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Tuscan Marry Me Butter Beans

Tuscan marry me butter beans in a creamy sun-dried tomato and cream sauce, made in one skillet with tender large lima beans. Finished with wilted baby spinach and a generous shower of parmesan for a silky, spoonable texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Sauté aromatics
  1. Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then sauté the garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and glossy.
  2. Keep the mixture moving so the garlic doesn’t brown.
Build the creamy sauce
  1. Pour in the heavy cream and broth, then stir in Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and bring the mixture to a simmer.
  2. Simmer until you see active bubbling and the sauce looks slightly loosened, about 1-2 minutes.
Cook the beans
  1. Add the drained butter beans and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are heated through and the sauce thickens slightly.
  2. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of broth to keep it saucy.
Wilt and finish
  1. Stir in the baby spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted and bright green.
  2. Stir in the grated parmesan, then season generously with salt and pepper until the sauce tastes balanced and creamy.
Serve
  1. Serve the butter beans with crusty bread so it can soak up the sauce.
  2. Ladle extra sauce over the top before eating if you want it extra spoonable.

Notes

Pro tip: chop the sun-dried tomatoes finely so they distribute evenly through the cream sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth. Freezing is not recommended because cream can separate after thawing. For a lower-fat option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (sauce will be a bit thinner but still satisfying).