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Lemon Garlic butter beans with bright, lemony flavors are a super quick, 1-pan, 30 minute creamy refreshing recipe. Serve with pasta, or crusty bread or rice for an easy meal.
Table of Contents
The garlicky lemon sauce is based on my lemon pasta with plenty of garlic and lemon and simple ingredients. Instead of pasta, you toss in butter beans for a hearty, simple main dish.
This is a vibrant, springy, delicious sauce with amazing flavor and it is pretty flexible. You can change up the flavor by changing up the herbs in the sauce, so feel free to use what you have and what’s seasonal where you are.
You can also use other beans, like great northern beans, cannellini beans, or chickpeas. This sauce is also great tossed with baked or pan-fried tofu. And, of course, you can use this garlic lemon sauce on cooked pasta if you want, too!
Why You’ll Love Lemon Garlic Butter Beans
- 30-minute, 1-pan meal
- tender butter beans in a creamy, lemon garlic sauce with lots of amazing herb flavors
- simple dinner paired with crusty bread for dipping or served over pasta
- gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free
🍋 More Lemony Recipes
Lemon Garlic Butter Beans
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon flour, all-purpose or a gluten-free blend
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Italian herbs, or use a mix of Italian herb blend and dried dill
- 1/3 cup non-dairy yogurt, or non-dairy cream (such as cashew cream) or cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest of 1 small lemon
- 2 slices of lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon prepared stone-ground mustard, or 1/2 teaspoon dried ground mustard
- 1 cup water, or vegetable stock
- 15 ounce can butter beans, drained, or other white beans, such as cannellini, great northern, or chickpeas or 1.5 cups cooked beans or use cubed tofu
- black pepper, vegan parmesan, and chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, and once the oil is hot, add the garlic. Mix and cook for 5 to 10 seconds, then add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add splashes of water or broth, as needed, to help the onions cook evenly and faster.
- Add in the onion powder, black pepper, flour, nutritional yeast, and Italian herbs. Mix in for a few seconds, then stir in the non-dairy yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon slices, mustard, and the remaining salt. Bring to a boil, then mix in the water and beans. Cover with a lid, and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes to come to a good boil, then simmer for another minute, open the lid, and taste and adjust the flavor. Add more salt if you need, and if you want more heat add some red pepper flakes. If you want it more herby, then add fresh dill or fresh Italian herbs, like oregano or basil.
- Switch off the heat, garnish generously with black pepper, vegan parmesan, and fresh parsley and serve. Serve with sourdough, garlic bread, over pasta, grilled cauliflower or veggies.
Video
Notes
It’s soy-free and nut-free, if you use soy-free and/or nut-free non-dairy yogurt. Store in a closed container refrigerated for upto 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave. Freeze for months.
Serve lemon garlic butter beans with toasted sourdough or other toasted crusty bread or over flatbread, pasta, or grilled cauliflower.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- extra virgin olive oil – To sauté.
- garlic and onion – For umami and flavor.
- salt and spices – Salt, black pepper, onion powder, nutritional yeast, and Italian herbs season the sauce.
- flour – All-purpose or gluten-free flour thicken the sauce.
- non-dairy yogurt – Makes the sauce creamy. You can use other vegan cream, like cashew cream, or use vegan cream cheese. If needed, choose nut-free and/or soy-free non-dairy yogurt.
- lemon – Lemon juice, zest, and lemon slices add so much amazing citrus flavor to this sauce!
- mustard – For tang. You can use stone ground mustard or mustard powder.
- water or stock – Adds moisture to the sauce.
- butter beans – Creamy butter beans taste so amazing in this sauce! You can use other beans, like great northern beans or chickpeas. You can also use crisped up tofu instead of beans.
- garnishes – Garnish your lemon garlic butter beans with black pepper, vegan parmesan, and fresh parsley.
💡 Tips
- When you add the garlic to the pan, stir constantly so it doesn’t burn.
- Adding splashes of water while the onion is cooking will help it brown more quickly and evenly.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Butter Beans
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, and once the oil is hot, add the garlic. Mix and cook for 5 to 10 seconds, then add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add splashes of water or broth, as needed, to help the onions cook evenly and faster.
Add in the onion powder, black pepper, flour, nutritional yeast, and Italian herbs. Mix in for a few seconds, then stir in the non-dairy yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon slices, mustard, and the remaining salt.
Bring to a boil, then mix in the water and beans. Cover with a lid, and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes to come to a good boil, then simmer for another minute, open the lid, and taste and adjust the flavor. Add more salt if you need, and if you want more heat add some red pepper flakes. If you want it more herbaceous, then add fresh dill or fresh Italian herbs, like oregano or basil.
Switch off the heat, garnish with black pepper, vegan parmesan, and fresh parsley and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is gluten-free, if you use gluten-free flour blend to thicken the sauce. It’s soy-free and nut-free, if you use soy-free and/or nut-free non-dairy yogurt.
Serve lemon garlic butter beans with toasted sourdough or other toasted crusty bread or over flatbread, pasta, or grilled cauliflower.
This was such a yummy and flavourful recipe – plus, it was so easy to make! I served it on rye bread and it was DELICIOUS. No changes needed; I’ll definitely be making it again!
Yay! So happy to hear.
Absolutely amazing!!! I’m so glad I doubled the recipe because it’s soooo good! I cooked the onions and garlic in water instead of oil. I served this over greens with sourdough for dipping. I can’t wait to eat leftovers tomorrow!
Awesome
I just made this, using vegan cream cheese and vegetable broth. It’s is delicious. Easy to make. So tasty! I will definitely make it again. Thanks for the recipe
Yay! So glad you liked it.
I made this tonight, and it was delicious! I don’t have any dietary restrictions (but am trying to eat healthier), so I subbed in heavy cream and parmesan cheese with dried green baby lime beans I cooked earlier. A big hit! My husband said he could see a chef serving this as part of a tasting menu. Will become part of our meatless Monday rotation for sure.
Awesome!
I”m stuck! Should I drain and rinse the beans? It’s not mentioned
Yes drain. Rinsing is optional.
We loved it. I made a double portion with the intent to have leftovers for lunch for the two of us. We ate it as a main by itself like a stew rather than serving it with bread. I want to try making it to have over a pair of cauliflower steaks.
So glad you liked it!
Delicious, just delicious 😋
I added spinach to recipe, sooo good!
Yum!
Just made this. Delicious! Added some spinach.
Yay!
Another fabulous recipe, Richa! I love that it is so healthy and protein packed, yet easy to make as a one pot meal! I made this with soaked and then pressure cooked Great Northern beans, and it turned out perfectly! I’m so grateful for your food blog and cookbooks
Yay
Just made this tonight. Delicious, easy, and would make an excellent supper dish.
Awesome!!
Awesome