Description
Marry Me Butter Beans is a quick and comforting Italian-inspired dish featuring creamy butter beans cooked in a luscious Tuscan sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, cream, and parmesan cheese. Ready in just 15 minutes, this gluten-free and vegetarian recipe makes a perfect appetizer, side dish, or main course.
Ingredients
Flavor Base
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (28 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Main Ingredients
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
- ½ to 1 cup vegetable broth (120 to 236 mL)
- 2 15-oz cans butter beans (lima beans), drained (425 g each)
- 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream (can substitute half-and-half) (236 mL)
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (50 g)
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Prepare Flavor Base: In a large sauté pan or pot over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Add minced garlic, salt, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, and ground black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and spices are well incorporated.
- Add Fillings: Stir in the roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes, vegetable broth (start with ½ cup for thicker sauce or 1 cup for looser sauce), and drained butter beans. Continue cooking uncovered on medium heat for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld and beans to heat through.
- Finish the Dish: Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the chopped fresh spinach until wilted. Then add heavy cream, grated parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh basil. Mix well until the sauce is creamy and all ingredients are combined. Serve immediately warm, optionally with crusty bread, over rice, or with pasta.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of vegetable broth depending on how thick or loose you want the sauce; use 1 cup broth for pasta or rice to create a looser consistency.
- You can substitute half-and-half for heavy cream to reduce richness slightly.
- Serve with crusty bread for a comforting solo dish or over rice or pasta as a heartier meal.
- The dish is suitable for gluten-free, halal, hindu, and vegetarian diets.
