Italian-Inspired Butter Bean Stew

This butter bean stew is made with creamy butter beans and spinach in rich Italian-spiced tomato sauce. It’s comforting, easy to make, and perfect for everything from special dinners to busy weeknights. 100% vegan and gluten-free!

White wooden surface set with bowl of Butter Bean Stew, pot, and dish of vegan parmesan cheese.

I don’t cook with butter beans nearly enough, but that’s about to change. When I was growing up butter beans were one of mom’s favorites to add to soups and stews like pasta e fagioli (one of our regular dinners!)

I all but forgot about how delicious butter beans were until recently, and I immediately decided that I needed to star them in a recipe. This comforting butter bean stew is what I came up with!

Inspired by family dinners from when I was a kid, I seasoned my stew with Italian spices and included a thick tomato base. It turned out absolutely delicious, and it’s so easy to make. A big bowl of this stew with some crusty bread will absolutely hit the spot on a chilly day!

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Olive oil. While you can technically substitute another high-heat oil, I highly recommend sticking with olive oil to give your stew the absolute best flavor.
Onion.
Carrots.
Garlic.
Vegetable broth.
Butter beans. These are also know as lima beans. We’re using canned butter beans, which are a bit easier to find than dried, and also make the recipe super easy to throw together.
Diced tomatoes.
Tomato sauce.
Dried herbs. We’re using a mix of dried oregano and thyme. You can substitute both with a teaspoon and a half of Italian seasoning if that’s something you normally keep on hand. It will change the flavor of the stew slightly, but it will still be delicious!
Red pepper flakes. These will add a touch of heat to the stew. Leave them out if you’d prefer, or increase the amount for extra heat.
Fresh spinach.
Salt and pepper.
Vegan Parmesan cheese. This makes a great topping for butter bean stew, but is totally optional. Feel free to use store-bought or homemade vegan Parm.

How It’s Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

Garlic cooking in a pot with diced carrots and onions.

Start by sweating diced onion and carrots in olive oil. Cook the mixture for about 10 minutes to soften the veggies up, then add minced garlic and cook it for about a minute more.

Broth being poured into a pot filled with butter beans, tomatoes and herbs.

Add the broth, butter beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, dried herbs and red pepper flakes. Stir it up, raise the heat and bring the sauce to a boil.

Butter beans simmering in tomato sauce in a pot.

Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 20 minutes. This should be plenty of time for the sauce to thicken and the veggies to soften.

Butter bean stew in a pot with fresh spinach on top.

Now stir in the spinach. Let the stew simmer for just about two minutes more, to wilt the spinach.

Pot of Butter Bean Stew with a wooden spoon.

Take the pot off of heat and season the stew with salt and black pepper to taste.

Bowl of Butter Bean Stew with wooden spoon and blue pot in the background.

Ladle your stew into bowls and optionally top each with some vegan Parmesan cheese.

Dig in!

Leftovers & Storage

Leftover butter bean stew will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months. It can be reheated in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. Add a splash of water if it has thickened up too much in storage.

More Vegan Stews

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Ingredients

2
tablespoons
olive oil
1
medium onion,
diced
2
medium carrots,
diced
4
garlic cloves,
minced
1
cup
vegetable broth
3
(15.5 ounce/439 gram) cans
butter beans,
drained and lightly rinsed
1
(14.5 ounce/411 gram) can
diced tomatoes
1
(15 ounce/425 gram) can
tomato sauce
1
teaspoon
dried oregano
½
teaspoon
dried thyme
Pinch
red pepper flakes,
or to taste (optional)
2
cups
fresh spinach,
packed, roughly chopped (about 3 ounces)
Salt and pepper,
to taste
Vegan Parmesan cheese,
for serving (optional)

Instructions

Coat the bottom of large pot with the olive oil and place it over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the onion and carrot. Cook them for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the carrot begins to soften and the onion becomes soft and translucent.
Push the carrot and onion to the side, then add the garlic. Sauté the garlic for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until it becomes very fragrant.
Stir in the broth, butter beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil.
Lower the heat and let the stew simmer for about 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the carrots are very tender.
Stir in the spinach and let the stew continue to simmer for about 2 minutes, just until the spinach wilts.
Remove the pot from heat and season the stew with salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle the stew into bowls and top each with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan cheese. Serve.