Marry Me Butter Beans | It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

These marry me butter beans are rich, creamy, cozy, and oh-so-delicious! Tender butter beans are simmered in a garlicky sun-dried tomato cream sauce with Italian herbs and spinach for an easy one-pan vegan dinner that tastes restaurant-worthy. Serve with crusty bread, pasta, or rice for a comforting meal that comes together in about 30 minutes.

If you’ve loved my marry me tofu and marry me pasta recipes, get ready for another creamy, cozy dinner you’ll want to make on repeat: Marry Me Butter Beans. If you’re new to the “Marry Me” craze, the name comes from the idea that the rich, creamy sun-dried tomato sauce tastes so ridiculously good it just might inspire a proposal. Whether that’s true or not, one thing’s for sure… it’s incredibly delicious.

Butter beans are the perfect match for this sauce. They’re larger, creamier, and more tender than most beans, so they soak up every bit of that garlicky, tomatoey goodness. If you’ve never cooked with butter beans before, this is exactly the recipe I’d recommend starting with.

Bowl of marry me butter beans with slice of bread.

Why You’ll Want to Put a Ring on These Marry Me Butter Beans

Rich and creamy: Tender butter beans simmer in a velvety sun-dried tomato cream sauce that’s perfect for scooping up with crusty bread.
Quick and easy: Although this tastes like a restaurant-worthy date night meal, it only takes 30 minutes to come together. Perfect for weeknight dinners and even casual entertaining.
Super satisfying: Butter beans make this recipe hearty and filling.
So many serving options: Serve it over pasta or rice, or pair it with good crusty bread or focaccia.

Ingredients for Marry Me Butter Beans

Olive oil: For sautéing the aromatics. Vegetable broth can be used for an oil-free version.
Garlic and shallot: These infuse the sauce with savory flavor.
Sun-dried tomatoes: You can use oil-packed or dry-packed; if your dry-packed tomatoes are tough, you can soak them in warm water to soften them before slicing.
Tomato paste: Deepens the tomato flavor in the sauce and adds umami.
Seasonings: Italian seasoning, chili flakes (if you’d like), salt, and pepper.
Butter beans: Also called large lima beans. They’re bigger, creamier, and more tender than many other beans, making them perfect for soaking up this rich sauce.
Vegetable broth: I love using my vegetable broth from veggie scraps.
Vegan heavy cream: Store-bought is just fine, but if you prefer, coconut milk or cashew cream also work.
Nutritional yeast: Adds savory, Parmesan-like flavor without dairy.
Spinach: An optional way to add color and some veggie goodness.
Lemon juice: Brightens the rich sauce and balances its flavors.
Fresh basil or vegan Parmesan: Optional finishing touches.

How to Make Marry Me Butter Beans

Onions, seasonings, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste in skillet.

Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and chili flakes. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly.

Wooden spoon in skillet of marry me butter beans.

Simmer the Beans: Add the butter beans and vegetable broth. Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the vegan cream and nutritional yeast. Gently simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce becomes rich and creamy.

Baby spinach leaves added to skillet of marry me butter beans.

Finish the Dish: Stir in the spinach and lemon juice. Cook for another minute or two until the spinach wilts, then season with salt and pepper.

Serve: Top with fresh basil or vegan Parmesan and serve hot with crusty bread, pasta, rice, or your favorite grain.

Tips and Variations

Mash a few beans: For an even thicker and creamier sauce, lightly mash a small portion of the beans directly in the skillet. This releases their starches and thickens the sauce.
Choose an unsweetened cream: Store-bought vegan creams made from oats, cashews, or coconut all work, but make sure yours is plain and unsweetened. You don’t want to add coffee creamer here!
Watch the heat: Once the cream is added, keep the sauce at a gentle simmer rather than a rapid boil. This helps prevent it from splitting.

Spoonful of marry me butter beans in pan.

Serving Suggestions

Marry me butter beans are delicious:

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover marry me butter beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of vegetable broth or plant-based milk to loosen the sauce.

You can also freeze this recipe for up to 2 months. The cream sauce may separate slightly after thawing, but stirring it as it reheats should help bring it back together.