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    Home » Vegan Recipes

    Easy Canned Butter Beans

    Lindsay Moe

    3366 shares

    This recipe for Easy Canned Butter Beans is a creamy and comforting main or side dish! It is a quick vegan bean recipe is easily the best butter bean recipe ever!

    image of small bowl of butter beans on plate with salad greens and pita
    Jump to Recipe

    These beans. Are. EVERYTHING.

    Are you looking for vegan camping food? You got it. Side dish for a backyard barbecue? Right here, baby.

    Comfort food on a cold, rainy day? This one, obviously. A healthy, high protein meatless option? You already know the answer!

    I had a dish similar to this at a New Year’s Eve dinner at a local restaurant and have been perfecting it at home, making it dozens of times ever since. Can you believe in a five course dinner with a talented chef my favorite thing of all was butter beans?!

    Most butter bean recipes use pork of some kind. Instead of using meat, this recipe gets plenty of flavor from good quality vegetable stock and herbs.

    This makes a great pantry meal that is very inexpensive. Add a side salad and some bread and you have a full meal.

    side view image of small bowl of white butter bean recipe on plate with greens and pita in background

    Easy butter bean recipe ingredients

    • Olive oil
    • Onion
    • Garlic
    • Canned large butter beans
    • Vegetable Broth
    • Dried thyme
    • Salt + pepper
    • Paprika

    How to cook canned beans

    The great thing about canned beans is that they’re already cooked, so you’re basically just heating them up and adding flavor.

    You could definitely make this recipe with cooked dried beans, but I love the convenience of canned beans. I also have yet to perfect my dried bean cooking skills, so the flavor and texture of canned always seems better to me.

    This recipe is super easy. A tiny bit of chopping and a little bit of simmering and you’re done. The vegetable broth cooks down with the beans to give it a nice creamy texture that I keep craving again and again!

    What to serve with canned butter beans

    I like to serve these beans the same way I received them at the restaurant – with a few toasted flatbread points and a spicy arugula salad.

    I legitimately might eat this, alternated with burrata with fresh cherry tomatoes, for the rest of the summer. Life has just never tasted this good!

    front view of butter bean recipe in bowl with salad greens and pita on plate

    Top tips and questions

    Are butter beans healthy?

    Yes, butter beans are full of fiber and protein. They also contain nutrients like iron, zinc, and magnesium.

    Are lima beans and butter beans the same thing?

    Lima beans and butter beans are similar varieties of beans. You may find lima beans are smaller and greener than butter beans.

    It is easier to find beans labeled as butter beans at the grocery store than those labeled lima beans.

    Will the broth thicken after cooking?

    Yes, the broth will thicken slightly as it sits and cools. The longer you cook it, the more it will thicken.

    If you want to cook the beans longer than the recommended 20 minutes you may want to use more stock. The cooking is what will give the beans a creamy texture without adding cream.

    Is this butter bean recipe vegetarian?

    Yes, this recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and naturally gluten-free (double check your canned beans for gluten ingredients).

    Can I make butter beans ahead of time?

    These beans make for great leftovers. Simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

    I haven’t tested freezing the beans, but I think they would come out just fine. Make sure they are cooled before placing in a freezer safe container and transferring to the freezer.

    Tips for customizing:

    • Use finely chopped shallots in place of the garlic
    • Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes with the garlic
    • Use 3 cups of vegetable broth to make a simple butter bean soup
    • Sauté other veggies with the onions such as celery or zucchini
    • Spread the beans on sourdough toast and top with arugula salad for an on-the-go lunch option

    More butter bean recipes

    • Butter Bean Soup
    • Greek Pizza
    • Orecchiette with Spinach and Butter Beans
    • White Bean Dip
    • Double Bean Pita Sandwich
    • Chipotle Veggie Quesadillas

    More vegan recipes

    • Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Spinach and White Beans
    • Easy Stir Fried Tempeh
    • Crispy Tofu
    • Fajita Veggies
    • Oven Roasted Corn and Black Bean Pico de Gallo

    If this butter bean recipe looks good but you’re new to vegetarian cooking, be sure to check out my post on how to transition to vegetarian!

    If you make this recipe be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

    full image of butter beans in bowl on plate with salad greens and pita bread
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    Recipe

    Easy Canned Butter Beans - A healthy recipe using canned butter beans! #easy #healthy #vegan #vegetarian #butterbeans #beans #canned #dinnerideas

    Easy Canned Butter Beans

    An easy recipe using canned butter beans, veggies, and broth.
    3.82 from 82 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 251kcal
    Author: Lindsay Moe

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ medium yellow onion, diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 15 ounces canned large butter beans, rinsed and drained
    • 1 cup vegetable broth
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • Paprika

    Instructions

    • In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
    • Add the onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.
    • Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 15 seconds.
    • Add the beans, vegetable broth, thyme, salt, and pepper, stir, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and let cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and the beans are hot, 15-20 minutes.
    • Serve warm, sprinkled with paprika.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1186mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 4.2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @theliveinkitchen or tag #theliveinkitchen!

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Kulpreet Chahal says

      August 25, 2018 at 2:14 am

      it looks quite good. i will give a try for sure. thanks for the sharing.

      Reply
    2. Christy Walker says

      September 17, 2018 at 4:01 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is really easy and fun to made. I have tried it and it was terrific.

      Reply
      • Diane says

        May 29, 2022 at 8:48 pm

        5 stars
        It was a tiresome night. We had roasted chicken & yellow cob corn; I opened a can of butter beans in sauce. I added the spices and warmed. This recipe is really good.
        dg
        ‘

        Reply
    3. Telesa Kim says

      October 30, 2018 at 8:29 pm

      Can I replace the veggie broth for chicken broth?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        October 31, 2018 at 9:34 am

        Absolutely!

        Reply
    4. Samantha says

      November 30, 2018 at 8:39 pm

      5 stars
      I’m a beginner cook whot tried this recipe tonight. I had never tried butter beans before, and I made a few mistakes in the process (I think I may have used too small of a pot or had it simmer too low, as it took longer for the liquid to reduce) but it tasted REALLY good!! I ate with over toasted baguette slices and a little balsamic salad. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        December 04, 2018 at 4:30 pm

        Thanks for your comment. I’m sorry you found it a little difficult, but I’m glad it still worked out for you! All burners heat a little differently, so hopefully you’ll know what to change next time!

        Reply
    5. Kaleigh says

      March 27, 2019 at 9:48 pm

      5 stars
      Recipe was quick and easy. My one year old who hates beans loved it! Thanks 🙂

      Reply
    6. Darlene says

      June 17, 2019 at 6:00 pm

      5 stars
      Quick, nutritious and very tasty. A new favourite. I added some chopped collards and it made a lovely little dinner. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        June 18, 2019 at 8:19 am

        Great idea, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! This recipe is a favorite of mine as well.

        Reply
    7. Ashley says

      February 09, 2020 at 9:18 pm

      Hi! Are you supposed to drain the canned beans or keep the liquid?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        February 11, 2020 at 7:26 pm

        Drain and rinse the beans.

        Reply
    8. Shannon says

      February 13, 2020 at 8:27 pm

      5 stars
      I made this recipe with canned butter beans (all I had on hand) & chicken broth (no veggie broth on hand) and before the beans I added chopped asparagus & topped it all with a little parmesan and the entire thing was so creamy and rich with a tiny bit of snap from the sauteed fresh asparagus. 10/10 I would make this again, maybe try a few more variations, simply because the base recipe is so easy and simple to modify and expand upon … definitely a must try!

      Reply
    9. Larissa Wiens says

      April 09, 2020 at 2:13 am

      5 stars
      Soooo good!!

      Reply
    10. Carola says

      July 30, 2022 at 8:58 pm

      Thanks for this easy recipe! I looked up canned butter beans and your recipe came up. It was the easiest recipe ever and the healthiest for a quick meal. I added spinach.

      Reply
    11. Judy says

      August 29, 2022 at 4:42 pm

      Looking forward to making this tasty sounding recipe with good reviews for my son & his family tomorrow. Since they’re a family of 5, I am going to use 6 cans of butter beans and adjust the other ingredients accordingly. Wish me success, fingers crossed! I’ll let you know how it turns out!

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        September 01, 2022 at 8:17 am

        I hope it turned out well!

        Reply
    12. Cathy says

      September 01, 2022 at 1:31 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I doubled the recipe and used 1 can butter beans and 1 can navy beans and chicken broth instead of vegetable broth (this was all I had). Threw in some leftover ham and ate it for a meal with crackers and tobasco!

      Reply
    13. Angela says

      November 19, 2022 at 6:28 pm

      I made this recipe- loooove it! Definitely will be using it all winter 🥶🥰 yummmmm! 20 minutes and it was the perfect consistency!

      Reply
    14. janie Kinsley says

      December 02, 2022 at 5:04 pm

      Should there be broth left in pot when done???? wondering if I should drain?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        December 05, 2022 at 3:42 pm

        Yes, it continues to thicken as it cools. Broth left in the pot is fine!

        Reply
    15. Laure says

      March 05, 2023 at 12:14 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I threw some spinach in near the end xx thanks!

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        March 06, 2023 at 8:33 am

        Great idea!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Lindsay! I've been creating easily customizable vegetarian recipes since 2011. I love the outdoors, brownies, and brand new books. I live and work in La Crosse, Wisconsin and founded Wild Flour Media to expand on my love for food photography and videography to my community and beyond.

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