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
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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.
Equipment
Nutrition
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