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Creamy butter beans with grape tomatoes, spinach, and toasts in a white bowl.
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4.98 from 44 votes

Creamy Butter Beans Recipe

10-Minute, 7-ingredient Creamy Butter Beans made without butter or cream! Healthy, vegan, and tasty. Serve on toast for a quick budget-friendly, protein-rich lunch or dinner.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Vegan
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 148kcal

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

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

Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 803mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2314IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 4mg