These creamy butter beans are the perfect one-pot, easy recipe for when you want something quick, healthy, and delicious on the table after a long day. They’re ready in less than 20 minutes and contain just six ingredients.

Beans are one of my favorite ingredients to cook with. They’re a good source of protein, high in fiber, and so versatile. You can make creamy one-pot dishes like these creamy butter beans or my homemade baked beans, you can use them in hearty veggie chillis and winter casseroles, or as a base for a range of dishes such as these pinto beans!

These creamy butter beans require minimal ingredients and are a one-pot recipe ready in less than 20 minutes. They’re a great go-to recipe for busy weeknights when you can’t be bothered to cook!

Ingredient Notes

The exact quantities of the ingredients you need for this recipe are included in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

Here, I’ve added a few notes on the ingredients you need, plus a few potential substitutions you could make if you can’t eat/find a certain ingredient.

• Butter Beans: I use jarred butter beans in this recipe, as you need the stock water the beans are stored in. If you can’t find jarred butter beans, use tinned beans. Drain and rinse the beans and use about 150ml water or vegetable stock instead.
  
• Garlic: I use a large clove of two garlic for this recipe, minced. Use however much you prefer though!
  
• Cherry tomatoes: Fresh cherry tomatoes are added to this recipe for color, flavor, and texture. You could use diced plum tomatoes as an alternative – I wouldn’t recommend using tinned chopping tomatoes, though.
  
• Seasonings: I keep the seasonings simple for this recipe. Just dried basil, salt, and black pepper.
  
• Lemon: Use the juice of a whole fresh lemon for this recipe. The zestiness of the lemon is essential for giving the recipe a freshness that cuts perfectly through the garlicky, creamy taste of the beans. You could also add lemon zest on top for extra zing!
  
• Cream Cheese: A generous dollop of cream cheese adds to the creamy texture of the beans. If you are plant-based, there are several great vegan cream cheese options you can use – I almost exclusively use the vegan Philadelphia cream cheese (even though I’m not vegan) because I like it so much
  
• Spinach: Chopped fresh spinach adds color, texture, and extra nutrients to this recipe. You could use frozen spinach instead, although I’ve not tried this yet.

Substitutions & Variations

• To Make This Recipe Vegan: Simply substitute the cream cheese for a plant-based cream cheese alternative. Philadelphia has a good one that I often use.
  
• To Add More Vegetables: If you want to increase the vegetable content in this recipe, you could add red peppers, courgettes (I think this would be a lovely addition!), leeks, or even some cubed butternut squash.

How To Make This Creamy Butter Beans Recipe

Again, the exact step-by-step instructions and ingredient quantities will be in the recipe card at the bottom of this page. 

Below is an overview of making this recipe, plus some process shots to help you visualize how this recipe should turn out.

Step 1) Add The Garlic

First, heat your oil in your pan, and then add the minced garlic. Saute until it’s fragrant but not brown.

Step 2) Add The Butter Beans and Cherry Tomatoes

Next, add your jarred butter beans along with the stock water they’re stored in. Tip in the cherry tomatoes and seasonings, too. Stir everything to combine and allow it to simmer for 10 – 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the tomatoes have softened. Gently use your spoon to break them apart.

Step 3) Add The Cream Cheese, Spinach, and Lemon Juice

Add your dollop of cream cheese and the chopped spinach to the dish, stirring it in until the cream cheese has melted and turned the sauce creamy. Squeeze over the lemon juice and sprinkle your parsley and (if using) chili oil over the dish.

Expert Tips!

The stock water from the jarred beans helps to make these beans creamy, so I would highly recommend using beans from the jar if you can. If you can only use dried or tinned beans, substitute the stock water with 0.5 cups of water or vegetable stock instead.

If you would prefer to omit the cream cheese for a more ‘whole foods’ recipe, you can. The beans won’t be as creamy, though.

To add something to cut through the garlicky, creamy beans, I love combining diced olives and parsley along with some lemon juice and topping the beans with it.

What To Serve With These Creamy Butter Beans

For me, my favorite way to serve these creamy beans is with a few slices of crusty bread to dip and mop up all the sauce!

You could also serve them with mashed potato or even some cooked pasta!

Storing

Here’s what to do if you have leftover creamy butter beans:

• Refrigerator: Store your butter beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 – 5 days. Reheat them in the microwave before serving.
  
• Freezer: Freeze your butter beans in an airtight container for up to three months. Defrost fully in the refrigerator before reheating. Note, that the cream cheese may change in texture slightly once frozen/defrosted.

FAQs

Is it safe to eat the water from jarred beans?

Yes, it’s safe to eat the water from jarred beans. If you read the ingredients on the jar, it’s typically just water and stock – which helps to add flavor to your recipe. Bean stock serves as an instant stock or broth for soups, creamy bean dishes, and other dishes with beans.

Can I use the stock from tinned beans?

You can use the bean stock from tinned beans, but I prefer to rinse my tinned beans and substitute the bean stock with fresh water or vegetable stock.

Can I use dried butter beans for this recipe?

Yes, you can use dried butter beans for this recipe. Soak and cook your butter beans according to your packet instructions before using them in this recipe. Of course, this will add significant cooking time to this recipe.

Can I use chopped tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes?

Using chopped tomatoes will make less recipe much less creamy than using cherry tomatoes, and will change the overall flavor significantly. I would recommend using fresh tomatoes (diced fresh plum tomatoes will also work) or omitting them altogether.

Other One-Pot Recipes You’ll Like:

• Caramelized Onion Butter Beans with Feta Yoghurt and Zhoug
• Cheesy Baked Gnocchi With Vodka Sauce
• Vegetarian Taco Bowl
• Creamy Mushroom Pasta