Creamy One Pot Marry Me Butter Beans

Here is my favorite one pot marry me butter beans recipe, with creamy broth, melty mozzarella and parmesan, tender butter beans, and plenty of spinach and tomatoes all cooked together in one pan.

This dish has become our go-to weeknight dinner when I need something easy but impressive. My husband always goes back for seconds, and the kids actually eat their greens without complaining. Plus, cleanup is a breeze with just one pot!

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What Kind of Butter Beans Should I Use?

Canned butter beans are the way to go for this recipe since they’re already cooked and ready to use. You’ll find them in the canned vegetable aisle, sometimes labeled as “lima beans” depending on the brand. Make sure to drain and rinse them before adding to your pot to get rid of any excess sodium and that slightly metallic canned taste. If you happen to have dried butter beans on hand, you can definitely use those too, but you’ll need to soak and cook them ahead of time until they’re tender, which adds a few hours to your prep.

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Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Butter beans: If you can’t find butter beans (also called lima beans), cannellini beans or great northern beans work really well here. They have a similar creamy texture that holds up nicely in the sauce.
• Shallot: No shallot? Use half a yellow or white onion instead. It’ll give you a similar mild, sweet flavor without any fuss.
• Sundried tomatoes: You can use the oil-packed or dry-packed variety – just make sure to chop them up. If using dry-packed, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes first to soften them up.
• Spinach: Fresh kale or Swiss chard are great substitutes. Just remove any tough stems and chop them a bit smaller. They’ll need an extra minute or two to wilt down.
• Milk: Heavy cream makes this even richer, or you can use half-and-half. For a dairy-free version, try oat milk or cashew cream – they’re thick enough to create that creamy sauce.
• Mozzarella: Fontina or provolone cheese melts just as nicely if that’s what you have on hand. You could even use all parmesan if you want a sharper flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake you can make with this dish is forgetting to drain and rinse your canned butter beans, which can leave your sauce tasting overly salty and starchy – a quick rinse under cold water fixes this problem completely.

Another common error is adding the spinach too early, which causes it to become mushy and lose its color, so wait until the very end and just stir it in until barely wilted.

When broiling the mozzarella on top, keep a close eye on it since broilers can go from perfectly melted to burnt in seconds – if your broiler runs hot, move the rack down a notch or two.

For extra flavor, consider using the oil from your sundried tomatoes instead of plain olive oil at the start, and if your sauce seems too thick after simmering, add that extra 1/2 cup of broth to loosen it up to your preferred consistency.

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What to Serve With Marry Me Butter Beans?

This dish is already pretty hearty on its own, but I love serving it with some crusty bread or garlic toast to scoop up all that creamy, cheesy sauce. If you want to make it more filling, spoon the butter beans over pasta like rigatoni or penne, or serve it alongside some fluffy rice to soak up the tomato-y goodness. A simple arugula salad with lemon dressing on the side helps balance out the richness, and honestly, you could even serve this as a dip with toasted baguette slices for a fun appetizer situation.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover butter beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get even better the next day after everything has had time to meld together, so this is a great one to make ahead for easy weeknight dinners.

Freeze: This dish freezes pretty well for up to 2 months, though the texture of the spinach and cheese might change slightly. I’d recommend freezing it in individual portions so you can grab just what you need for a quick meal.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or milk if it seems too thick. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with fresh basil and a little extra parmesan after reheating to brighten it back up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1250-1400
• Protein: 55-65 g
• Fat: 60-70 g
• Carbohydrates: 110-125 g

Ingredients

For the base:

• 2.5 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Filippio Berio for a smooth finish)
• 1 large shallot
• 3/4 cup sundried tomatoes (finely sliced into thin strips)
• 1 cup baby tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the bean mixture:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup broth (I always use Swanson vegetable broth)
• 28 oz butter beans
• 3.5 cups spinach (tightly packed to ensure plenty of greens)
• 1/3 cup parmesan

For the topping and garnish:

• 1.5 cups mozzarella (shredded fresh for a better melt)
• fresh basil
• parmesan
• chili flakes

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Aromatics

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 large shallot
• 3/4 cup sundried tomatoes
• 1 cup baby tomatoes
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Finely mince the garlic cloves and set aside.

Dice the shallot into small pieces.

Finely slice the sundried tomatoes into thin strips and halve the baby tomatoes.

Measure out the oregano, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper into a small bowl for easy access.

Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and prevent burning of aromatics.

Step 2: Build the Flavor Base

• 2.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large shallot
• 3/4 cup sundried tomatoes
• 1 cup baby tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large one-pot Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat.

Add the diced shallot with a pinch of salt and pepper, cooking for 3-5 minutes until softened and translucent.

Stir in the sliced sundried tomatoes and halved baby tomatoes, cooking for another 2-3 minutes to release their flavors.

Add the minced garlic along with the oregano and chili flakes from your spice mixture, cooking for just 1 minute until fragrant.

I find this slow building of flavors creates a much richer, deeper sauce than rushing it.

Step 3: Create the Creamy Sauce Base

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup broth
• 28 oz butter beans

Pour in the milk and broth, stirring well to combine with the aromatic mixture.

Add the drained butter beans and gently stir to distribute throughout the liquid.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and let it cook for 5-7 minutes, allowing the beans to warm through and the flavors to meld together.

This simmering time lets the butter beans absorb the seasoned liquid and become part of the cohesive sauce.

Step 4: Incorporate Greens and Cheese

• 3.5 cups spinach
• 1/3 cup parmesan

Stir in the tightly packed spinach and the 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, stirring continuously for 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts completely and the cheese melts into the sauce.

The heat from the simmering liquid will wilt the spinach perfectly while the parmesan enriches the sauce.

I like to add the spinach in two additions if needed—it compacts significantly as it cooks, and you want to ensure all the greens are incorporated into this creamy mixture.

Step 5: Top with Mozzarella and Broil

• 1.5 cups mozzarella

Distribute the shredded fresh mozzarella evenly over the top of the bean and spinach mixture, covering as much surface area as possible.

Place the pot under a preheated broiler on the upper rack for 3-5 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown.

Watch carefully during this step to prevent the cheese from burning—every broiler is different, so keep an eye on it after the 3-minute mark.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

• fresh basil
• chili flakes
• parmesan

Remove the pot from the broiler and let it rest for 1-2 minutes before serving.

Ladle the creamy butter bean mixture into bowls and garnish generously with fresh basil leaves, additional chili flakes for heat, and a sprinkle of fresh parmesan.

Serve alongside crusty bread to soak up the rich, savory sauce.

Creamy One Pot Marry Me Butter Beans

Delicious Creamy One Pot Marry Me Butter Beans recipe with step-by-step instructions.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1325 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the base::

• 2.5 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Filippio Berio for a smooth finish)
• 1 large shallot
• 3/4 cup sundried tomatoes (finely sliced into thin strips)
• 1 cup baby tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the bean mixture::

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup broth (I always use Swanson vegetable broth)
• 28 oz butter beans
• 3.5 cups spinach (tightly packed to ensure plenty of greens)
• 1/3 cup parmesan

For the topping and garnish::

• 1.5 cups mozzarella (shredded fresh for a better melt)
• fresh basil
• parmesan
• chili flakes

Instructions

 

• Finely mince the garlic cloves and set aside. Dice the shallot into small pieces. Finely slice the sundried tomatoes into thin strips and halve the baby tomatoes. Measure out the oregano, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper into a small bowl for easy access. Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and prevent burning of aromatics.
• Heat the olive oil in a large one-pot Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the diced shallot with a pinch of salt and pepper, cooking for 3-5 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the sliced sundried tomatoes and halved baby tomatoes, cooking for another 2-3 minutes to release their flavors. Add the minced garlic along with the oregano and chili flakes from your spice mixture, cooking for just 1 minute until fragrant. I find this slow building of flavors creates a much richer, deeper sauce than rushing it.
• Pour in the milk and broth, stirring well to combine with the aromatic mixture. Add the drained butter beans and gently stir to distribute throughout the liquid. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and let it cook for 5-7 minutes, allowing the beans to warm through and the flavors to meld together. This simmering time lets the butter beans absorb the seasoned liquid and become part of the cohesive sauce.
• Stir in the tightly packed spinach and the 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, stirring continuously for 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts completely and the cheese melts into the sauce. The heat from the simmering liquid will wilt the spinach perfectly while the parmesan enriches the sauce. I like to add the spinach in two additions if needed—it compacts significantly as it cooks, and you want to ensure all the greens are incorporated into this creamy mixture.
• Distribute the shredded fresh mozzarella evenly over the top of the bean and spinach mixture, covering as much surface area as possible. Place the pot under a preheated broiler on the upper rack for 3-5 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown. Watch carefully during this step to prevent the cheese from burning—every broiler is different, so keep an eye on it after the 3-minute mark.
• Remove the pot from the broiler and let it rest for 1-2 minutes before serving. Ladle the creamy butter bean mixture into bowls and garnish generously with fresh basil leaves, additional chili flakes for heat, and a sprinkle of fresh parmesan. Serve alongside crusty bread to soak up the rich, savory sauce.