Marry Me Butter Beans are creamy, comforting, and packed with flavor from garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, spinach, and fresh lemon. Ready in about 20 minutes, this easy one-pan recipe works as a cozy dinner or hearty side dish—and you'll definitely want crusty bread for soaking up every last drop of sauce.
Let's get started!
Jump to:
Pull Up A Chair & Let's Chat!
Apparently, we're putting “Marry Me” sauce on everything these days, and honestly, I'm not mad about it. These Marry Me Butter Beans are my contribution—creamy, garlicky, full of sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan, and ready in about 20 minutes.
They're simple enough for a quick weeknight dinner but also make a great side dish. And whatever you do, get the crusty bread.
Why You'll Love These Marry Me Butter Beans
- 20-minute dinner: Quick, easy, and made in one pan.
- Simple ingredients: Mostly pantry and refrigerator staples.
- Creamy but balanced: Lemon brightens up the rich parmesan sauce.
- Versatile: Serve as a main dish or alongside chicken, steak, or fish.
What You'll Need & Why
- Butter, shallot, and garlic: The flavor foundation of the entire dish. Together they create a rich, savory base for the sauce.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Sweet, tangy, and packed with concentrated flavor. They add color and balance the creamy sauce beautifully.
- Thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes: Classic seasonings that bring warmth, depth, and just a little kick.
- Chicken broth: Creates the sauce while adding savory richness.
- Butter beans: Creamy, hearty, and the star of the show. Their soft texture is perfect for soaking up all that flavor.
- Heavy cream, parmesan, and lemon: Cream makes the sauce silky, parmesan adds savory depth, and lemon keeps everything bright and balanced.
- Fresh spinach: Wilts right into the sauce for a pop of color and freshness.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: Essential for bringing all the flavors together.
- Crusty bread: Highly recommended for mopping up every last drop of sauce.
The Recipe Rundown
- Sauté: Cook the shallot, garlic, herbs, and sun-dried tomatoes in butter.
- Simmer: Add the butter beans and broth and simmer until warmed through.
- Mash: Lightly mash a few beans to naturally thicken the sauce.
- Make it creamy: Stir in the cream, parmesan, lemon zest, and juice.
- Finish: Wilt in the spinach, season to taste, and serve with crusty bread.
Swaps & Variations
This Marry Me Butter Beans recipe is flexible enough to work with whatever you have hanging around the kitchen.
- Swap the beans: Cannellini or Great Northern beans work well in place of butter beans.
- Make it vegetarian: Use vegetable broth and vegetarian Parmesan.
- Add protein: Rotisserie chicken, Italian sausage, or crispy pancetta make it even heartier.
- Add some heat: Use extra red pepper flakes or Calabrian chili paste.
- Change the greens: Swap the spinach for kale or arugula.
Tips For The Best Marry Me Butter Beans
A few simple tricks will help you create the creamiest, most flavorful skillet of Marry Me Butter Beans every time.
- Keep the heat low: Once the cream goes in, use gentle heat to keep the sauce smooth.
- Grate your own Parmesan: It melts much better than pre-shredded cheese.
- Don't skip the lemon: It cuts through the richness and balances the creamy sauce.
Marry Me Butter Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes drained and chopped
- 2 (15 oz cans) butter beans
- 1 cup broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 lemon zest from half and juice from the whole lemon
- 2 cups baby spinach loosely packed
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- crusty bread for dipping
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the butter beans and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5–7 minutes.
- Using the back of a wooden spoon, lightly mash some of the beans against the side of the skillet to help thicken the sauce.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1–2 minutes.
- Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve warm with crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Storage & Reheating
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or cream if the sauce gets too thick.
recipe testing notes
- Butter beans: Canned butter beans keep this recipe quick and give the sauce a naturally creamy texture. Drain and rinse them before adding.
- Adjust the texture: Mash more of the butter beans into the sauce for a thicker, creamier consistency. For a chunkier dish with more whole beans, mash fewer.
- Sauce consistency: The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits, so I like to pull it from the heat while it’s still slightly looser than I ultimately want it.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: If using oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drain off the excess oil before chopping. They give the best texture and plenty of concentrated tomato flavor.
More Easy Meatless Meals
If these Marry Me Butter Beans are your kind of dish, you'll love these other simple meatless meals!
- Quick and Easy Pastina: Creamy, cozy Italian comfort food made with simple pantry staples.
- Peanut Noodles: Saucy, savory noodles that are ready in just 10 minutes.
- Cafeteria Noodles: Buttery, savory noodles with old-school comfort food vibes.
- Creamy Tomato Parmesan Spaghetti Squash: A cozy, cheesy dinner with plenty of tomato-Parmesan flavor.
- Instant Pot Pinto Beans: Tender, flavorful beans that make an easy, hearty dinner with your favorite toppings.
Who’s Stirring the Pot?
Hi, I’m Ruth—the recipe developer and comfort-food enthusiast behind Rufus For Real. I believe dinner should be the best part of your day, not the most stressful one. That’s why I focus on "no-drama" meals that are simple, satisfying, and impossible to mess up in a real-life kitchen.
I want to hear from you! How did you like my Marry Me Butter Beans?! Let me know in the comments below—I read every single one!
You’ll find me sharing even more comfort-food goodness, kitchen tips, and behind-the-scenes chaos over on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube (@rufusforreal everywhere).
If you love approachable recipes with a whole lot of personality, pull up a chair—there’s always room at this table.
Happy Cooking!
-Ruth aka Rufus