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These Marry Me Butter Beans are rich, creamy, and so simple to make. If you love the flavors of classic Marry Me Chicken but want a cozy, meatless option, this one’s for you.
Even though my kids love meat, they always look forward to me making this dish for them. Tender butter beans simmered in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with garlic, herbs, and fresh spinach. It’s the kind of vegetarian dinner that looks impressive but comes together fast, perfect for busy weeknights, and great for meal prepping as well.
If you’ve made my Marry Me Chicken before, I promise you will love this vegetarian option, which I love to serve with white rice. You may also love my marry me chicken soup, this marry me chickpea recipe for another meatless option, or this marry me salmon.
Recipe Overview
Ingredients for Marry Me Butter Beans
Below is a list of ingredients you will need to make this marry me butter beans. For the full measurements, please scroll down to the recipe card.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: I prefer the ones in oil instead of the dried ones in packets. They just have so much more flavor. If you want to use the ones in the packet, I recommend soaking them in hot water for about 5 minutes to soften them.
- Shallots: If you can get your hands on shallots, white sweet onions will work. You can use 2 small or one medium sweet onion instead.
- Fresh garlic Cloves: Use fresh if possible for the best flavor. If in a pinch, use canned garlic. Garlic powder just won’t do it. But if you have to, just go for it.
- Seasoning: Smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, Kosher salt, and pepper
- Tomato paste: paste works great, but you can swap this with a small 8-ounce can of tomato sauce.
- Broth: To keep this dish vegetarian, I used vegetable broth, but if you do not mind it, chicken broth will work.
- Butter beans: Use canned to save on time. You can always get some good-quality beans. Just make sure you drain and rinse well.
- Fresh spinach: I prefer fresh spinach over frozen, but frozen works just fine. Thaw and drain out the liquid.
- Grated parmesan: get store-bought or grate your own.
- Full-fat Greek yogurt: Other options can be coconut cream (canned) or half and half.
- Chopped fresh basil: This adds so much flavor to the dish at the end, but can be optional if you do not have it.
How To Make Marry Me Butter Beans
Step 1: Heat a rimmed pan over medium heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes with 1-2 tbsp of the jar oil. Stir in the shallots, garlic, seasonings, and tomato paste. Sauté for 3 minutes.
✏️ Please don’t cook this over high heat. Low and steady works best because you do not want the aromatics to burn.
Step 2: Add in the vegetable broth (you can use chicken broth here if you don’t mind it) and stir well into a sauce.
Steps 3 and 4: Add the beans and simmer for 10-12 minutes to meld all the flavors. You can mix it a couple of times in between while waiting. You may also cover it for half the time to get the beans as soft as possible.
Step 5: Add the fresh chopped spinach and half of the parmesan and stir for 1-2 minutes to melt the parmesan and wilt the spinach.
✏️ Instead of spinach, you can use kale.
Important: If you are using yogurt, skip what I have to say here and go to the next step (steps 6 and 7). If using half-and-half or coconut cream, after the spinach wilts and you add the parmesan, lower the heat, add the cream, mix, and let it simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Remember to keep it on low. You may cover it to simmer slowly if you like, or leave it open. (Go to step 8 when done)
Steps 6 and 7: Remove from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes (this helps prevent the yogurt from curdling). Stir in the Greek yogurt (needs to be room temperature or else it will curdle).
Step 8: Serve with cooked rice, if desired, and garnish with the remaining Parmesan and fresh chopped basil.
Recipe Tips
- Use high-quality butter beans; canned butter beans work well here. Please rinse and drain them thoroughly to avoid excess salt in the sauce. I prefer canned because it saves me time cooking them from scratch.
- Don’t rush the garlic: Cook over medium to low heat and let it gently soften in the oil until fragrant, not browned (will give a bitter taste).
- Sun-dried tomatoes matter: Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes add depth and richness to the sauce compared with dry-packed ones.
- Adjust the sauce’s thickness: At the end, if it’s too thick, add a splash of vegetable broth or water. If it’s too thin? Let it simmer uncovered for a minute or two.
Common Questions
Yes. All you have to do is swap the Greek yogurt for full-fat coconut milk or a creamy cashew cream, and use a dairy-free Parmesan alternative or nutritional yeast.
Marry me, butter beans are great with crusty bread, served over rice, or tossed with pasta. You can also serve them alongside roasted vegetables, or for a low-carb option, serve with cauliflower rice.
If you do not have butter beans and want to use what you have on hand, I like Cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, or Navy beans.
Storage and Reheating
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: You can, but creamy sauces may change texture slightly after freezing. If you plan to freeze it, keep this in mind.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of liquid if needed, as the sauce sometimes thickens as it cools.
You may also like
- Easy Teriyaki Tofu
- Black Pepper Beef
- Chicken Bowl Recipes
- Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl
- Vegetarian Lasagna Soup
Thanks for stopping by and trying one of my recipes. If you make and love this, Marry me butter beans, please leave a rating and share your thoughts in the comments. It really helps, and I love hearing from you.
Marry Me Butter Beans
Ingredients
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
- 2 shallots, or small sweet onions, finely diced
- 3-4 Fresh garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup vegetable broth, or chicken broth
- 30 ounces butter beans, 2 (x 15oz) cans, drained well
- 1 cup packed fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1/2 tablespoon full-fat Greek yogurt, at room temp
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat a rimmed pan over medium heat. Add the chopped ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil with 1-2 tbsp of the jar oil. Stir in the 2 shallots, 3-4 Fresh garlic cloves, seasonings (2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and Kosher salt and pepper), and 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add the 1 cup vegetable broth and stir well to combine into the sauce. Add the 30 ounces butter beans and simmer for 10-12 minutes to meld all the flavors.
- Add the 1 cup packed fresh spinach and half of the ½ cup grated parmesan and stir to melt the parmesan and wilt the spinach.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes (this helps prevent the yogurt from curdling). Stir in the 1/2 tablespoon full-fat Greek yogurt (it needs to be at room temperature, or it will curdle).
- Serve with cooked rice, if desired, and garnish with the remaining Parmesan and about 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil.
Notes
- Instead of the Greek yogurt, you can use coconut cream (from a can) or half and half. If you aren’t using Greek yogurt, add the cream after step 3 and let it simmer for a few more minutes so the flavors meld.
- Frozen spinach or kale will also work here instead of fresh spinach. If using frozen, thaw ahead of time and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- I prefer using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. They have so much more flavor. You can use the dried version in packets; just soak them in hot water for about 5 minutes before chopping.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
