Marry Me Butter Beans

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings: people

Author: Nico Pallotta

2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) olive oil
2 cloves (2 cloves) garlic
½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) tomato paste
2 cans (15 oz each) (2 cans (230 g each)) butter beans or 3 cups cooked beans
1½ cup (375 grams) vegetable broth
½ cup (125 grams) heavy cream or non-dairy cream
½ teaspoon dried oregano
⅓ cup (50 grams) grated parmesan or more to taste
½ cup (50 grams) sun-dried tomatoes
2 cups (2 big handfuls) spinach
1 handful (1 handful) basil leaves + lemon zest to garnish
½ teaspoon salt + black pepper to taste

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet, add 2 cloves garlic (grated) and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and sauté 30 seconds.
Stir in 3 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for a short minute until fragrant.
Add 2 cans (15 oz each) butter beans (drained and rinsed), season with ½ teaspoon salt and 2 twists black pepper, and sauté stirring for 1 minute.
Add 1½ cup vegetable broth and simmer for about 10 minutes.
You’ll see how the beans get tender and creamy as they release starch into the sauce.
Pour in ½ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, and 2 cups spinach, and let simmer a few more minutes until the spinach wilt and the dish is creamy.
Turn the heat off then stir in½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped) and ⅓ cup grated parmesan.
Enjoy right off the skillet or serve on a slice of rustic crusty bread rubbed with garlic.
Top with more grated parmesan, 1 handful basil leaves, and grated lemon zest.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Butter beans: substitute cannellini beans, great northern beans, baby lima beans, chickpeas, or fried tofu.
Olive oil: substitute another vegetable oil or butter.
Heavy cream: substitute non-dairy cream from rice, soy, cashews, or other.
Garlic: substitute finely chopped onion.
Spinach: substitute kale, roasted cauliflower, roasted broccoli, or roasted eggplant.
Parmesan: substitute a non-dairy cheese.
Basil and oregano: substitute parsley and thyme.

IMPORTANT TIP

Not all butterbeans are created equal! Louise and I cook with white beans often and have noticed that different brands of canned butterbeans vary in texture.

Some are naturally tender and need just 5–10 minutes to warm through and soak up flavor.

Others are firmer and benefit from an extra 15–20 minutes of simmering with a bit more broth to reach that perfect creamy texture.

The key? Taste as you cook and adjust the time as needed. Your butterbeans should be creamy, tender, and full of flavor when served.

STORAGE

In the fridge for up to 3 days. They taste even better the next day as the flavors have time to meld.

One tip when reheating is to add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water to get the sauce creamy. You can reheat them in a saucepan on the stove top or in the microwave.