Marry Me Butter Beans with Creamy Tuscan Sauce Recipe
Marry Me Butter Beans is a comforting and creamy Tuscan-inspired dish featuring tender butter beans simmered in a flavorful sauce of garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and aromatic spices, finished with fresh spinach, creamy heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and basil. This simple yet satisfying recipe is perfect for a quick 15-minute meal, served warm with crusty bread, rice, or pasta.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tuscan
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (28 g)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Beans and Vegetables
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- ½ to 1 cup vegetable broth (120 to 236 mL)
- 2 15-oz cans butter beans (aka lima beans, drained, 425 g cans)
- 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
Creamy Finish
- 1 cup heavy cream (can substitute half-and-half, 236 mL)
- ½ cup grated parmesan (50 g)
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Flavor Base: Heat 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large sauté pan or pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, salt, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, and ground black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic becomes fragrant and the spices are well blended.
- Fillings: Stir in the roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes along with ½ to 1 cup of vegetable broth, depending on desired sauce consistency. Add the drained butter beans and continue cooking uncovered on medium heat for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld and the beans to warm through.
- Finish: Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the chopped fresh spinach until wilted. Then add the heavy cream, grated parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh basil. Mix thoroughly to create a creamy, flavorful sauce. Serve warm immediately with crusty bread, over rice, or alongside pasta.
Notes
- You can substitute half-and-half for heavy cream to reduce richness slightly.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to control the heat level.
- Using vegetable broth adds depth; water can be used in a pinch but may reduce flavor complexity.
- Serve with crusty bread, rice, or pasta to make it a complete meal.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and gently reheated on the stovetop.
