This Vegan Creamy Tuscan Butter Beans recipe is a simple and delicious vegetarian dinner recipe! It only requires 9 ingredients and 15 minutes to make and it's full of Italian flavors like tomato, red pepper flake and fresh basil.
Quick dinner recipes are the most important recipes. I love to make Tahini Pasta, Vegan Lentil Tacos, and Vegan Chickpea Stir Fry, which all take about 20 minutes. But lately, I have been making these Creamy Vegetarian Tuscan Butter Beans, which are even faster!
This recipe comes together in one skillet in just 15 minutes and is super creamy and full of flavor. The butter beans are simmered in a creamy tomato sauce that is sort of like a super-fast version of Vegan Vodka Sauce. I like to serve this dish with bread that has been toasted in olive oil in a skillet for the quickest vegetarian dinner ever!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is super simple, so its great for beginners!
- It only takes 15 minutes.
- This Creamy Butter Beans recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free, so anyone can enjoy it!
- You only need 9 simple ingredients to make it.
- And most importantly, it's absolutely delicious!
Ingredient Notes
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Either cherry or grape tomatoes will work for this recipe so just grab what you can!
Shallot and Garlic: I like to use shallot so I can just use a whole one. If you can't find shallot, use half of a small yellow onion.
Hummus: Hummus is the secret ingredient that makes these Vegetarian Butter Beans Creamy! Any plain hummus will work. My favorite brand is Cedars.
Canned Butter Beans: Butter beans are so delicious! They are great for dishes like this and to make Butter Bean Hummus. If you can't find butter beans, use cannellini beans.
Fresh Basil: Fresh basil is stirred in at the end for so much flavor and freshness.
Step by Step Instruction
Step 1. In a large cold skillet, add olive oil, cherry or grape tomatoes, shallot and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and red pepper flake. Pace over medium-low heat and cook stirring occasionally until the garlic and shallot is brown and the tomatoes begin to burst. This will take about 4 minutes.
Step 2. Use a wooden spoon or a potato masher to gently mash the tomatoes to create a sauce.
Step 3. Add the drained and rinsed butter beans, vegetable stock and hummus. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and simmer until its thickened, but saucy- about 6 minutes.
Step 4. Remove from heat and add the spinach and basil and allow the residual heat to wilt the greens into the beans. Season once more with salt and pepper to taste and serve with toast!
What to Serve it With
- Serve these creamy vegetarian butter beans over rice.
- Or with toast for dipping.
- Vegan Garlic Bread would also be a delicious dipping vessel!
Recipe FAQs
Scoop the leftover beans into an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Butter beans and lima beans are the same bean. Lima beans are just picked when they are green and butter beans are picked when they are mature.
Yes! Cannellini beans are the closest substitute for butter beans.
Expert Recipe Tips
The cherry or grape tomatoes will need a little bit of help bursting. So, gently press them with either the back of a wooden spoon or with a potato masher to help them along.
I put a range of vegetable stock in the recipe so you can choose how saucy you want your beans! I like them to be really saucy, so I used the full ½ cup. If you want them to be thicker, use less stock.
And if you need another bean recipe to try after this one, make my Vegetarian Three Bean Chili!
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Tuscan Butter Beans (Vegan!)
Equipment
- 1 10" Skillet
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 ½ Cups Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 Medium Shallot, sliced
- 2 Medium Cloves of Garlic, sliced
- 1 Pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 15 Ounce Can of Butter Beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ - ½ Cup Vegetable Stock See Note
- 3 tablespoon Plain Hummus
- 1 Cup Baby Spinach or Kale optional
- ⅓ Cup Lightly Packed Basil, thinly sliced
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Add olive oil, tomatoes, shallot and garlic to a cold skillet. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and crushed red pepper flake. Place the skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes start to burst, about 4 minutes.1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 ½ Cups Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, 1 Medium Shallot, sliced, 2 Medium Cloves of Garlic, sliced, 1 Pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Use the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher to gently mash the tomatoes to create a sauce. (See note)
- Add the butter beans, vegetable stock, and hummus. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and simmer until it has thickened to your liking. For me, this was about 6 minutes.1 15 Ounce Can of Butter Beans, drained and rinsed, ¼ - ½ Cup Vegetable Stock, 3 tablespoon Plain Hummus
- Remove from heat and stir in the baby spinach and basil. Season with another pinch of salt and pepper. Serve with sourdough toast.1 Cup Baby Spinach or Kale, ⅓ Cup Lightly Packed Basil, thinly sliced
Charlie says
Wasn't sure about this, but I have to say it was amazing. I used tinned tomatoes and I did add some paprika but otherwise stuck to the recipe. You can't actually taste the hummus which was what I was a bit concerned about - it does make it creamy but also adds to the flavour really nicely. Plus much healthier than cream. Loved by all the fam and will be making this again for sure.