Description
These creamy, tomato-simmered butter beans are so delicious, they’ve earned their romantic nickname. Bursting with Mediterranean flavor, this simple yet elegant plant-based dish transforms humble beans into a meal worth falling in love with.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups dried butter beans (or lima beans)
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Rinse butter beans and soak in 6 cups of water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Drain and rinse, then add beans to a pot with 6 cups fresh water. Simmer gently for 45 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving ½ cup liquid.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 1–2 minutes.
- Stir in smoked paprika and chili powder, cooking 30 seconds to bloom spices.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Add cooked beans and reserved liquid. Simmer 15 minutes to blend flavors.
- Remove from heat, stir in chopped parsley, and adjust seasoning. Serve warm.
Notes
For faster prep, substitute 3 cans (15 oz each) of drained butter beans and skip soaking. Add during the final simmer step. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Simmered
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 390mg
- Fat: 4.2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 12.1g
- Protein: 15.2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: butter beans, marry me beans, tomato butter beans, plant-based dinner, mediterranean beans