Description
This Irresistibly Creamy Marry Me Butter Beans in Tuscan Sauce recipe delivers a rich and flavorful dish combining tender butter beans in a luscious sauce of sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, garlic, and creamy Parmesan. Perfect as a comforting main served over rice, pasta, or with crusty bread, it’s a quick 15-minute stovetop meal bursting with vibrant Mediterranean flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter Beans and Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (can be substituted with olive oil for a dairy-free option)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (fresh)
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon oregano (fresh preferred)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to spice preference)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped (oil-packed preferred)
- ½–1 cup vegetable broth (½ cup for thick sauce, up to 1 cup for looser)
- 2 cans butter beans, drained (or lima beans)
- 1 cup chopped fresh spinach (or kale)
- 1 cup heavy cream (substitute with half-and-half or coconut cream for lighter version)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan (or nutritional yeast for vegan option)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat Butter and Garlic: In a large sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat until gently bubbling to create a flavorful base.
- Sauté Spices and Garlic: Add the minced garlic, salt, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Sauté for about 2 minutes until the mixture is fragrant and the garlic is softened.
- Add Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Broth: Stir in the roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes and pour in ½ to 1 cup vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer to combine the flavors.
- Cook Butter Beans: Add the drained butter beans to the pan, stirring to coat them in the sauce. Cook uncovered for about 5 minutes to heat through and thicken the sauce slightly.
- Incorporate Greens and Cream: Remove the pan from heat. Fold in the chopped fresh spinach until just wilted, then mix in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan, and chopped fresh basil. Stir until the sauce is creamy and smooth.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve the creamy butter beans hot over rice, pasta, or alongside crusty bread for a satisfying meal.
Notes
- Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for deeper richness in the sauce.
- Substitute butter with olive oil for a dairy-free version.
- For a vegan adaptation, replace heavy cream with coconut cream and Parmesan with nutritional yeast.
- If you prefer a thinner sauce, increase the vegetable broth to 1 cup.
- This dish pairs well with rice, pasta, or crusty artisan bread.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tuscan
Keywords: Creamy butter beans, Tuscan sauce, butter beans recipe, creamy Tuscan beans, easy vegetarian main, butter beans with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic butter beans
