Butter Beans with Garlic, Lemon and Herbs

In this easy weeknight recipe, canned butter beans simmer with lemony, spicy, herbaceous, garlic flavor until tender and delicious. This satisfying vegan recipe is ready in just 15 minutes!

For this recipe, I was inspired by the traditional butter beans with cream and ham that are a beloved staple where I live in Atlanta, Georgia. I wanted to give the southern favorite my Mediterranean treatment! And, though I love a rich Southern classic from time to time, this recipe takes a lighter, more boldly flavored approach.

I kept the luxurious velvety quality that makes butter beans so tasty, but added layers of spicy, garlicky, fresh, and lemony flavors. This butter beans recipe is also fully vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and Mediterranean diet-friendly.

Nutritious, satisfying, a little bit nostalgic, but with a totally refreshing twist. Enjoy it as a light vegetarian main dish or side. Either way, all you need is 15 minutes to make this quick and easy meal. Pair it with some crusty bread and a salad for a healthy, high-fiber meal, I know you’re gonna love!

Table of Contents

1. Butter Beans Recipe Ingredients
2. How to Make Butter Beans
3. Bean Swaps and Substitutions
4. What to Serve with Butter Beans
5. Bean Recipes You’ll Make Again and Again 
6. Butter Beans with Garlic, Lemon and Herbs Recipe

Butter Beans Recipe Ingredients

This easy butter beans recipe uses Mediterranean pantry essentials, many of which you likely have on hand. Here’s what you’ll need, along with easy substitution suggestions: 

• Olive oil: Olive oil is used to extract the garlic’s flavor and toast the herbs, making them more intense. Use a high-quality, extra virgin variety. Any of the hand-selected olive oils from our shop work well with this recipe. 
• Garlic: A healthy amount of garlic adds a bold flavor to the beans. 
• Spices: Red pepper flakes, Urfa pepper, cumin, and smoked paprika give these butter beans a Mediterranean twist. Kosher salt and black pepper enhance the flavor. Note: Urfa pepper is a Turkish spice that adds a slightly earthy heat. Learn all about it in our essential guide and try it yourself at our shop. You can substitute with Aleppo pepper, more red chili flakes, or simply leave it out if you’d like. 
• Butter beans: Large, creamy beans that are delicious right out of the can but even better with a quick simmer. You can substitute with any large white bean, like cannelini or Great Northern.
• Lemon: Fresh lemon juice lightens the richness of the beans, perfectly complementing the fresh herbs and garlic. Fresh lime juice would also work.
• Green onions: Used like an herb, green onion is mild enough to enjoy raw. They add a fresh sweet, and savory flavor that complements the stewed garlic. You can substitute with shallots or chives if you’d like. 
• Fresh herbs: Parsley and dill add a Mediterranean spirit and freshness to the butter beans. Any tender, leafy herb like basil or mint would also work.

How to Make Butter Beans

My version of butter beans builds rich yet bright Mediterranean flavor in just 3 steps and 15 minutes! Here’s how to make it: 

• Toast the seasonings. Mince 4 garlic cloves. In a large nonstick pan set over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon each of red pepper flakes, Urfa biber (if using), and cumin. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper and stir just until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute (do not let the garlic brown or the oil will taste bitter). 
• Simmer the beans. Add 2 (15-ounce) cans of drained butter beans and 1 cup of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer until the beans are warm and the broth is just slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, trim and chop 2 green onions. Prepare 1/3 cup each of chopped dill and parsley. 
• Finish and serve. Juice in two lemons, then stir in 2 chopped green onions and fresh herbs. Serve warm.

Bean Swaps and Substitutions

Butter beans, which are just mature lima beans, are large, creamy, and easy to find throughout the southern United States. It’s worth seeking them out, but if you can’t find them, you can still make this recipe by swapping in smaller white beans. It won’t be quite the same, but it will still be delicious. Here are a few options:

• Cannellini beans are smaller than butter beans but bigger than the other swaps I recommend. They are still really creamy and would work well in this recipe.
• Great Northern Beans are not as creamy as cannellini beans but are a good middle-of-the-road choice. They are a decent size and will still provide a great experience.
• Navy beans are the smallest of the white bean swaps and, therefore, not as creamy as the other options I listed above. I would save these as a last resort, but they will work in a pinch.

What to Serve with Butter Beans

The slightly spicy, lemony broth for these creamy butter beans is the best part—you’ll want something to soak it up. Serve them with store-bought or homemade crusty bread like French Baguettes or even this No-Knead Olive Bread.

For a low-carb option, serve the butter beans with something fresh like this Lemon Parmesan Salad or this Butter Lettuce Salad with Tarragon Dressing, which is another favorite of mine.

Bean Recipes You’ll Make Again and Again 

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15-Minute Garlic Parmesan White Beans Recipe

Greek

Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Beans)

Turkish

Bean Salad with Tahini and Eggs (Tahinli Fasulye Piyazı)

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*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.