10-Minute, 7-ingredient Creamy Butter Beans made without butter or cream! Healthy, vegan, and tasty. Serve on toast for a quick budget-friendly lunch or dinner.
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Let me show you how to make a healthy creamy sauce with just hummus, and the liquid from a can of beans instead of heavily processed vegan butters or creams. Butter beans, also called lima beans, are naturally creamy in texture. This easy sauce gets them even creamier, and you only need a handful of ingredients.
In addition, these Creamy Butter Beans are a complete meal. They're rich in plant-based protein and fiber, and low in calories. Plus, this dish is packed with vitamins, and antioxidants. There's lycopene from the tomatoes, vitamin C from the lemon juice, and iron from the greens.
Try my Easy Creamy Miso Beans on this site! This recipe was inspired by this quick and easy Chickpea Bowl with Oil-Free Dressing, as well as this 15-minute White Bean Avocado Sandwich.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Butter beans are a type of legume, also known as lima beans, that are creamy white, and have a buttery texture and flavor. They are popular in Southern American cuisine and are often used in stews, casseroles, salads, and soups. They are rich in protein, fiber, and nutrients such as iron, magnesium, and potassium. They can be found in both fresh and canned forms. This recipe calls for canned butter beans for extra creaminess, but you can also use cooked fresh beans instead.
- Hummus is an easy and healthy way to add creaminess to a dish. Use store-bought or homemade hummus.
- Lemon zest contains aromatic oils that add a bright, tangy flavor. It adds a fresh and citrusy note that balances the other flavors in this dish. Lemon juice adds tang, and increases the absorption of the iron in the greens.
- Garlic adds flavor and health benefits to these Creamy Butter Beans. Garlic contains allicin, a sulfur-containing compound that is responsible for its pungent smell and many of its health benefits. Allicin may have antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties.
See the recipe card for quantities.
🌿 Substitutions
- Butter or lima beans - instead of butter beans, use any variety of white beans
- Canned beans - Use fresh lima beans instead as desired, and cook them beforehand. Substitute the can liquid in the recipe with vegetable broth. Note: This recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of cooked beans, which is about one-half cup of dry beans.
- Baby spinach - use baby kale, or chopped greens of your choice instead
- Crushed red pepper - omit for non-spicy
- Maple syrup - add a drizzle to balance the tang from the lemon
- Sun-dried tomatoes - chopped jarred sun-dried tomatoes would be a great addition to this dish
For more quick and easy bean recipes, visit my Vegan Bean Recipes page.
📖 Instructions
Drain the beans and reserve the liquid from the can. The beans are added at the end of the cooking process so they don't get mushy.
Step 1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet and cook the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, and crushed red pepper, and cook for 1 minute more. Add the bean liquid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 3 minutes more, while smashing the tomatoes to release their juice. Add the hummus, and lemon juice, and stir to combine.
Step 2. Mix in the spinach and beans. Cook until the spinach is just wilted. Add water or vegetable broth as needed until the desired texture.
Step 3. Add lemon zest, and a drizzle of maple syrup, if using. Season with salt, and pepper, and adjust lemon juice to taste.
For serving: Serve Creamy Butter Beans with pasta, rice, farro, quinoa, millet, or on toast. Or add vegetable broth and make a cozy butter bean stew!
💡 Expert Tips
- When using lemon zest in a recipe, it is important to only grate the outermost layer of the lemon peel, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath. Use a microplane or fine grater for best results.
- For cooking dry lima beans: Rinse the beans before cooking. Place ½ cup beans in a large pot with 2 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 1 hour, or until tender. Drain well. To reduce the cooking time, soak the beans overnight in 1 ½ cups water and ½ teaspoon salt.
- For serving: Serve Creamy Butter Beans over bread, rice, or a grain of your choice.
- Storage: Refrigerate any remaining Creamy Butter Beans in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in a saucepan or microwave, adding vegetable broth as needed for the desired consistency.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
There is no difference between lima beans and butter beans (and sieva beans). All three are the seeds of the plant Phaseolus lunatus. They are available fresh, frozen, or dried, and are sold in both younger and mature forms.
An easy, budget-friendly way to thicken vegan sauces, and make beans creamier, is to use the starchy liquid from canned beans. The liquid's viscous, thick consistency simply comes from the starch that the beans release naturally. In addition, hummus acts as a secondary thickener in this deliciously creamy butter bean recipe.
Feel free to add arrowroot or cornstarch if you like it thicker.
To make Butter Bean Stew, simply add vegetable broth to this recipe, and more hummus as needed until the desired consistency. You can also add chopped sun-dried tomatoes to pack in more flavor.
🍽 Related Recipes
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Creamy Butter Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- Drizzle of olive oil
- 3 large cloves garlic sliced
- ½ pint grape or cherry tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can butter beans drained, reserving can liquid (or use ½ cup vegetable broth)
- 2 tablespoons hummus
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus more to taste
- 2 cups baby spinach or baby kale
- Zest of one-half lemon
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or to taste (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Cook the aromatics: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes, and crushed red pepper, and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
- Add ¼ cup bean liquid or vegetable broth and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 3 minutes more, while smashing the tomatoes to release their juice. Add more bean liquid or vegetable broth as needed until the desired consistency.
- Add the hummus, and lemon juice, and stir to combine.
- Mix in the spinach and beans. Cook until the spinach is just wilted. Add water or vegetable broth as needed until the desired texture.
- Add lemon zest, and maple syrup, if using. Season with salt, and pepper, and adjust lemon juice to taste.
Notes
- Drain the beans and reserve the liquid from the can. The beans are added at the end of the cooking process so they don't get mushy.
- Use fresh lima beans instead as desired, and cook them beforehand. Substitute the can liquid in the recipe with vegetable broth. Note: This recipe calls for 1 ½ cups cooked beans, which is about one-half cup dry beans.
- Storage: Refrigerate any remaining Creamy Butter Beans in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in a saucepan or microwave, adding vegetable broth as needed for the desired consistency.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate. Nutritional values may vary depending on factors such as product types and brands used.
Nancy says
This recipe is so simple but absolutely delicious! I was actually shocked when I took my first bite – it is so flavorful! I actually finished it, and the next day made another. I think this will be a go to recipe, especially in the summertime when it’s hot and I don’t really want to eat heavy food. It’s so refreshing. Thank you for the recipe!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
It's one of my faves! I'm so glad you are enjoying it. Luckily it's easy enough to make often! Thank you.
Anna Rico says
Hello can I freeze this recipe?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I haven't tested it but I imagine it will be totally fine!
Harvi says
I just made this and omg it was so simple, quick and delicious. Can’t wait to eat the rest tomorrow. Thank you for a great recipe!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad it was a hit! Thank you!!!
Becky says
Tried this today. Delicious!!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you. So glad you enjoyed it.
Liz says
Would it be possible to make this without hummus? If so, what do you recommend substituting it for?
Thanks!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
You could blend raw cashews in hot water instead with seasonings to make a cashew cream. Or add creamy yogurt.
Kristina says
This was SO good, better than I expected. Will be adding to my rotation of easy, healthy lunches!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you.
Jenny says
This is so delicious exactly as written, and so quick to make. I love that the creaminess comes from the beans and hummus, and not a more complicated cashew situation.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you. Yes it's nice to get a break from cashews sometimes:)
Rachel says
Delicious! And I loooove that it’s so easy (and healthy) - it will definitely be on the regular work night rotation for sure!I forgot about the maple syrup, but it doesn’t even need it. Squeezed a bit of lemon juice on top for serving and had with some toasted French bread with avocado! SO GOOD! Thank you!!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Awww so glad you enjoyed it! Must be so good with avocado! Thank you.
Cleardee says
Very tasty but adding all the bean liquid made it far too liquid a mixture especially with all the liquid that came out of the tomatoes.. Perhaps you could amend the instructions to indicate using 1/2 cup of bean liquid as you said 1/2
Cup of veg broth of that was being used instead.? I had to eat it like a soup in the end as even after simmering for ten mins it was still very full of liquid.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi! Thanks for the suggestion. I just updated it to reflect this. Have. a great day.
Helen Bergeron says
I can't tell you how much I loved this. It brought me back to my childhood growing up french, eating creamy white beans and Mom's bread weekly, my ultimate comfort food. I moaned with joy and delight all the way through , absolute perfection. Thank you ever so much!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Awww it made me so happy to read this. Thank you. More beans like this to come!
Meg says
I missed the measurement for the bean liquid so this came out soupier than expected. I drained some of it out which made it a much better toast topping! I did add extra hummus to also try to make it creamier. Loved the flavor combination of lemon, red pepper flakes, and syrup. I'm curious to serve over rice as I saw another commenter did--sounds like a great way to make this even more filling as a meal. I will definitely make this again!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi. Yes, it would be delicious over rice too! Glad you enjoyed it.
Jesse says
So so good!!! Love this for a quick and healthy weeknight meal! I threw a little cornstarch in at the end to thicken it up a tiny bit😄
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
The thickness really depends on the hummus you use. I'm glad it worked out! Thank you!
Elizabeth D'Agostino says
So quick and easy. I hope you don't mind but not being vegan I had mine on toast topped with a poached egg and in a toasted wrap with some feta cheese.
I'm so looking forward to trying more of your recipes, so glad you popped up on my Instagram feed.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them. Thank you for commenting!
Pam says
Easy week night meal. Lots of flavor. Will definitely add this to the rotation.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you! Happy you liked it.
Darcie says
Outstanding! I'm so happy with how this turned out (and surprised, honestly). I was actually saying "wow" out loud to myself while I was eating it. And simple and affordable. I used the can liquid and 4 tbsp hummus instead of 2 for extra creaminess. Mine was a but soupier than pictured but still delicious. It was hard to find the canned lima beans in my grocery store (Nova Scotia); they weren't with the rest of the canned beans, but instead in the international isle. I would double to feed a family of 4. Had mine with crusty bread as recommended. SO SO GOOD.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for your helpful comment. Happy New Year.
HeidiG says
This was soooo good! I doubled the recipe and served on toasted sourdough bread. The only thing I did different was to add a little glob of Better Than Bouillon vegetable base. This recipe is going into my tried and loved Pinterest board. Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so thrilled to read this. Thank you.
Tami says
I made this today and quadrupled the recipe. I cooked the one 16oz bag of Rancho Gordo Lima Beans in the Instant Pot and used the broth from the Instant Pot for the vegetable broth. I also used hummus with Hatch green chilis which gave it a little bit of zip. I served it over rice. This was so delicious that it is going to become part of my bean rotation. I have tended to gravitate towards red and black beans, but this was a gamechanger. I had to force myself to not overeat them today, and I can't wait to eat more tomorrow!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
It makes my day to read this! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Love all your additions. Thank you!
Helen Bergeron says
I can't tell you how very much I enjoyed this, it brought me back to my childhood growing up french eating creamy white beans weekly with Mom's bread, my ultimate comfort food. I moaned with joy and delight all the way through, had it with toasted sourdough. Doesn't get any better, it was perfection. Thank you!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you. I truly appreciate your comment. Inspires me to make more bean recipes like this one!
Kimberley says
I made this for my family last night. Overall it was quite good & very easy. I served it over thick slices of grilled homemade artisan bread. Everyone said I could definitely make it again.
I struggle though with vague directions - so "salt and pepper to taste" always throws me. I usually like to have some guidance from the recipe creator. I would have appreciated it if you put the amounts you use at least in the notes section. Then I feel like I would have a baseline to go by. The "drizzle of maple syrup" was another one I would have liked a clue about where to start - 1/4 tsp? 1/2 tsp?...more?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi, I personally do not eat a lot of salt and the amount I add varies depending on the brands of the other ingredients. For example, one vegetable broth might be much saltier than a different brand, and the same is true for soy sauce, tamari, canned goods - the list goes on. I'd hate for someone to over salt or over sweeten a recipe they worked hard on making.
Kira G LA says
Absolutely amazing - I almost ate the entire pan in one go. I added extra red pepper flakes for extra spice and more hummus to add creaminess to the base.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad ypu enjoyed it. Thank you!
SUSAN CLENDANIEL says
Excellent! I had a side of boiled potatoes seasoned with garlic lemon pepper. My husband who is a new vegan loves it! Going to have to double the recipe next time!
Nisha Melvani says
Yay! So happy to hear that! Thank you.
Shannon says
These beans were fabulous! I made toasted baguette and rubbed garlic on them to have with the beans. I’m diabetic so I didn’t add the maple syrup. They tasted a bit sweet anyway. I would highly recommend this recipe!
Nisha Melvani says
Thank you so much for leaving such a helpful comment. I'm thrilled you enjoyed them.
Amina says
Butter beans are so underrated! Love the zingy flavours in this recipe that compliment the creamy brand.
Nisha Melvani says
Once you discover butter beans, there's no going back!
Anita says
Can you rinse the beans and use another liquid instead? The jar I buy contains salt and an E number and makes the recipe less healthy
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes, feel free to switch the liquid for broth. I usually purchase unsalted beans with only water added.
Stephanie says
The sauce is great and would be wonderful over almost anything! Served over toasted, crusty bread is delicious! Plus the recipe is easy and nutritious! Can’t go wrong with this one!
Nisha Melvani says
Thank you. I enjoy these beans with pasta too!