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Tuscan Marry Me Butter Beans

Tuscan marry me butter beans in a creamy sun-dried tomato and cream sauce with large lima beans and wilted spinach. Simmered until the sauce thickens, then finished with parmesan for a rich, 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
Calories: 640
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
  • 0.5 cup parmesan grated
Serving
  • 1 crusty bread for serving
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sauté the sun-dried tomato base
  1. Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Keep the heat steady so the garlic doesn’t brown, and you see softened tomato pieces clinging to the oil.
Make the creamy sauce
  1. Add the heavy cream, broth, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
  2. Simmer for a short moment until the liquid looks slightly thickened and glossy around the edges.
Heat the butter beans
  1. Add the butter beans and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are heated through and the sauce thickens slightly.
  2. You should see a creamy coating cling to the beans rather than pooling in a thin layer.
Wilt the spinach
  1. Stir in the baby spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted and dark green.
  2. The spinach should collapse quickly and disappear into the sauce.
Finish with parmesan and serve
  1. Stir in the parmesan and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Let the sauce stand for 1 minute so it tightens slightly, then serve hot with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Notes

Pro tip: If the sauce gets too thick while the beans are simmering, loosen it with a splash of broth. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months (reheat gently, as the cream may separate slightly). For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream and expect a slightly thinner sauce.