Creamy Pesto Butter Beans

One pan. 20 minutes. Dinner.

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In the heat of summer, I’m often tempted to skip cooking “real dinner” and survive on just snacking plates and salad, but when I need something a little more substantial, these creamy pesto butter beans deliver every time. Made in just 20 minutes, this one-pot dinner uses store-bought ingredients to create fresh punchy flavors with minimal effort.

The grown-up manifestation of lima beans, butter beans are soft and creamy with a pleasantly neutral flavor and just enough firmness to hold their own against a thicker sauce. I like to think of them as the mezzo alto of the bean world: perfectly content to melt into the backdrop when other beans or vegetables are  present, but substantial enough to step into the spotlight and take the lead. Here I’ve cast them in the star role, capitalizing on their larger sauce as well as their creamy texture, which contributes to the creaminess of the sauce.

I don’t love a creamy sauce that’s too heavy with cream, so this sauce uses bean juice (also known as aquafaba) from the bottom of the can as well as heavy cream to create that luscious but light texture. When cooking with aquafaba, I tend to pull it right off the top of the can and avoid the stuff at the bottom, where it can get clouded with excess starch and bits of broken beans. That extra starchiness can make the sauce taste gritty, as well as thicken it too fast. I also add a bit of water to the pan with the bean juice, just to ensure the sauce will actually have time to simmer for a bit before becoming too thick.

These beans are best fresh but leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To avoid losing the fresh vibrancy of the pesto, I recommend reheating over low on the stove just until warmed through. A splash of water will help ensure the beans don’t dry out as they heat up. If you need to microwave, heat in 20-second increments, stirring between each, just until warmed through.

Enjoy!

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Creamy Pesto Butter Beans

(Serves 4)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 (14.5-oz) cans butter beans

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup water

¼ teaspoon kosher salt (I used Diamond Crystal)

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup freshly finely grated parmesan cheese (1 oz.) plus more for topping

6 tablespoons basil pesto (your favorite kind)

Fresh basil, for serving

Equipment: colander or fine mesh sieve, large pan, spatula

Instructions

1. Remove ¼ cup of the liquid from the top of the canned beans and reserve. Drain the butter beans into a colander or fine mesh sieve and set aside. (Do not rinse.)

2. In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add reserved butter beans and toss to coat in the garlicky butter.

3. Add heavy cream, water, ¼ tsp. kosher salt, red chili flakes, and reserved ¼ cup liquid from the bean can. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto just until combined. Top with basil and serve immediately.

Originally posted July 19, 2026. Updated July 24, 2025.