I Cannot Stop Making These Instagram Beans
One evening last summer, I was lying on my bed, texting Instagram recipe posts to myself. This is my wind-down ritual after putting my daughter to sleep: as soon as the sound machine goes on, I creep over to my own bedroom where I lie in silence for 10 minutes, idly browsing my Instagram discover page for the latest easy, one-pot recipes that I’ll never actually make. If something looks good, I’ll text it to myself as a reminder. But the truth is, most nights I’m just too beat to try something new. Unless it looks really good and really easy, and I already have the ingredients, it’s not going to happen.
But one fateful night last summer, I landed on something that checked all three boxes: Marry Me Butter Beans with Creamy Tuscan Sauce. It was a basic bean dish made with mostly pantry ingredients and only 10 minutes of cooking time. I figured it was worth a shot, even if it wouldn’t be as good as it looked on Instagram. And here’s the wild part: it was. It was “marry me” good. In fact, I am now pretty much married to this recipe. Over the past year, I’ve made it, on average, twice a week. I make it so often that I buy the ingredients in bulk.
There are heaps of “marry me” recipes out there (including the original Marry Me Chicken, and its predecessor, Engagement Chicken). But this is the one I keep coming back to. Most nights, I’ll still lie on my bed texting recipe reels to myself (my discover page is half beans now — I love it). But this is the one I send to everyone else.
Marry Me Butter Beans With Creamy Tuscan Sauce
Recipe by Sarah Bond
2 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, minced (I press!)
1/2 tsp each: salt, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and smoked paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 15-oz cans butter beans (see note #1, below)
1/2 cup to 1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup chopped spinach (or more)
1 cup heavy cream (or sub half & half, 236 mL)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 tbsp fresh basil
In a large sauté pan or pot, heat butter, garlic, and seasonings over a low-medium heat for about 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, beans, and broth. (Sarah suggests 1/2 cup of broth for a thicker sauce, or 1 cup for a thinner one — which may be best if you serve the beans over pasta or rice). Continue cooking on medium heat, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in spinach until it wilts (I add tons more than called for — a great way to add bulk and texture without altering the flavor). Then stir in cream, parmesan, and basil. Serve on its own with crusty bread, over rice, or with pasta.
Note #1: Depending on where you live, butter beans might be called large lima beans. In New York, where I live, it can be hard to find the BIG beans — and I never bother to hunt. I use cannellini beans, great northern beans, or whatever white beans are available.
Note #2: When cooking for myself, I omit the cheese and red pepper flakes because I’m not a fan. I usually skip the basil, too, because I don’t have it around. I also sometimes add a heavy splash of cream rather than measure a full cup. I say this because, though I encourage you to try Sarah’s gorgeous recipe as written, I want you to know that even if you don’t have everything on hand, it’ll probably still be great!
Does anyone else have a viral dish that lived up to the hype? One of these nights I’ll have to make something else.
P.S. Five ways to use a rotisserie chicken, and the best strawberry snacking cake.
Comments
157 commentsThis recipe is delightful! Thank you for sharing <3
Delicious!!!
I have made this twice and thought it was so delicious, thank you. I used a can of cannellini beans and then found some butter beans at the supermarket and it was so nice having a mixture of smaller and larger white beans. My kids don’t eat beans so they had lamb and honey chipolatas for dinner. There were a few leftover so I threw them into my beans and it was fantastic!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I appreciate someone else vetting an Instagram recipe, even if it is an extremely popular one. I’ve made this almost every week since seeing this post, and I’m still not tired of it! It feels healthy and nutritious without sacrificing on flavor or comfort. I made some changes based just on what I have around: omitted the cream, basil, and cheese, subbed chicken bouillon for the vegetable broth, added 3 cups water to make it more brothy, and also added a lot more baby spinach (like 4-5 big handfuls). I also drain my canned beans (northern) before adding! I do most of the measuring by eyeballing, and it comes out delicious every time!
I have a France-inspired winter version I’ve been making for years, featuring white beans, chopped leaks and thyme (dried is fine). No need to add cream; serve with grated Gruyère if you like.
This might be a rookie question, but are the canned beans supposed to be drained and rinsed? I didn’t see it mentioned, so I added them straight in—with liquid—and ended up with something a little soupier (and blander) than expected. Maybe that’s just a default step?
Always rinse beans. A quick google on queries like this will find answers. Sometimes blogs are hard to keep up with and answers are few.
This was such a fun and relatable read, I totally get the ritual of doom-scrolling recipe reels and rarely actually making them! 😂 But wow, this Marry Me Butter Beans recipe sounds like a legit winner. I love how it’s adaptable based on what’s in the pantry — I’ve got cannellini beans and sun-dried tomatoes ready to go, so it’s happening tonight. Also bookmarking this as the perfect cozy dinner to pair with crusty bread. Thanks for the detailed tips and note on substitutions — super helpful! 🙌🍲
I made this over the weekend – I will be making this ON.REPEAT.FOREVER!!! <3
How do you text yourself??? I need this hack.
You send a text to your phone number. I’m in my phone as “Me” lol. I do this all the time to remind myself of things. :)
Also a New Yorker and found butter beans on Fresh Direct! Made this tonight to eat tomorrow…ate half already. I almost subbed sweet paprika for the smoked paprika and I’m so glad I didn’t. It adds so much.
I tried this recipe (the one from NYT actually) and I loved the arugula and bread crumb topping, but there’s a smitten kitchen recipe that i make a lot that is easier, healthier (no cream) and frankly tastier. highly recommend if you liked the one in this post. I will def add the salad topping in the future though! https://smittenkitchen.com/2022/07/roasted-tomatoes-with-white-beans/
Have made these twice since reading this post!
Last year I was presented with NYT’s Creamy, Spicy, Tomato Beans & Greens, and it was decidedly the best bean dish I have ever enjoyed. 8700+ readers can’t be wrong! (And I love, love, love my beans.) Now I am eager to try the Marry Me Butter Beans. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025325-creamy-spicy-tomato-beans-and-greens?unlocked_article_code=1.NE8.njsV.J0sp-xUwdUiQ&smid=share-url
Cookie and Kate has a great sweet potato black bean chili! its amazing! Have made it a million times! https://cookieandkate.com/sweet-potato-chili-recipe/
This sounds so tasty! I love easy bean recipes – for years and years I would mix 1 can black beans, 1 can corn, 1 onion as a lunch base. Usually mixed with avocado and spinach, plus any leftovers in the fridge. Adding a heavy splash of balsamic vinegar made it all come together.
this sounds amazing too! yum!
I make a very similar recipe with zucchini instead of beans, and top it with some crispy fried shallots and it is a KEEPER for sure!
I’ve just served marry me beans to my Wyoming meat-eating teens. What a hit!!!! And we love the name
I made this last night after reading it here and yup – it will now become a staple in my household! I’m already imagining all the ways I can tweak the recipe (not to make it better cause wow – just to constantly try to make it different)
Beans are so adaptable. I love breakfast beans (white beans, garbanzos, fava) with some combination of: garlic, ginger, berbere spice, onions, leeks, parsley, cilantro, kale, tomatoes, red curry, lemon, jalapeños, tahini, white pepper… depending on what I have in the fridge. I eat it with crispy sourdough. What makes this type of recipe so wonderful is that you can invent endless riffs to suit what you have on hand.
This Four Corners Lentil stew is excellent and easy: https://www.mynewroots.org/2009/10/reader-request-my-favorite-recipe-four-corners-lentil-soup-2/
I really liked this recipe—it’s simple and sounds tasty, perfect for a quick meal. The steps were easy to follow, which helps a lot. Have you tried adding any other veggies or spices to mix things up? Also, if anyone’s in the mood for seafood instead, the Captain D’s near me page is a good place to find nearby seafood options.
I was married for five years when I realized that my husband had never heard the song, “Beans, beans, the magical fruit.” Reader: I looked at the statute of limitations for an annulment.
I have to try these! This thread is so great for easy bean recipes. Another viral bean recipe we LOVE, is the cheesy lentil bake from Amy Sheppard: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C51LsD-IZG5/?hl=en So easy, mostly pantry and fridge staples, delicious and filling. We usually have it with greens on the side, whatever you already have doused in vinaigrette.
I don’t know if this was a viral recipe but I make this ALL the time – epicurious had this recipe in May of 2018 – red lentil coconut soup. Goes together super easy, red lentils don’t need soaking ahead of time, it can be spicy or not – I am NOT a spicy person so I don’t put any of the red pepper flakes in it but you can put as much as you like. Also if you are not a curry person, I use garam masala and it’s delicious. I use mason jars to store leftovers – this makes 4-5 depending on how big the jars are. Make sure to use coconut milk not coconut cream. It really is surprisingly flavorful. Don’t like cilantro? It’s fine without. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/curried-lentil-tomato-and-coconut-soup
I love this dish, too! Make it all the time.
I made a version of this for lunch today and it was incredible. I subbed out coconut milk for the cream and arugula leaves for the spinach. Next time, I’ll use oil instead of butter and skip the parm (it doesn’t really need it.) We served this with Wegmans rosemary olive oil bread (IYKYK) which took it to the next level. :) Keep the beans recipes coming!
Thanks for sharing your subs! I was just thinking I didn’t want to go out and get cream!
Looks delicious! I’ll add a cooking-free Dense Bean Salad variation that I’ve been loving for lunch lately (measure with your heart!) Mediterranean Bean Salad -1 can of chickpeas -1 can of black beans -chopped grape tomatoes -de-seeded and chopped English Cucumber -finely chopped red onion -crumbled feta -squeeze of lemon -olive oil -salt/pepper (can also use lemon or Greek vinaigrette) Eat as is, with crackers, or my favorite- a pita brushed with olive oil and popped into the panini press for a few minutes :)
Definitely trying this!!
i first saw this on TikTok from the chef who cooks for a sorority house (who easily has it way better than the chef who cooks for a frat house) and seeing it here has convinced me to try it.
Not to be an idiot, but how do you eat these? Is it like a stew? Something you eat over rice? Do you dip bread in it? Thanks!
yes, you can eat like a stew with bread; or put over pasta or rice. all delicious!
https://kellyneil.com/earl-grey-yogurt-cake/#recipe Someone shared this wonderful cake in the fun cakes party last week. I made it yesterday, here’s my review: Super fast and easy, I had everything i needed (or easy sub). Perfect cake out of the pan. I just sprayed because I’m lazy, came out perfectly. No sinking middle!!!!!!!! Delicious. Just delightful. Very vanilla with a hint of bergamot. I didn’t need to grind the tea, mine was very fine already, took two bags worth. I used plain whole milk yogurt instead of Greek and low fat milk. I used Costco frozen mixed berries for the glaze. A gorgeous shade of purple. My whole family loved it. Served with vanilla ice cream, it was so pretty. Smells wonderful. I’m going to be using this basic vanilla yogurt cake for chocolate chip cake with ganache, for funfetti with sprinkles, plain vanilla piled with strawberries or blueberries or huckleberries and whipped cream, maybe even a spoon of cinnamon and sub brown sugar, brown butter cream cheese frosting? It’s the perfect texture, sturdy but still cakey. It feels incredibly fool proof.
Speaking of beans, I made this last night for the first time. A nice lighter chili made with ground chicken rather than beef. Delicious! https://www.lifeisbutadish.com/30-minute-ground-chicken-chili-with-beans/
This is going right on the meal plan!
Just coming back to say I actually dreamed about beans last night after reading this post and these comments 😅
No way! Me too!!
Ooh this looks so comforting 😌🫂 🍲
I am definitely a Bean Person and luckily so are my family. I must try this, and soon. Here’s another incredible bean recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023775-rosemary-white-beans-with-frizzled-onions-and-tomato?q=frizzled%20. Don’t be fooled though: the onion browning takes more like half an hour
This looks fantastic, onion nonsense aside (a good browned onion is always worth the wait, IMO!).
A recent discovery for me—can be easily vegan if sub OO for butter. Sooo good and quick/easy! And adaptable too. Last night I made with chard and asparagus from the farmers market. Delish! https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020185-white-beans-with-radishes-miso-and-greens?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share
It’s about time another generation discovers the sheer flavor power of a good sun dried tomato! They dominated the 90s for a reason.
If you use Paprika Recipe Manager ($4 one time!!) it pulls the recipe out of the Instagram caption and preserves the original link. Same goes for TikTok captions, or substack newsletters, or any recipe site you care to name, and there’s a host of useful features and timers. Really recommend for anyone trying to save recipes!! I haven’t spent a better few bucks ever.
Great tip! Thank you for sharing.
I’ve made a couple versions of this…no cream though…and all are delish. I’ve used spinach, fennell=, kale, parmesean…an awesome easy dinner w and leftovers for lunch! And without the cream, very diet friendly!
I have tried multiple approaches to buying dried beans and soaking, simmering, boiling, and many combos and every time I am a gas machine after eating them. Does anyone (who has had the same experience) have advice or tips? If home cooking dried beans has never made you a flatulence queen, then your advice probably isn’t going to work (though I am happy for you and your body, yay you!)
In my experience, you just gotta keep going. The more you eat beans, the less you are the hostess of a personal and daily Fart Party.
I soak dried beans overnight and toss the soaking liquid, then I cook in a pressure cooker (I use an instant pot) and they are significantly less farty. I have read that the bean liquid after you cook them contains a lot of the gas-producing compounds too so draining the beans after cooking may help too!
The best method I’ve found is to simmer for 10-15ish mins, drain and rinse, and then add fresh water (+ any seasonings) and finish cooking. Most of the fart-causing stuff (oligosaccharides) comes out in the first few minutes of cooking, so removing that seems to help! Also: Beano/gas-x.
I do Caroline’s method exactly as well. Very much less gassy. I also find that one serving of beans can be ok. 2- days in a row, my belly says enough already. So it may be a matter of moderation. Beano really does help as well. As well as just eating a smaller amount of food (in general) helps me. And some bean varieties seem worse – like black beans are worse than navy or butter beans or pinto for me.
I will soak the beans overnight with baking soda and rinse in the morning before cooking. Slan extra step but really makes a difference.
Beano – it’s an enzyme: https://www.beanogas.com/faqs#how-much-sodium-there-beano
Let them sprout for several days after soaking (just enough for the tail to show), then cook in an instapot if possible (for the BEST texture!). Initiating germination disables the gas factor because it breaks down the sugars and phytic acid that are hard to digest, and as a bonus, increases the nutritional value by a lot.
I will try all of this, thank you!!!
Hahaha: What Sarah says. It’s true! Your GI tract is just not used to so much fiber. If you incorporate a bean dish into your diet several times/week, you won’t have this problem. And your healthy gut will thank you.
I made this tonight and was so excited but the canned butter beans were so incredibly bitter it was inedible. Help! I so want to try it again- perhaps just brand of beans I used? Any suggestions?
Oh no! My only thought — is there any chance they were lupini beans? They look similar and can be VERY bitter.
Bitterness can sometimes come from not rinsing the beans thoroughly, age of the product (the age of the bean when they were prepared and/or the time the beans sat in the can) and the overcooking. Since you’re using canned beans, it might be the brand you used. If it happens again, a splash of apple cider vinegar can help.
Not sure if this counts as viral, but this video has 1.4 million views. It’s the best, easiest, tastiest garlic bread I’ve ever made!! My family (toddler included) loves it! https://youtu.be/wBFrmiDDIek?si=tS9qM32eBYsL0Z62
These were a huge hit! My husband of 10 years just said he thinks it’s the best thing I ever made!! We’ve been going through a difficult patch together but still have a sense of humor. I told him these were called “Stay Married to Me Butter Beans.” 😅
Wow, this hit me in the heart! Hooray for a good meal and a good laugh.
This recipe reminds me of a bean dish I had in Greece a few years back. Will be trying and reporting back to my bestie as we both loved them!
Kelsey, I don’t have a viral recipe to offer but I share your kitchen fatigue and can suggest an easy dish that I resort to time and time again. Do you have a Trader Joe’s nearby? If so, grab a bag of their frozen Japanese Fried Rice. (If not, maybe Wegmans has something like it?) Lightly sauté a few veggies scrounged from your ‘frig or freezer with a little fresh ginger if you’ve got it and add some protein (I do tofu, but you do you.) Dump in the rice. Bump it all up with some soy sauce, fish sauce, sriracha, oyster sauce, whatever you have on hand that suits your fancy. Voila! Dinner.
True story: About three minutes after I read this, my husband walked into the room with a bag of that exact TJ’s fried rice and asked if I’d want that for dinner. I showed him your comment and said, “Yes, like this!” And that’s exactly what we did. It was great! Thank you for sorting out dinner for us!
Yes! We do this all the time – I add frozen edamame and either extra carrots – sometimes just shredded carrot since I’m too lazy to try to julienne. We’ve found a baked sesame ginger tofu to add, and then top with extra Braggs Aminos and cashews. Dinner, done!
TJ’s Japanese Fried Rice is a staple for our family. We eat it with fried eggs and avocado slices on top. Dinner in 15 minutes!
Am I the only weirdo in the Cup of Jo community who has tried and tried to integrate beans and legumes into her diet, but just doesn’t like them? I have tried so many recipes, and I know they are good for my health and my budget, but well-no success. Feeling like a total loser!
I am right there with you Cate – i want to be a Bean Person (TM) so badly because the recipes all look great but I just can’t get there!
The only way I really like beans is in Alison Roman’s spicy white bean stew with a lot of harissa and lemon
I hear you, Cate. I want to like beans & legumes more but even if I do, my family certainly does not … I frequently now make lunch salads with lentils for me, and I do like those (google recipes like “lentil salad” and then find combinations that you like). The good thing is, they last and taste good for a few days, and you can eat them for a quick lunch. Sometimes I just have a pieces of cheese with the salad …
Black bean chili, black beans or chickpeas in fried rice are as far as I’ve gotten into beans are healthy land. Recipes like this help me get over not being a bean person.
It took me years of being a beans are just alright person to finding a meal that I could easily make and love with beans in it. That my belly could also handle. There’s hope! But it’s also cool if you never like them
Cate, I understand. I became a convert once I tried beans from Rancho Gordo. They are so tasty. https://www.ranchogordo.com/collections/heirloom-beans
Same! I always feel bloated afterward :( Anyone have a fix?
solidarity, Cate! I am put off by the earthy taste and texture of many varieties of beans and legumes. My family observes the New Year’s Day tradition of eating black eyed peas (heralding prosperity/wealth I think?), and it’s all I can do to finish a forkful. I’ll keep trying, I’ll always be grateful for and gracious about food offerings, but I still have to give myself a quick pep talk to abide most bean dishes.
Could you make this same recipe with chopped cauliflower, or peas, or something else starchy in your wheelhouse?
There’s one last “hack” you could try if you fancy: recipes in which the beans are pureed into a sauce so you can’t really taste them but get most of the benefits :) https://www.nomeatdisco.com/@nomeatdisco/harissa-butter-bean-pasta-with-crispy-za'atar-mushies
Same here. If garbanzo beans are in a salad, I carefully avoid eating them. Something about the texture of beans is not to my taste.
Also me!
To lessen bloat! Soak dried beans with baking soda in the water. Put a pinch of asafoetida in whatever you’re cooking (I believe a very small amount is sufficient), start very small – eat a spoonful or two regularly, and build up slowly – think of them like croutons on a salad?! Chew thorougly (like we should with all our food although I personally am terrible about doing this!). Make sure beans are properly cooked through (not an issue with canned beans obvs). I love beans. Chickpeas for the win!!
Cate, do you have an inkling what the issue is? Belly? Taste? Texture? The recipes you’ve tried, specific cuisines? If you want to give more info, I hand ideas. Also, it’s OK not to like something! I hate cottage cheese.
You’re not alone! I don’t eat beans that often; but I’ve found I like lentils a lot more. I can’t help but giggle to myself that beans seem to be the new kale in terms of trendiness.
To lessen gassiness try adding epazote. It’s the seasoning that makes you wonder why beans in Mexico are always extra good and it naturally prevents gassiness.
My whole foods has the gigante beans in what’s left of their bulk section after the Amazon buy-out, fyi. Also, available online of course. I like to make a big instapot batch of the plain beans then freeze them flat in ziplocked portions so I don’t have to cook them to order, just defrost and use. I’m vegan but will try this out with all my vegan subs! Looks pretty comforting and delicious!
Ugh- whole foods after the buyout is so depressing.
Can you share your vegan subs? Temporarily dairy-free and looking for good options!
I hadn’t even thought of checking that section — thank you!
Elizabeth, my daughter has food allergies so we’re always using vegan swaps! Vegan cheese is actually pretty good, although after awhile it all has a certain “vegan cheese taste”, but glad to have these options :-) We use Violife, Daiya, WF or TJs brands of parm and it’s pretty good! We use vegan butter or olive oil in place of butter, and for the heavy cream, usually just use the fortified soy milk (also WF brand–their unsweetened soy is the best of all of the options, IMO, and I have spent years researching this, heh).
Just a heartfelt note of thanks to everyone on this site. I’ve enjoyed reading all of your thoughts. Taking a long break to enjoy life off the keys. 🙏🙏
I made this for lunch, delicious! Thank you for brightening an otherwise dreary day. :)
Thanks for this! I I have a couple different varieties of white beans from Rancho Gordo in my pantry, so I may try to adapt this recipe for use with one of those, by cooking a pot of beans first then finishing as this recipe describes. How do y’all like to serve your beans? as a side dish? on their own, in a bowl with a spoon and toasted bread? side by side with a grain or as a brushcetta topping?
My husband and I love Rancho Gordo beans so much that I just follow the recipe on the package and we eat them as a main meal with just the bean liquor, a pour of extra virgin olive oil, and some shaved parm on top. I finally branched out using RG black beans in my favorite black bean recipe a couple weeks ago and they were amazing, so I’m more open to trying the beans in other dishes now. But they are just so good on their own that it’s hard!
Another very low effort, very high reward dish that I made this week: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026745-skillet-gnocchi-with-miso-butter-and-asparagus
Thanks! This sounds great for our mostly-vegetarian family & kid friendly!
Ooh, and another one with only 10 minutes of cooking time. Sold!
Can we talk about dense bean salads?! I just learned that this is a whole thing! Please share favorite recipes ❤️
Violet Witchel is the queen/originator of the dense bean salad. She has a substack and is on social where she sometimes shares recipes.
You reminded me to make https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/somogy-beans – I skip the sugar though and it’s really filling – that’s dinner sorted tomorrow! Second Bold Beans, their jars are just a brilliant staple to have on standby.
heavy cream and butter. i dont have a butterfat tooth.
Olive oil and evaporated milk might work instead…
I’ve never heard the term “butterfat tooth” before, and I’m not sure whether to feel judged or just embrace it, but I definitely have one! This recipe looks delicious to me.
The recipe would be even more delicious — and entirely plant-based — with just olive oil, skipping the cream & cheese altogether. I don’t know how we all got hypnotized into thinking we need dairy fat for things to taste good. Those plants are scrumptious!
Agree! If you’re interested in eating more beans for the longevity benefits, skip the heavy dairy in this recipe. Replace butter with olive oil and the heavy cream with pureed cashews. 👍
Marry Me Chickpeas at noracooks.com is vegan.
Im not sure how we got hypnotized into thinking people who don’t eat dairy are morally superior
Yeah I dig cream and butter ! :)
Heavy cream usually just makes a dish like this creamy, not that fatty-tasting, like an Alfredo or something similar would. It’s 1:1 on cream and broth, so likely wouldn’t be too thick! but you could thin it out too.
Butter beans are a Southern staple…can’t wait to try this recipe. Beans, tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan…what’s not to like?
at this point i am just here for recipes involving kelsey’s beans and smoked paprika. it’s what’s up.
Same same same
Hahaha, thank goodness, because I have zillions.
this sounds delicious and i’m goin to make it for myself tonight! the viral recipe i thought lived up to the hype was the baked feta with tomatoes and garlic everyone was making towards the end of covid (?) that you then added to pasta. i thought it was amazing and very easy!
My daughter was 15 at the time and THIS is what she made the first time she cooked dinner for our family. She also made chicken breasts which were completely inedible, but the pasta saved the day. It has become a comfort food in our home and we always retell the story.
A few summers ago I tried the viral pasta recipe where you bake cherry tomatoes along with a hunk of feta plus olive oil, thyme, chilis, and garlic. It was as easy as tossing everything in a gratin dish, and delicious.
Same! I loved it so much and you just reminded me I must make it again.
I’ve got a husband who hates feta (darn) so I use Boursin cheese. Excellent substitution!
Yes, yes I have! Found it on here a few years ago. It was something without measurements and it works every time. And by very time, I mean: every week. I should also add it’s my 4 year old’s favourite food (take note, toddler parents!) Throw some ground meat in a deep pan and bake (we use around 300 grams for 3 people -sorry, metric here). Add finely chopped kale leaves and stir until they wilt (we use 10 to 12 big leaves). Add a drained can of cannelini or mixed beans, whatever you have on hand. Add lemon juice to taste. Bonus if you add a good sprinkle of fennel seed (or use those fennel-y Italian sausages for ground meat). Finish with Parmezan shavings to taste. Great with penne, crusty bread or straight from the pan.
Personal opinion, but Lima Beans are nasty and as the article mentioned can be labeled as Butter Beans, which are delicious. Purchase beans with care!
Butter limas are not the small green lima beans of your youth! Butter limas are the same as butter beans.
I looooooove lima beans !!!!
better not try and sneak lima beans past me. hote them.
Agree with this opinion whole heartedly!
Yum! Love that recipe along with some toasted bread to polish off the rich gravy. As it gets warmer I also lean in on cool bean or noodles concoctions like this with chopped fresh herbs, https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Classic-Sesame-Noodles/ Or a chopped pasta salad, Italian or Greek inspired. Watermelon+feta..on and on.
LOVE a good viral recipe that makes the cut! Sharing my tried and true and family favorite viral, BakedByMelissa’s “If You Love Iceberg and You Love Ranch” dressing. Recently brought it to a BBQ and it was inhaled with veggies, dumped on pasta, etc. Forgiving with substitutions for greens as well. A must is a rewatch of the video each time we make it. https://youtube.com/shorts/0UntBr660vY?si=DBNilfdObLK93buu
Woooow, this looks so good.
So, I’m pretty sure this is a copycat recipe of this: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025325-creamy-spicy-tomato-beans-and-greens It is one of my favorite winter meals, and I make it weekly! So GOOD!
Yes I thought it looked familiar! This recipe went viral on the r/NYTCooking subreddit – then the NYT wrote a cute story about it, here’s the gift link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/dining/reddit-beans.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Mk8.-BB1.oh6uixxcB72S&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
I’m solo parenting this week with a 5-year-old (almost). We’re more flexible with our meals and are excited to ‘shop the pantry.’ So, in that spirit, I’m going to shop the pantry and make this one. I don’t have any cream or spinach, but I might be resourceful and grab some cream from my work coffee station (2-3 Tbsp!). I’m doing this because I was at the grocery store last week and bought the most basic items, but ended up paying over $90, which is too much for the end-of-month vibes! I’m forcing myself to get to Friday by using what I have and not spending more money (as my daughter says, you bought things not on the list, mama).
I just made these viral protein “biscuits” and they are so delicious! I have no qualms with regular flour, so I was briefly worried when this called for almond and coconut flour but it all worked out! Apparently they’re very freezer friendly, too! https://jenneatsgoood.com/cheddar-chive-breakfast-biscuits/
I’ve made a different version of her breakfast biscuits — so good!
Yes! I am a proud paid supporter of her substack! Her healthy and easy recipes are a gift to my family!
I’ve never seen this website before and I want to make everything on it! Thanks for sharing!
Love a make-ahead breakfast I can stick in the freezer! Thank you!
Looking forward to trying this with Rancho Gordo beans! (We joined the Bean Club and love trying out new recipes.) Not a 10 minute recipe anymore but sounds like a great way to use them.
Yessss Bean Club! <3
Lucia! I am a fellow Rancho Gordo fan, and plan to try this with some of the white beans I have purchased from there. Have you tried any of the RG pantry items? they are equally fabulous.
This looks so good. I love hearty meals that don’t involve meat. Taking a Screen-shot of the ingredients list now. Cannot wait to try.
I’m 6 months pregnant and absolutely wild for easy but nutrient-dense recipes. This looks like it would go down an absolute treat – bookmarked!
Not a viral dish, but an easy go-to with similar vibes: https://smittenkitchen.com/2024/07/braised-chickpeas-with-zucchini-and-pesto/
can confirm—this is so, so good.
And I happen to have a pound of summer squash idling in my fridge. Now I know what to do with it!
I usually love everything by Smitten Kitchen, but I found this recipe to be really flat and a waste of good burrata that I could have put directly in my mouth instead.
As a Rochesterian I was happy to see the Wegmans brand beans and oregano!!! I love Wegmans grocery store and can’t imagine living anywhere without being able to shop there. :)
I was just in the Rochester area (Lima/Honeoye Falls) for my grandmother’s funeral – first time back in a number of years. Was there for 5 days and went to Wegmans at least 5 times. It’s the best!
Fellow Rochesterian and Wegmans stan here!
It’s so good! The whole city rejoiced when we got one!
Another bean recipe?
Honestly, I can’t get enough bean recipes!
BRING ALL THE BEANS
Beans are super healthy, super cheap and super versatile. You can always add chicken or beef.
I love me some inexpensive, nonviolent protein and stan beans, but I hear you. If they feel boring you can spice things up by singing about them to the tune of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds,” e.g. BROTHY BEANS! (re-ci-pe)
haha yes we love beans — especially these days when meat, eggs, etc are off the charts! but more coming up. we have a great cake recipe coming up next week and then some summer salads :)
Beans are good for us (and delicious)!
Americans don’t eat nearly enough beans! Bring on the bean recipes!