Marry Me Butter Beans

These are my vegan marry me beans—it’s a one skillet dish that is creamy, flavorful, and packed with plant-based protein and fiber. This version uses coconut milk (or cashew cream) to add creaminess without the dairy. This one is perfect paired with some sourdough or pasta.

When I saw the viral “marry me” recipe trend making the rounds on social media, I knew I needed to create a vegan version of the trend. That’s where these marry me butter beans were born! Since I shared the recipe 2 years ago on my Instagram, it’s consistently been one of my most popular recipes and was a fun addition to my no boring beans series (that includes other delish recipes like my peanut sauce butter beans and creamy parmesan beans).

Not sure why it’s taken me so long to put it up on my blog, but I thought it was about time! The secret to making a dairy free version of the creamy sauce for these is to use either coconut milk or cashew cream. Using canned beans makes this recipe even quicker!

Why You’ll Love these Marry Me Beans

• Good for You: honestly, I could write a whole blog post about why beans are so good for you–but here’s a quick recap of why they are good for your gut. Beans contain a combo of both soluble and insoluble fibers to help you stay regular, stabilize blood sugar, and keep you feeling full longer. Beans contain resistant starch which helps feed the good bacteria in your gut so they create short chain fatty acids to tamp down inflammation and lower your risk of chronic disease when enjoyed on the regular.  
• Quick and Easy: I’m not afraid to admit that I am obsessed with one pot meals. As a working mom, I’m all about taking shortcuts in the kitchen to reduce cook time and dishes. These beans come together in just one pot. Pair with some bread and a salad and dinner is on the table in 30 minutes. 
• Meal Prep Friendly: these beans reheat well so you can cook once and enjoy for a couple days (if there are any leftovers to save!).

Ingredients You’ll Need for the Marry Me Beans

Here’s a quick rundown of the main ingredients you’ll need for this easy bean recipe. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the specific amounts of each ingredient you’ll need. 

• Butter Beans: I love the texture and size of butter beans so that’s what I used here in this bean recipe. Use either homemade or canned. 
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: these add a ton of delicious umami flavor to this vegan recipe and are a signature ingredient for any “marry me” recipe. 
• Coconut Milk: I often use canned coconut milk as a dairy substitute in recipes like this one and I don’t think you can taste it in the finished dish. 
• Garlic & Italian Seasoning: these add lots of flavor to the finished marry me beans. Fresh basil is a great addition at the end but if you don’t have it, you can skip. 
• Parmesan: I use a non-dairy parmesan from the brand VioLife but you can use regular Parmesan if you aren’t serving plant-based eaters.

Variations

Use Different Beans: You can easily swap the butter beans for a different variety of beans. I’ve made this with chickpea and white beans too. 

Do a Plant-Based Protein Instead: don’t want to use beans? You can actually make this with other plant-based proteins! I’ve used this recipe with plant-based chicken and tofu (firm or extra firm) as well. 

Substitute for Coconut Milk: If you’re not a fan of coconut milk you can also use cashew cream or a store bought non-dairy cream. I use this cashew cream recipe which is super simple! I’ve also had success using a thicker non-dairy milk like Ripple for this.

How to Make Marry Me Beans

Saute the Aromatics: Add olive oil, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes to a large skillet with tall sides. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until garlic is fragrant. 

Add the Liquids: Stir in the coconut milk, vegetable broth, parmesan, Italian seasoning, chili flakes. Bring to a simmer. 

Add the Beans: Add the beans and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until beans are heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh basil to serve.

Meal Prep and Storage

Meal Prep: This recipe comes together so quickly there isn’t much to meal prep. However, if you want to use a cashew cream as the base, you can make that up to 2-3 days in advance and store in the fridge until you’re ready to make this recipe. 

Storage: leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Just reheat in a skillet or the microwave to serve.