Can I make the 'Marry Me' beans in advance?

You can! Much like pasta, the beans will continue to absorb liquid when they're sitting in the sauce, so if you're reheating them, you'll need to add a little water to loosen things up - start with a couple of tablespoons. You can heat this in the microwave for a couple of minutes, stirring halfway through, or reheat it on the stovetop. They also freeze brilliantly.

I can't find butter beans - can I use something else?

You could use any other bean - chickpeas (garbanzos) would be delicious, as would any other white bean (like cannellini, great northern or Navy beans) or even Kidney beans.

Can I make the 'Marry Me' beans dairy-free?

Yes! I've had readers have fabulous results using coconut milk, coconut cream, oat cream, cashew or almond cream for a dairy-free version. You could also skip the parmesan or use a vegan alternative (nutritional yeast works well too).

What can I serve with the 'Marry Me' beans?

A non-negotiable for me is some lovely fresh bread on the side for dipping. I recommend this gorgeous no-knead chili cheese focaccia or no-knead rosemary parmesan bread, or you could quickly make some two-ingredient dough garlic flatbreads. They also pair well with more protein - try it with miso grilled chicken , honey harissa grilled chicken , sticky gochujang chicken , miso grilled salmon or even this juicy herb-roasted chicken .

What could I use instead of spinach in these beans?

Any other leafy green will work well - try kale or chard - or you can throw in other greens like chopped broccoli, asparagus or even frozen peas.

Creamy One Pot Sundried Tomato White Beans ('Marry Me' White Beans)

Name: Creamy One Pot Sundried Tomato White Beans ('Marry Me' White Beans)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar; 1 small onion, finely diced; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped; 1 tablespoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon chili flakes (or red pepper flakes); 1/2 cup cream (regular heavy cream, sour cream or your favorite plant-based alternative); 2 cans of white beans (400g/14oz each); 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan, plus another 1 tablespoon to garnish; 2 cups spinach leaves, chopped; 1 tablespoon chili oil, to serve

Description

Creamy, garlicky, and packed with flavor – these ‘Marry Me’ white beans are a high-protein twist on gnocchi, made in one pot and ready in just 15 minutes. Buttery white beans are coated in a rich parmesan cream sauce with tangy sun-dried tomatoes, then finished with a drizzle of spicy chili oil. It’s the easiest, dreamiest weeknight dinner. Comforting, quick, and perfect for cozy nights in.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
1 small onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon chili flakes (or red pepper flakes)
1/2 cup cream (regular heavy cream, sour cream or your favorite plant-based alternative)
2 cans of white beans (400g/14oz each)
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan, plus another 1 tablespoon to garnish
2 cups spinach leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon chili oil, to serve

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Instructions

Cook the onion and garlic. Heat 1 tablespoon of the sun-dried tomato oil in a high-sided pan over medium heat, then add the diced onion and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, for about five minutes or until the onion is soft and starting to change color (it’ll look more transparent). Add the crushed garlic cloves and stir through the onion.
Add sundried tomatoes and cream. Add ½ cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon of chili flakes or red pepper flakes. Stir, then pour in ½ cup of cream and stir again.
Add the white beans. Add the white beans with their liquid (using the starchy bean juice is a great trick to create a luscious sauce – it’s like pasta water in that way – but if you want to drain your beans, you’ll need to add a little water to loosen up the sauce). Add ½ cup of grated parmesan, then stir again. Simmer the beans for about five minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.
Add the spinach. Scatter your spinach leaves into the pan, then mix them through the beans (they’ll wilt and reduce in size drastically). Add a nice grind of black pepper and then taste, and add a little more salt if it needs it.
Garnish and serve. Finish by drizzling the chili oil all over the beans, then scatter over the remaining parmesan. Serve while hot, with fresh bread for mopping up the lovely sauce (no-knead chili cheese focaccia, no-knead rosemary parmesan bread, or two-ingredient dough garlic flatbreads are great options).

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: You can use cannellini beans, chickpeas (garbanzos), haricot beans, or even kidney beans. Leave out the chili flakes and chili oil if you’re cooking for kids or you’re sensitive to spice. Use sour cream if you like – you’ll want to add a little more water (or stock) if you do, as sour cream tends to be thicker than regular cream.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: You can make the beans in advance, but they’ll keep absorbing liquid the longer they sit in it. Add a little water (start with 2 tablespoons) when you heat them up – you can heat them in the microwave for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through or on the stovetop. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for three days. They also freeze well.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS: You could swap out the spinach for kale, chard, or even chopped broccoli, asparagus, or frozen peas. Adding a big handful of fresh basil leaves at the end is always a good idea. For even more protein, you could serve the beans with grilled miso chicken, honey harissa chicken, or sticky gochujang chicken. You could also stir shredded cooked chicken through the beans to serve (it’s a great way to use leftovers from a rotisserie chicken or juicy herb-roasted chicken).

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 10
Category: vegetarian
Method: stove top
Cuisine: mediterranean

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 615
Sugar: 5.6g
Sodium: 1726.7mg
Fat: 24.2g
Saturated Fat: 10.3g
Unsaturated Fat: 9.3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 70.2g
Fiber: 19.6g
Protein: 32.9g
Cholesterol: 41.4mg