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Meet your new go-to easy weeknight bean recipe! My garlic parmesan butter beans are ridiculously simple to prep (we’re talking 20 minutes) but full of slow-simmered flavors. It’s the low-effort, high-reward vegetarian dinner of your dreams.
If you loved my viral marry me butter beans or creamy lemon pepper chickpeas, this recipe is for you!
save this recipe!Seriously, if you’ve got a can of butter beans, you’re halfway to dinner already! A quick sauté here, a stir there, and you’re done in under 30 minutes. Bonus: it’s super rich in fiber and plant-based protein to keep you full and satisfied for hours!
Next Level Beans
- Comforting Yet Healthy: The cheesy, garlicky sauce and tender butter beans deliver big comfort-food vibes without weighing you down.
- So Versatile: These creamy butter beans are tasty as a main course (perfect with crusty bread) or an elegant holiday side with steamed veggies. They’re even great as a pasta topping!
Reader rating
P.S. If you love this quick skillet recipe, try my Marry Me Butter Beans or Fennel Braised Butter Beans next!
Key Ingredients
This easy butter beans recipe comes together with a short list of pantry staples and fresh ingredients—what’s not to love? Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Butter Beans: These tender, creamy legumes are packed with protein and have a mild flavor that is perfect for absorbing the savory seasonings and rich sauce. You may also see these called lima beans!
- Savory Seasonings: Minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper pack a flavor punch, while smoked paprika adds a subtle, smoky depth.
- Vegetable Broth: For the best taste, use a high-quality, low-sodium vegetable broth (or make your own veggie broth from kitchen scraps).
- Cream Cheese: We’ll use cream cheese to create the creamy sauce. You could also use heavy cream in a pinch, or coconut milk for a plant-based alternative.
- Parmesan: for an umami-rich finishing touch. Opt for freshly grated parmesan, which has a fresher flavor than pre-grated.
Butter Bean Swap
When using butter beans (also called large lima beans), look for cans labeled “butter beans” near the other canned beans. If you can’t find them, cannellini beans, navy beans, or even chickpeas make an easy substitution!
Let’s Make one-pot creamy beans
These Italian-style butter beans couldn’t be easier—just one pot, a quick simmer, and you’re done in 20! This is an overview of the recipe. Jump to the recipe card for the full printable recipe.
- Create the flavor base by sautéing the garlic and seasonings in butter.
- Simmer the beans in broth and cream cheese until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in parmesan cheese until melted and serve warm!
Plays Well With…
This comforting white bean dinner is even better with more Italian-style dishes. Here are three of our go-to options!
- Parsley Salad: Add a refreshing contrast to the creamy beans with this Mediterranean-inspired salad.
- Miso Butter Pasta: The creaminess of the beans pairs so well with the umami-rich sauce and hearty pasta!
20-Minute Creamy Garlic Parmesan Butter Beans
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 28 g
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 cup vegetable broth, 236 mL
- 4 oz cream cheese, 113 g
- 2 15-oz cans butter beans, 425 g each
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, 40 g
Instructions
- Flavor Base: In a large saute pan or medium pot, melt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 4 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp ground black pepper, and ½ tsp smoked paprika. Cook until garlic is a bit soft and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Simmer: Stir in 1 cup vegetable broth and 4 oz cream cheese, stirring until cream cheese is fully melted in. Stir in 2 15-oz cans butter beans (drained). Let gently simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
- Serve: Stir in ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese and serve warm!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!Hungry for more recipes with butter beans? Try these easy recipes with beans that aren’t boring (here are four of my personal favs):
Creamy Lemon Pepper Butter Beans Skillet
20 minutes
Creamy Pesto Butter Beans
30 minutes
Crispy Roasted Tahini Butter Beans
35 minutes
So good and easy! I could eat this everyday! I will definitely be trying the other bean recipes on this site. I’m so excited.
Thanks for cooking with me Mel, can’t wait for you to try more!
I’m not a vegetarian, but I wanted to try this recipe for the protein & fiber content, since it is easy and looks yummy. It is SO good! I’m not even a big fan of beans, but these are so flavorful, and the tenderness of the beans is on-point for me. I will definitely be making this on repeat. I served it with some homemade rustic Italian bread and a side salad. Delicious!
Thanks for trying it and leaving a sweet review Brittani, so glad it was a hit!
This is absolutely delicious and very addictive. I love butter beans. And thanks for including the metric measurements 😁
I’m so happy to hear you loved it, Bex! Enjoy!!
Followed the recipe but I can’t get the sauce to thicken, after adding the broth and cream cheese and simmering for 15 min it’s still very thin. I must be doing something wrong but it smells delicious!
Hi Kacie! Make sure to simmer it uncovered so that all the extra moisture can evaporate and help it to thicken. It will also thicken a bit as it cools! That said, this is not a super thick sauce.
I scooped some beans and broth into a blender and added that back into the mix. Makes it deliciously creamy!
I found that it thickened once I added the parmesaen cheese!
These are delicious, I’ve already made them twice in 3 days and I just bought more beans today so I can make again!
Big smiles over here, thanks for trying the recipe Kirstie!
Fast, easy to put together, and really satisfying. I used all of the suggested vegan substitutes (vegan cream cheese, butter, and parm) and it was amazing
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit! Enjoy!!
Tried it for the first time tonight. Doubled the recipe and it cooked up perfectly! Rave reviews from my family and I’m excited for leftovers tomorrow.
So glad it hit the spot Kristin, thanks for sharing!
This was SO TASTY.
I added chickpeas and spinach for some variation but it had way more flavour than I expected. It’ll definitely be in my regular rotation now.
I have problems with my hands so it’s hard to do much chopping and this was perfect
Thanks for the sweet review Emily, I’m glad you found a recipe that works well for you!
This was SO good!!! I used coconut cream instead of cream cheese and added spinach. Ill be keeping this recipe on rotation. Thank you for sharing!!
So glad it hit the spot Cherie, thanks for sharing!
This recipe truly is SO EASY to make and SO VERY GOOD. Other than the butter beans (which are now a staple in my pantry) it is likely most cooks will have all ingredients already on hand.
I love that it is so very quick and definitively a stand-alone. Not quite a soup. Not quite a stew. Creamy goodness with some bread on the side and easily reheats to same goodness. 🙂
PS. My freshman college kid is excited to put it on his dinner rotation. He is certain that his friends will love it as much as he does. 🙂
Thanks for making my day with your comment Liv, so glad you loved it!!
What store are you finding your canned beans in? I’m only finding dry butter beans and I’m the only one who likes them.
I have good luck finding them at Kroger and Safeway!