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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.

lemon garlic butter beans in a pan
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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!

close-up of dipping bread into lemon garlic butter beans in a pan

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
hand scooping up some lemon garlic butter beans on a piece of bread

Lemon Garlic Butter Beans

5 from 16 votes
By: Vegan Richa
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Creamy Lemon Garlic butter beans with bright, lemony flavors are a super quick, 1-pan, 30 minute bean recipe. Serve it with rice, pasta, or crusty bread for an easy meal.
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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

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.
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

Calories: 145kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 0.4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Sodium: 655mg, Potassium: 333mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 10IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 70mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!
butter beans, garlic, and other ingredients on the kitchen counter

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.
mincing garlic
chopping onion

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. 

garlic in the pan
adding onion to the pan

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.

adding the dry spices to the pan
adding nutritional yeast to the pan
adding non-dairy yogurt to the pan
adding lemon juice to the pan

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.

adding the butter beans to the pan of garlic sauce
simmering the beans in the garlic sauce with the lid on

Switch off the heat, garnish with black pepper, vegan parmesan, and fresh parsley and serve. 

lemon garlic butter beans in a pan with a piece of bread

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

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.

What can I serve with lemon butter beans?

Serve lemon garlic butter beans with toasted sourdough or other toasted crusty bread or over flatbread, pasta, or grilled cauliflower.

About Richa

Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

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5 from 16 votes (1 rating without comment)

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36 Comments

  1. Tracy says:

    5 stars
    This was fantastic!! I followed the recipe exactly except I added in some kale for more veg power. I really loved the lemon & herb combo here. Will definitely make this again.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      So glad you liked it Tracy!

  2. Sara Graham says:

    5 stars
    This was so good and so easy to make. I will be making it again.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Awesome!!

  3. Kari P says:

    5 stars
    I did a food dance when I tasted this for real! Such great flavors, lovely for weekend dinners 🙂

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Awesome!

  4. Priya Singh says:

    5 stars
    We werent feeling like cooking today but I coaxed hubs to make this Lemon Garlic Butter Beans recipe and his mouth could not have opened wider when it took less than 20 mins from prep to plate lol. He confirmed multiple times “are you sure this is it? i’m done? its ready to eat?” And even more shock when we tasted it! Beautiful delicious gourmet flavors with such few ingredients! We paired it with pasta this time but will be repeating it with many different variations like you suggested. 
    You have nailed the quick no-fuss nutritious delicious weeknight dinners all January for us and we cant thank you enough. My husband observed today that you have helped us save at least 7-8 hrs in the kitchen every week this year. I wish this series continues :).

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      This is amazing!! Thank you for taking the time to comment.

  5. Laura G. says:

    5 stars
    This is amazing! I’ve tried it with butter beans and tofu and I definitely prefer the beans. The second time I made it I didn’t have yogurt or cream cheese so I just used soy milk and it was still creamy and delicious. Can’t wait to make it again!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

  6. BA Norrgard says:

    I just printed this – I’m going to make it for breakfast! Thank you!

  7. Laurie says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is so easy to make. (I used dried beans so those take a while to cook) But it is very flavorful and delicious. Mine looked just like the pic. I ate it with whole grain bread. So good and filling.

    Will make again and again. Thank you!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay!! Glad you liked it.

  8. Michelle Gr says:

    This is the tastiest thing I’ve had in a long time! It was quick to come together and my 5 year old lived it too. You really must try this!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      So glad you liked them!