutes until the spinach wilts and the sauce is creamy.
- Finish and serve: Turn off the heat and stir in ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped) and ½ cup grated parmesan.Serve with crusty bread and finish with fresh basil, lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, and extra parmesan if you like.
Notes
- Olive oil → Avocado oil or butter.
- Garlic → Garlic-infused olive oil.
- Red pepper flakes → Chili powder or cayenne.
- Tomato paste → Sun-dried tomato paste.
- Butter beans → Cannellini or great northern beans.
- Vegetable broth → Chicken broth or seasoned water.
- Heavy cream → Half-and-half, oat cream, rice cream, or plant-based cream. For Greek yogurt, try our Greek Yogurt Marry Me Butter Beans.
- Dried oregano → Italian seasoning or dried thyme.
- Parmesan → Pecorino Romano or nutritional yeast.
- Sun-dried tomatoes → Oil-packed or dry-packed.
- Spinach → Kale or Swiss chard.
- Fresh basil → Parsley.
- Lemon zest → A squeeze of lemon juice.
- Don’t burn the garlic: Cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook the tomato paste: Give it 1 minute in olive oil for deeper flavor.
- Make it lighter: Use half-and-half, oat cream, or rice cream. For extra protein, try our Greek Yogurt Marry Me Butter Beans.
- Add spinach last: Cook just until wilted and bright green.
- Add parmesan off the heat: This helps prevent clumping.
- Watch the salt: Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes are already salty.
- Adjust the thickness: Add broth to thin, or simmer uncovered to thicken.
- Finish fresh: Basil and lemon zest brighten the creamy sauce.
- Make ahead: The flavors improve as the beans sit. Reheat with a splash of broth.
- Store and freeze: Refrigerate for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently, stirring well if the cream separates.
Nutrition
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Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We're here to share easy, healthy, and delicious recipes 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
Delicious! I used coconut milk instead of cream and added the sun-dried tomatoes in to sautee a little bit before the broth and it’s absolutely delicious. I was worried the coconut milk would come through or not be creamy enough but it was perfect – one of the best online recipes I’ve made and definitely the best bean dish I’ve had! Served it with charred baked broccoli and cauliflower – can’t wait to make this again it will definitely be a new staple!
OMG. I don’t have the words to say how amazingly delicious this is! I have heard of Marry Me chicken and never had it, don’t eat meat after all, so when I saw this recipe I thought I would give it a try. This will be staple in my house for sure.
This makes me smile — thank you (and YAAAY)!
I’m so happy it’ll become a staple in your home. All the best,
Louise
Easy and delicious. No need to add salt. I put in twice the spinach. Yum!
So happy you enjoyed it! Love the extra spinach 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment here.
Kindest, Louise
I loved loved loved this recipe and my husband did, too. But even more than that, I want to thank you two for this website! Up until about two months ago, I would’ve told you I hated to cook. I’d managed to spend my entire adulthood making salads and simple pasta for dinner and couldn’t imagine that ever changing. I’d told myself for years that someday — maybe, just maybe — I’d try to learn a few dishes. But I dragged my feet. Until I found your recipes! They’re easy to follow, they’re absolutely delicious, they often make great leftovers, and they’re generally good for you. I won’t pretend that I *love* to cook now but I’m growing to enjoy it a little bit (which is huge progress), and the delicious results help a lot. Not to mention your videos and all of the helpful info in each recipe. Thank you!!
Hi Laura,
What a wonderful message, I am delighted that we can a little with some recipe inspiration – we are honoured!
Thank you so much for your support and for cooking along with us, we are happy to have you. All the best,
Louise
Hi, I’m trying to introduce more plant based meals into my diet. I wanted to try the marry me butter beans recipe but it uses heavy cream. I wonder could I use reduced fat cream cheese in this recipe instead. I assume it might be necessary to thin it a little bit first but do you think it would work?
If you don’t mind eating nuts, they give you a recipe for making cream from cashews. Cashews like all nuts, contain the good fat and are healthy for you. Evaporated milk might be another choice, and I personally, think your cream cheese idea made loose with regular or plant milk would work.
So goooood😋
So happy that you enjoyed it, Kata!! 🥰
You are amazing cook, I’m always meaty person, but find your recipes 😋 try lots of them, Love it ❤️, amazing twist beautiful prepared. Thank you so much.
Hi Olga,
Thank you for the beautiful message! It means so much that you’re enjoying the recipes even as a meat lover. We’re so happy you are here,
Kindest, Nico and Louise
This looks great! Thank you so much for the recipes! 🙂
Can you freeze this after it’s made?
Hi Beth, so happy that you like our recipes!!
Yes, you can freeze the marry me butter beans for about one month. I recommend omitting the spinach and basil when you intend to freeze the dish. Add them fresh during reheating instead 💪.
Kindest, Louise
That was absolutely amazing! So easy and tasty! Best beans I ever ate! Thank you, guys, for fantastic recipe ❤️❤️❤️
Amazing, Jurgita!! I’m delighted that you enjoyed it, beans can make such a wonderful dish 🥳.
Thanks for taking precious time out to comment here. Kindest, Louise
We loved this recipe guys. The sauce is delicious and it reminds us of our trip to Italy back in the days. I added some extra Parmesan that I got from an Italian deli and my husband tossed in some grilled chicken for extra protein. He loved it! I really appreciated that it was so easy to make and follow. The ingredients in the recipe steps are SO handy!
Thank you so much for your message Ava. We are so happy you and your husband liked the recipe. It sounds like a tasty addition with the grilled chicken.
Have the best day.
Nico