Go Back

Tuscan Marry Me Butter Beans

Tuscan marry me butter beans in a creamy sun-dried tomato and cream sauce with large lima beans. Simmered until the sauce thickens and finished with wilted spinach and parmesan for a rich, spoonable texture.
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: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Sauté aromatics
  1. Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and the sun-dried tomatoes look slightly softened.
Simmer creamy sauce
  1. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken or vegetable broth, then add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it bubble gently for 1-2 minutes.
Heat and thicken beans
  1. Add the drained butter beans to the skillet and stir to coat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the beans are heated through and the sauce thickens slightly.
Wilt spinach
  1. Add the baby spinach to the skillet and stir so it’s mostly submerged in the sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted and tender.
Finish with parmesan
  1. Add the grated parmesan and stir until melted and the sauce turns creamy. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste, then cook 30-60 seconds to marry the flavors.
Serve
  1. Spoon the butter beans and sauce into bowls. Serve with crusty bread on the side for soaking up the sauce.

Notes

Pro tip: simmering the sauce uncovered helps it thicken without turning overly heavy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or cream. Freeze is not recommended because the cream can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and increase the broth slightly to keep the sauce smooth.