The best way to eat butter beans! Our Marry Me Butter Beans recipe is rich, creamy, and velvety, loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and a bright lemon twist to balance every bite. Made quickly in just one pan, this comforting vegetarian dinner is surprisingly easy and satisfying enough to please everyone at the table.
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✋🏼E aí, pessoal! Hey there, friends! Today we’re making our creamy Marry Me Butter Beans in under 30 minutes. It’s creamy, bright, and honestly one of the most flavorful recipes on the blog, next to our reader favorite Marry Me Chicken Pasta 😀
We developed this to hit all the cozy, rich notes, without the heaviness. Unlike most versions, we craft our flavor with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, citrus, and fresh herbs, rather than relying on tomato paste. The lemon cuts through the cream, and we go all in on herbie sundried tomato sauce for a bold, tangy flavor.
I love eating beans, and love creating vegetarian version like our marry me beans because they’re a fun and unique way to bring beans to the table. Much like our one-pot lemony red lentil carrot stew or Brazilian pinto beans, these recipes are simple, a great source of plant-based protein, and bring big flavors.
😍Why You'll Love Our Recipe
- Well-balanced flavor – Creamy but light!
- One pan, 30 minutes
- No tomato paste or butter—just deep layered
- Reader Favorite — A cozy way to cook beans without it feeling like the same old thing
🫘Ingredient Notes
Our marry me butter beans recipe combines straightforward ingredients that bring creamy, tangy, and fresh flavors in a simple skillet dish. We balanced this creamy sauce with fresh lemon juice and zest to give you the most flavorful, delicious marry me sauce.
- Butter Beans: I use two cans of butter beans to cut down on cook time. These creamy beans hold their shape well, so they are a great pairing with a creamy sauce like this one.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: You can not make marry me sauce without tangy sun-dried tomatoes! This little ingredient adds that tangy, bright flavor to this sauce! I buy jarred sundried tomatoes, rinse and drain them, and then add them to the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: Makes the sauce silky and rich without feeling too heavy.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adding a salty, nutty flavor. I grate my own Parmesan to save money and get a better flavor.
- Fresh Garlic: Fresh garlic is a must here. You can grate or mince it for a deeper, fresher flavor than store-bought minced garlic.
- Olive Oil: I swapped butter for olive oil to keep things lighter and add a subtle fruity note that works well with the herbs.
- Broth: I use vegetable stock to keep the dish vegetarian and add savory depth without heaviness, but chicken broth also works.
- Lemon Juice and Zest: The lemon juice and zest add a fresh pop and balance the creaminess—don’t skip this, it keeps the sauce from feeling flat.
- Spinach: Added last to wilt gently, giving some green color and mild earthiness.
- Red pepper flakes: A pinch of heat to balance the creaminess and sweetness.
- Fresh Herbs (Basil, Oregano): Use fresh basil leaves and dried oregano to help balance the sauce and kick up the flavor.
Quantities are in the recipe card below.
🍋Why Add Lemon?
The bright acidity cuts through the richness of the heavy cream and parmesan, preventing the marry me sauce from tasting too heavy or flat.
🔁Substitutions & Variations
- Beans Variation: If butter beans aren’t available, you can swap for most types of beans. I recommend white kidney beans, chickpeas, cannellini beans, or even diced extra-firm tofu. Just rinse and drain canned beans well to keep the sauce balanced.
- Chicken Recipe: For a protein boost, try making a Marry Me Chicken Pasta version.
👩🏽🍳How to Cook Marry Me Butter Beans
Step 1: Prep and Sauté
Mince or grate the garlic and parmesan cheese. Drain and rinse the canned butter beans and sun-dried tomatoes, then chop the tomatoes if needed.
Next, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring until fragrant—about 30 seconds. Don’t let the garlic burn.
📍Chef Tip: Use a large skillet and keep the heat moderate to avoid bitter garlic.
Step 2: Layer the Flavors
Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet, then pour in vegetable broth and add dried oregano. Stir and bring to a low simmer. After 2-3 minutes, reduce the heat to low and then slowly stir in heavy cream. Add grated parmesan and mix until melted and smooth.
📍Curdling Tip: To prevent curdling the marry me sauce, add cream on low heat (or off the burner) and avoid boiling the sauce.
Step 3: Add Beans and Spinach
Fold in the rinsed butter beans and fresh spinach. Increase the heat to medium and cook your marry me beans for 2–3 minutes. It's ready when the beans are warmed through.
Step 4: Finish and Serve
Stir in lemon juice, zest, and fresh basil. Top your marry me beans with additional herbs or more parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread, we love eating marinated beans with our gluten-free Hawaiian dinner rolls!
If you have extra beans, check out our spinach arugula salad topped with crispy bean croutons for a tasty twist.
💡Tip: Get A Creamy Sauce
Use a large skillet and keep the heat low when adding the cream and cheese to prevent the marry me sauce from curdling—slow, gentle heat is key to that smooth, creamy texture.
🥡How to Store and Meal Prep
- Fridge Storage: This Mary Me Butter Beans recipe stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container to keep it fresh and safe. Do not freeze.
- Reheating Tips: Warm gently on the stove over low heat. If the sauce thickens after sitting, add a splash of heavy cream or a bit of water to loosen it back up.
- How to Meal Prep This: You can make the recipe fully cooked beforehand. It stores well, and the flavors deepen as the beans soak up the sauce. To keep it tasting fresh, save some fresh basil and parmesan to add just before reheating and serving.
❔Recipe FAQ
To avoid curdling, add the heavy cream off the heat or on very low heat, and never let the sauce boil vigorously after adding dairy. Stir gently and keep the temperature moderate.
You can, but the texture and flavor will change. Firm or extra-firm tofu works best; press it well to remove excess moisture and cube it before adding. It won’t be as creamy but will still soak up the sauce nicely.
Yes. Swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk or a creamy dairy-free alternative, and use a dairy-free parmesan substitute or nutritional yeast for the cheesy flavor. You can find a great Dairy-Free Marry Me Beans recipe here.
🍴More Bean Recipes to Try
If you’re loving these marry me butter beans, check out these other hearty, flavorful bean recipes to keep your meals exciting and satisfying. Our Butternut Butter Beans are perfect if you have leftover butter beans.
👋🏼 Até logo, amigos! Hope you love this recipe as much as we do. Cooking is always better when shared, so enjoy every bite and keep bringing good food to the table. Até a próxima! 🎉
📖 Recipe
Marry Me Butter Beans (Lemon Tomato Herb Sauce)
Ingredients
- 2 15oz butter beans rinsed and drained
- 3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese 1 cup freshly grated
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
- ½ tablespoon oregano
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Mince or grate the garlic and parmesan. Drain and rinse butter beans and sun-dried tomatoes, chopping the sun-dried tomatoes roughly.
- Sauté Garlic: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds to avoid burning the garlic.📍Chef Tip: Use a large skillet and moderate heat to prevent burning and bitterness.
- Layer Flavors: Add the sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, salt, and vegetable broth to the skillet. Stir and bring to a low simmer. After 2–3 minutes, reduce heat to low and slowly stir in heavy cream. Add parmesan and mix until melted and smooth.📍Curdling Tip: Add cream on low heat or off the burner. Avoid boiling after adding dairy.
- Add Beans and Spinach: Fold in butter beans and spinach. Increase heat to medium and cook 2–3 minutes until spinach wilts.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in lemon juice, zest, and fresh basil. Top with extra herbs or parmesan. Serve with crusty bread or gluten-free rolls.
Notes
- Beans: Swap butter beans for lima beans, cannellini, or white beans.
- Protein: Try our marry me chicken pasta version.
- Tofu: Use firm or extra-firm tofu pressed to remove excess moisture. Cube and add in place of beans.
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