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a meal prep glass bowl with marry me butter beans served over white rice.
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5 from 2 votes

Marry Me Butter Beans

Easy-to-make vegetarian dish featuring tender butter beans, simmered in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with garlic, herbs, fresh spinach, and Greek yogurt.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Skill Level: Intermediate
Servings: 4
Author: Rena Awada

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.
    sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and seasonings, placed in a skillet to be cooked.
  • 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.
    broth being added over the seared tomatoes and veggies in a skillet.
  • 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.
    fresh spinach and parmesan cheese added over the beans in skillet.
  • 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).
    yogurt added over the beans and sauce in the skillet.
  • Serve with cooked rice, if desired, and garnish with the remaining Parmesan and about 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil.
    a bowl of rice topped with marry me butter beans.

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

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 571mg | Potassium: 1532mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1864IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 7mg