Go Back

Tuscan Marry Me Butter Beans

Tuscan marry me butter beans in a creamy sun-dried tomato and parmesan sauce. Large butter beans simmer until tender, then get finished with wilted spinach for a silky, spoonable main.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Butter beans
  • 3 can (15 oz) butter beans (large lima beans) drained
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Greens and aromatics
  • 3 cup baby spinach
  • 5 clove garlic minced
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil chopped
Creamy sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 0.5 cup parmesan grated
  • 2 tbsp olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
Serving
  • Crusty bread for serving

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Sauté sun-dried tomato base
  1. Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and lightly softened.
Build the creamy sauce
  1. Add the heavy cream, broth, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the skillet, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
Cook the beans
  1. Add the butter beans and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are heated through and the sauce thickens slightly.
Wilt spinach
  1. Stir in the baby spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted and tender.
Finish with parmesan
  1. Stir in the parmesan and season generously with salt and pepper until the sauce turns smooth and glossy.
Serve
  1. Serve the butter beans with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, simmer just until the sauce thickens slightly—if it reduces too far, add a splash of broth. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; rewarm gently in a skillet with a little water or broth. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can break after thawing. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half and reduce the parmesan slightly (expect a thinner sauce).