This Italian Butter Beans recipe is made with canned butter beans, fresh tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, kalamata olives and kale. These butter beans are perfectly seasoned and they have an amazing combination of flavors!

A cast iron skillet filled with Italian Butter Beans. A serving spoon with a wooden handle rests in the skillet.

Years ago my son created this concoction for my dad who really loved butter beans, and ever since, these Italian Butter Beans have been a family favorite!

Four small glass bowls filled with legumes, kale, tomatoes and kalamata olives.

The recipe for these Italian butter beans is a simple one. You may already have many of the ingredients in your pantry. Here’s what you’ll need and how to make this wonderfully aromatic and tasty dish!

Italian Butter Beans Recipe

  • Butter Beans. We use 2 16-ounce cans of butter beans, drained but not rinsed
  • Tomatoes. We add chopped tomatoes to this dish.
  • Tomato Sauce. You’ll need 1 8-ounce can of low sodium tomato sauce.
  • Garlic. We add 3 cloves minced garlic to the mix.
  • Butter and Olive Oil. We use both butter and extra-virgin olive oil for this recipe.
  • Seasoning. You’ll need Italian seasoning, dried dill, red pepper flakes, salt and a pinch of cinnamon.
  • Olives. We toss in chopped kalamata olives to the mix which adds a lot of flavor to these beans.
  • Kale. A little chopped dinosaur kale makes a healthy addition to these beans.
  • Cheese. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Find printable recipe with the measurements below.

How To Make Italian Butter Beans

  1. Saute Garlic. Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute,
  2. Add Tomatoes. Add the chopped tomatoes to the skillet and cook for another 2 minutes until turn soft. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook another minute.
  3. Cook Beans. Add the beans, Italian seasoning, dried dill, red pepper flakes, cinnamon and chopped olives. Simmer on low for about 5 minutes.
  4. Cook Kale. Add chopped kale and cook another 2 minutes until kale slightly wilts.
  5. Enjoy. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, fresh basil and a warm crusty baguette.

A cast iron skillet filled with Italian Butter Beans (for an Italian butter bean recipe). A cream colored dish towel is wrapped around the handle of the skillet.

What Are Butter Beans

Butter Beans are also called lima beans. They are large beans with a creamy texture and a mild buttery flavor.  

Serving Suggestions

Serve these amazing Italian Butter Beans with any one of these big leafy salads for a light vegetarian meal.

A cast iron skillet filled with Italian butter beans.

Looking For More Legume Recipes?

A cast iron skillet filled with Italian butter beans.
Yield: 4 servings

Italian Butter Beans

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

This Italian Butter Beans recipe is made with canned butter beans, fresh tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, kalamata olives and kale. These butter beans are perfectly seasoned and they have an amazing combination of flavors!

Ingredients

  • 2 16-ounce cans butter beans, drained but not rinsed
  • 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup kalamata olives, finely chopped
  • 1 cup dinosaur kale, chopped
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
  2. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook with the garlic for another 2 minutes until the tomatoes turn soft. Pour in the tomato sauce.
  3. Add the beans, Italian seasoning, dried dill, red pepper flakes, cinnaon and chopped olives. Simmer on low for 5 minutes. If the beans lose moisture, add 3-4 tablespoons water.
  4. Add chopped kale and cook another 2 minutes until kale slightly wilts.
  5. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 505Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 571mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 19gSugar: 12gProtein: 23g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations. See full disclaimer on About page.