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Tuscan Marry Me Butter Beans

Tuscan Marry Me butter beans are simmered in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce until the beans turn tender and the sauce lightly thickens. This Italian-American skillet meal finishes with wilted baby spinach and 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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Butter bean skillet base
  • 3 can (15 oz) butter beans (large lima beans) Drained.
  • 3 cup baby spinach
  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil Chopped (oil reserved).
  • 5 clove garlic Minced.
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 0.5 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
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sauté aromatics and sun-dried tomatoes
  1. Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat; sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.
Build the creamy sauce
  1. Add heavy cream, broth, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and bring the mixture to a simmer, bubbling gently, about 1-2 minutes.
Simmer butter beans
  1. Add drained butter beans and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the beans are heated through.
Wilt the spinach
  1. Stir in baby spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes, until wilted and tender.
Finish with parmesan and seasoning
  1. Stir in parmesan and season generously with salt and pepper until the sauce looks glossy and cohesive.
Serve
  1. Serve immediately with crusty bread to soak up the creamy sauce.

Notes

For the creamiest sauce, keep the simmer gentle so the dairy doesn’t split, and stir often once the cream is added. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat on the stovetop with a splash of broth or cream. Freezing is not recommended because the texture can turn grainy after thawing. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and reduce the parmesan slightly, then add to taste at the end.