If you’ve ever made marry me chicken, you already know how good that creamy sun-dried tomato and Parmesan sauce is. These Marry Me Butter Beans give you all of that flavour, with a couple of cans of butter beans taking the place of the chicken, and the whole thing comes together in one pan in 20 minutes. It’s cozy and garlicky with a little kick from the chili oil on top, and most of what you need is probably already sitting in your pantry.
I love how far two cans of beans can go. It’s hearty enough to be the main event with a thick slice of toasted sourdough for dunking, but it also works really well as a side next to roast chicken or salmon when you’re feeding a bigger group. And since it’s meatless (and easily vegetarian with vegetable broth), it’s a great one to keep in your back pocket for nights when you need a dinner that works for everyone at the table. Want more cozy recipes? Try my Cabbage Hamburger Helper or One Pan Caramelized Onion Pasta.
🫘 What Are Butter Beans?
Butter beans are large, flat, creamy-white beans, and they’re actually lima beans. Whether they’re called butter beans or lima beans mostly depends on where you live, and you’ll sometimes see cans labelled “large lima beans.” They get their name from their texture, which is soft and creamy on the inside with a mild, slightly buttery flavour.
😍 Why You’ll Love These Marry Me Butter Beans
All the Marry Me flavour, no meat: you get the same creamy, garlicky sun-dried tomato sauce people love from the viral chicken version.
One pan, 20 minutes: everything happens in a single deep pan, so you’re only washing one thing (plus a cutting board) at the end of the night.
Creamy without a ton of cream: mashing some of the beans right in the pan thickens the sauce on its own, so half a cup of cream goes a long way.
Easy to serve however you want: scoop it up with bread, spoon it over rice or pasta, or set it out as a side dish next to whatever else you’re making.
💍 Ingredients You’ll Need To Make These Marry Me Butter Beans
Sun-dried tomato oil: Use the oil straight from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes to start the dish.
Shallot: Adds a gentle sweetness that’s a little milder and more delicate than a regular onion.
Garlic: Builds the warm, savoury base that a Marry Me sauce needs.
Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: They add little pockets of tangy, concentrated tomato flavour all through the beans.
Chicken or vegetable broth: Going low-sodium keeps the salt in check.
Butter beans: Their soft, creamy texture is what makes this recipe work so well.
Tomato paste: Deepens the colour of the sauce and give it a richer, more concentrated flavour.
Heavy cream: Heavy cream makes the sauce silky and smooth, and it holds up to simmering without splitting.
Parmesan cheese: Finely grated Parmesan melts right into the cream and adds a salty, nutty richness, and a little extra on top is always a good idea.
Fresh spinach: Wilts down in seconds and adds some green and some freshness to the creamy sauce.
Dried basil: It adds a sweet, herby note that pairs naturally with the sun-dried tomatoes.
Dried oregano: A little oregano gives the sauce a slightly earthy, Italian-style flavour.
Dried thyme: Adds a subtle woodsy depth without taking over.
Smoked paprika: Brings a gentle smokiness and a warm, reddish colour.
Onion powder: It layers in a rounder, more savoury onion flavour alongside the fresh shallot.
Black pepper: Adds a mild bite that balances out the richness.
Red pepper flakes: These give the sauce a little background heat, so add more or less depending on how spicy you like things.
Fresh basil: Chopped fresh basil on top adds a bright, fresh finish to all that creaminess.
Chili oil: A drizzle over each bowl adds a hit of heat.
✔ How To Make This Marry Me Butter Beans Recipe
Add the sun-dried tomato oil to a large, deep pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly softened and the shallot begins to turn translucent. Next, add in the sun-dried tomatoes.
Stir in the dried basil, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste, and allow to cook just until fully incorporated.
Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the butter beans and bring to a gentle boil. Cook uncovered for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth has reduced slightly and the beans have warmed through.
Use a potato masher (or fork) to mash about one-quarter to one-half of the beans directly in the pan, leaving the remaining beans whole. Stir to combine.
Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer, just until slightly reduced.Reduce the heat to low, then gradually stir in the Parmesan until melted and incorporated.
Turn off the heat and taste to see if you want to add any additional seasonings. Add the fresh spinach and stir until wilted and evenly mixed into the sauce.
Garnish with fresh basil and chili oil.
Serve warm with fresh bread.
🗒 Variations
Add some protein: stir in cooked shredded chicken, browned Italian sausage, or crispy pancetta along with the cream for a heartier meal.
Bright and lemony: finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of zest right before serving to lighten up the richness.
🗒 Substitutions
Butter beans: cannellini beans are the easiest swap.
Heavy cream: half-and-half works for a lighter sauce (keep the heat low so it doesn’t curdle), and full-fat coconut cream works if you need it dairy-free.
Shallot: about a quarter of a small yellow onion, finely chopped, can stand in for the shallot.
🍴 Leftovers? Lucky you.
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The beans keep soaking up the sauce as they sit, so when you reheat, warm them in a pan over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or cream, stirring until heated through and creamy again. You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second bursts, stirring in between.
🤔 FAQ’s
Why is it called Marry Me Butter Beans?
The name comes from Marry Me Chicken, a popular dish of chicken in a creamy sun-dried tomato and Parmesan sauce that’s supposedly good enough to earn a proposal. This version uses the same sauce with butter beans in place of the chicken.
Can I use cannellini beans instead of butter beans?
Yes! Cannellini beans work great here. They’re a little smaller and slightly less creamy than butter beans, but they mash down nicely and soak up the sauce just as well.
Can I use dried butter beans?
You can, just make sure they’re fully cooked before you start. You’ll need about 3 cups of cooked beans to replace the two cans.
Are Marry Me Butter Beans vegetarian?
They can be. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and look for a vegetarian Parmesan, since traditional Parmigiano-Reggiano is made with animal rennet.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream or a plain unsweetened cashew cream, and use a dairy-free Parmesan alternative or a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan.
👩🍳 Hungry For More?
If you loved this Marry Me Butter Beans recipe, here are a few more recipes worth keeping on rotation:
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
- One Pan Caramelized Onion Pasta
- Stuffed Tomatoes
- Green Curry Dumpling Bake
- Zucchini Flatbread (Zucchini Scarpaccia)
💌 Let’s Stay Connected
Keep in touch with me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest! If you do make this marry me butter beans recipe (or any recipe of mine) don’t forget to leave a review.
Marry Me Butter Beans
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil, from the sun-dried tomato jar
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
- 1¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth, low sodium
- 2 540mL cans butter beans, or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed very well
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, 33%
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated + more to garnish
- 4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, to garnish
- chili oil, to garnish
Instructions
- Add the sun-dried tomato oil to a large, deep pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly softened and the shallot begins to turn translucent.Next, add in the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Stir in the dried basil, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste, and allow to cook just until fully incorporated.
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the butter beans (after rinsing them really well) and bring to a gentle boil. Cook uncovered for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth has reduced slightly and the beans have warmed through.
- Use a potato masher (or fork) to mash about one-quarter to one-half of the beans directly in the pan, leaving the remaining beans whole. Stir to combine.
- Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer, just until slightly reduced. Reduce the heat to low, then gradually stir in the Parmesan until melted and incorporated.
- Turn off the heat and taste to see if you want to add any additional seasonings.Add the fresh spinach and stir until wilted and evenly mixed into the sauce.
- Garnish with fresh basil and chili oil.
- Serve warm with fresh bread.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My family loved this!