Description

Creamy Tuscan Marry Me Butter Beans is a rich and comforting dish featuring tender butter beans in a luscious, garlicky cream sauce infused with sun-dried tomatoes, Italian herbs, and fresh basil. Perfect as a hearty side or a vegetarian main, this recipe is easy to prepare and adaptable for vegan diets by swapping dairy ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale

Base Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 small onion (diced)

Sauce Ingredients

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream for a vegan option)

Main Ingredients

2 cans (15 oz each) butter beans (rinsed and drained)

Cheese and Seasonings

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast for a vegan version)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Fresh Herbs

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (chopped, plus extra for garnish)

Instructions

Sauté the Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and diced onion and sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 2–3 minutes.
Create the Creamy Sauce: Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1–2 minutes to release their flavors. Pour in chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and stir in the heavy cream or coconut cream for a vegan option.
Add the Butter Beans: Gently fold in the rinsed and drained butter beans, ensuring they are fully coated in the creamy sauce. Let the mixture simmer for 5–7 minutes to allow the beans to absorb the flavors.
Thicken the Sauce: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, which will naturally thicken the sauce. Adjust the consistency by adding more broth if it is too thick or reduce the heat to let it thicken more if needed.
Finish with Fresh Herbs: Sprinkle the chopped fresh basil over the dish and stir lightly. Garnish with extra basil leaves just before serving for a pop of color and fresh flavor.

Notes

You can substitute butter beans with cannellini or great northern beans for a similar texture.
For a vegan version, use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and nutritional yeast in place of Parmesan cheese.
Adjust the red pepper flakes according to how spicy you prefer the dish.
Serve as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish, or enjoy it as a standalone vegetarian main course.
To make it gluten free, ensure that your broth and seasoning blends are gluten free.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Side Dish / Main Course
Method: Sautéing and Simmering
Cuisine: Tuscan / Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 320
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 480mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 28g
Fiber: 8g
Protein: 13g
Cholesterol: 30mg

Keywords: Tuscan butter beans, creamy butter beans recipe, vegetarian bean dish, Italian bean recipe, easy creamy butter beans