Fall in love with Marry Me Butter Beans, a delicious vegetarian twist on the classic! 💍✨ Creamy, comforting, and packed with protein and flavor, this irresistible 15-minute dish is sure to become a new favorite.
If you've heard of Marry Me Chicken, you know it's a rich, creamy dish that's said to be so good it could inspire a proposal. 💍✨ Now, imagine that same velvety, flavor-packed sauce – but in a hearty vegetarian version starring creamy butter beans!
Marry Me Butter Beans is everything you love about the original-creamy, comforting, and absolutely delicious. Instead of heavy cream, this recipe swaps in cottage cheese and high-protein soy milk for a creamy texture without the extra fat. Butter Beans add a satisfying plant-based protein boost, while sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and aromatic herbs bring deep, savory flavor to every bite.
If you love chickpeas, be sure to try my Marry Me Chickpeas for another delicious, protein-packed twist on this creamy classic! 🧡
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
See recipe card for quantities.
- Butter Beans: The star of the dish, bringing a hearty texture and a boost of plant-based protein. Also known as lima beans, a type of white beans, which soak up flavors beautifully.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Tomato Paste: These add a rich, slightly tangy, umami-packed depth and lots of color to the sauce. Choose oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for the best flavor.
- Butter & Garlic: A must for any good sauce!
- Cottage Cheese & Soy Milk: The secret to a rich, creamy sauce without the extra fat! I prefer high-protein soy milk for an extra boost, but any milk will do. As for the cottage cheese, any type works, so choose your favorite!
- Parmesan: Adds a cheesy, savory depth.
- Vegetable Broth: Helps create the sauce base.
- Fresh Baby Spinach: Wilts beautifully into the sauce for extra nutrition.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Just a little spice to balance the richness.
- Italian Seasoning, Salt & Black Pepper: Essential for enhancing the flavors!
- Fresh Basil: Brightens up the dish with fresh, herby goodness.
Visual Step-by-Step Instructions
- Blend vegetable broth, cottage cheese, soy milk, and parmesan in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat a skillet with butter. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the Italian seasoning, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another minute.
- Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and butter beans. Pour in blended mixture and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the spinach and cook for about 5 minutes, until warm and the spinach has wilted.
- Stir in fresh basil and season to taste with salt and black pepper! Serve immediately on its own, with crusty bread, rice, or pasta.
How to Serve
Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve these butter beans:
- As a standalone dish for a high-protein vegetarian meal with 36g of protein per serving.
- With basmati or jasmine rice to soak up the sauce.
- Over pasta for a comforting meal.
- With a slice of crusty bread, perfect for dipping! 🙌
Tips for Success
- Blend the Cottage Cheese for Extra Creaminess: For an ultra-smooth sauce, blend the cottage cheese and soy milk together before adding them to the dish. This prevents lumps and creates a velvety texture.
- Switch The Beans: No butter beans? Try cannellini or chickpeas instead.
- Vegan: If you would like to make a vegan Marry Me Butter Beans version, swap butter with olive oil, parmesan with 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, and use ½ – 1 cup of coconut milk instead of cottage cheese and milk.
- Store Properly: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water to loosen the consistency if needed.
More Comforting Dinners
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📖 Recipe
Marry Me Butter Beans
email me this recipe 💌
Plus, enjoy weekly doses of recipe inspiration as a bonus!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 15-oz can butter beans, drained & rinsed, 425 g cans
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup soy milk, or milk of choice, opt for high-protein milk if possible
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Blend vegetable broth, cottage cheese, soy milk, and parmesan in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat a skillet with butter. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the Italian seasoning, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for another minute.
- Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and butter beans. Pour in blended mixture and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the spinach and cook for about 5 minutes, until warm and the spinach has wilted.
- Stir in fresh basil and season to taste with salt and black pepper! Serve immediately on its own, with crusty bread, rice, or pasta.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove top, adding a splash of water to loosen the consistency if needed.
- Vegan: If you would like to make a vegan Marry Me Butter Beans version, swap butter with olive oil, parmesan with 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, and use ½ - 1 cup of coconut milk instead of cottage cheese and milk.
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