These harissa butter beans are the perfect quick, easy vegetarian (or vegan) dinner recipe. Ready in 25 minutes and containing minimal ingredients, the spicy and flavor-packed beans are served with a spoonful of soft cheese, lots of lemon zest, and black pepper.

This is one of my favorite low-effort dinners that packs a lot of flavor and tastes absolutely delicious. Similar bean recipes you might also enjoy include my homemade baked beans, these beautiful creamy butter beans, these red pesto butter beans for a less spicy alternative, or these Mexican pinto beans, and this black bean bowl.

Ingredients

The recipe card below contains the exact ingredient quantities for this recipe – but below, I’ve added a few notes and potential substitutions.

• Butter Beans: These are also known as lima beans, so look out for both names when shopping! This recipe uses canned butter beans for convenience. Other white beans, such as cannellini beans or navy beans will also work well.
  
• Onions & Garlic: This recipe uses diced red onion and minced garlic – you could also use diced white onion or shallot if you prefer. I used three cloves of garlic in this recipe as I wanted a garlicky, smoky butter bean dish – feel free to adjust based on your preferences.
  
• Passata or Diced Tomatoes: The passata helps to give the beans their rich, flavorful sauce. I prefer passata to keep the sauce smooth, but the diced tomatoes will also work well.
  
• Harissa Paste: Harissa paste is a spicy, smoky, and aromatic chili paste . It’s made from roasted red peppers, dried chili peppers, and a blend of spices and herbs like garlic, cumin, coriander, and caraway seeds. Note, harissa paste can be very spicy – so if you don’t like heat, use less or consider using a red pepper pesto instead.
  
• Cream: A dash of heavy cream (double cream) is a must to give the sauce its creamy, silky texture. Coconut milk would also be a good alternative to keep this recipe dairy free.
  
• Seasonings: The flavors of the harissa paste really shine through in this recipe, so the seasonings are kept simple with smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  
• Toppings: The dish is finished with a scoop of soft cheese (optional but always recommended!), fresh parsley, and lemon zest and juice.

Storage

If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. Reheat your beans in the microwave or on the stove until piping hot before serving.

Serving Your Harissa Butter Beans

I love this dish served with crusty toasted sourdough spread with a little butter- but you could also serve it with some garlic bread, on top of a baked potato (try this kumpir recipe to make it next level!), or with mashed potato.

You could also serve your beans as a flavor-packed side dish.

FAQs

Is harissa paste spicy?

Yes, harissa paste is quite spicy. If you can’t manage spice well, use less or consider swapping out the harissa paste for a red pepper pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto.

Can I use a different type of beans?

Yes, any white beans will work for this recipe. Cannellini beans, navy beans, or haricot beans will also work.

Can I freeze my beans?

I wouldn’t recommend freezing your harissa butter beans as the cream may change in texture when frozen and defrosted.