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Creamy “Marry Me” Butter Bean Pasta Recipe

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★★★★★

4.2 from 50 reviews

Creamy Marry Me Butter Bean Pasta is a flavorful vegetarian dish featuring rigatoni pasta tossed with lightly roasted spiced butter beans and enveloped in a rich, creamy Tuscan-inspired sauce made with sundried tomatoes, garlic, herb seasonings, and parmesan cheese. This hearty and comforting recipe delivers delicious plant-based protein and vibrant Mediterranean flavors in an easy-to-make weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Butter Beans

  • 14 oz (400 g) can butter beans, drained and patted dry
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp dried sage

Sauce

  • ½ red onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pinch red pepper or chili flakes, or to taste
  • 1 tbsp mixed Italian seasoning
  • ½ cup (140 g) sundried tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste (puree)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy (double) cream
  • 1 cup (100 g) parmesan style cheese, grated
  • 1 small bunch fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 cups (75 g) baby spinach, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Olive oil for sautéing

Pasta & Garnish

  • 9 oz (250 g) rigatoni or other short pasta
  • Lemon wedges, optional garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 200°C (390°F) to prepare for roasting the butter beans.
  2. Roast the butter beans: In a large bowl, toss the drained butter beans with approximately 2 tablespoons of olive oil, crushed fennel seeds, smoked paprika, and dried sage ensuring they are evenly coated. Spread the beans out in a roasting or casserole dish and bake for 20-25 minutes until they are lightly crisped but still soft inside.
  3. Start the sauce: While the beans roast, heat a little olive oil in a large deep saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the diced red onion until softened. Add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chopped sundried tomatoes (including any flavorful oil if stored in herby oil). Stir to combine and cook for a minute until fragrant.
  4. Simmer the sauce base: Add the tomato paste to the pan and sauté for 2 more minutes. Pour in the vegetable broth and let the sauce simmer partially covered for about 5 minutes until it reduces and thickens slightly.
  5. Cook the pasta: When the butter beans have about 10 minutes left to roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  6. Finish the sauce: Add the heavy cream and grated parmesan cheese to the simmering sauce, stirring gently over low heat until the cheese fully melts and the sauce becomes creamy. Stir in the chopped baby spinach and basil until the spinach just begins to wilt. Remove the pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
  7. Combine beans and sauce: Check the roasted butter beans; they should be lightly crisped on the outside but soft inside. Remove from oven and gently fold them into the creamy sauce.
  8. Serve: Toss the cooked rigatoni directly into the sauce and butter bean mixture to coat the pasta well. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over for a fresh, bright finish.

Notes

  • You can substitute rigatoni with any short pasta like penne or fusilli.
  • For a vegan version, replace heavy cream and parmesan with plant-based cream and vegan cheese.
  • Adjust chili flakes amount based on your preferred spice level.
  • If sundried tomatoes are packed in oil, include some of that oil for extra flavor in the sauce.
  • Don’t over-roast the butter beans; they should remain soft inside with just a crisp exterior.

Keywords: butter bean pasta, creamy pasta, Tuscan sauce, vegetarian pasta, roasted butter beans, rigatoni pasta recipe

Find it online: https://foodiecara.com/creamy-marry-me-butter-bean-pasta-recipe/