If I had to choose a favorite butter bean recipe, it would be this heavenly marinated butter beans recipe. Think creamy butter beans, paired with pickled red onion, olives, roasted red pepper, and artichoke hearts, tossed in a spicy olive and lemon marinade. Like, what more could you want? 

This dish is the perfect “pull all the canned stuff out of your pantry and prep lunch” type of recipe. In other words, it heavily relies on canned and jarred items like beans, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, etc. 

Which makes it the perfect lazy lunch or make-ahead meal. It tastes so good all on its own or paired with toasted sourdough bread. 

Plus, like most of my recipes, this marinated butter bean salad is high in both protein and fiber, with 10g of protein and 13g of fiber per serving (it serves 3). 

marinated butter beans in a white bowl

Ingredients You’ll Need For These Marinated Butter Beans

Here’s everything you’ll need to make these fabulous marinated butter beans! 

  • Butter beans: I highly recommend Strianese canned butter beans (also labeled as fagioli bianchi di spagna); they taste amazing!
  • Red onion 
  • Green olives: Get pitted green olives if you can.
  • Jarred roasted red peppers
  • Jarred artichoke hearts
  • Lemons: You’ll need both the juice and zest.
  • Extra virgin olive oil 
  • Honey or maple syrup 
  • Garlic: While I recommend using fresh garlic for this dish, you can opt to use 1/4 tsp garlic powder instead to save on prep time. 
  • Spices: Including cumin, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  • Kosher salt 
  • Fresh dill 
  • Fresh parsley 
marinated butter beans in a white bowl

A Few Quick Notes 

Just a few quick tips for making these easy marinated butter beans. 

  • Don’t worry too much about measurements, except for the marinade. Add more beans; add more artichokes; omit the olives; make this recipe your own. The marinade is the only key portion of this recipe that you need to accurately measure. 
  • Let the beans marinate for at least 10 minutes, but the longer the better. Not only will the beans absorb some of the marinade, but it’ll also help quick pickle the onions and olives. And who doesn’t like sweet pickled red onions?
  • If you like spice, toss in some chopped peperoncini peppers. Or any type of chili pepper for added spice. 

Serving Suggestions 

I highly recommend spooning the marinated butter beans over crispy toasted sourdough – it’s the perfect quick and easy lunch. Or you can simply enjoy the beans on their own. Because they’re just that good. 

Store any leftovers in a glass tupperware in the fridge for up to 5 days! 

marinated butter beans in a white bowl

Even More Bean-Focused Recipes

So excited for you to make this!

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marinated butter beans in a white bowl

Marinated Butter Beans

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 13 reviews
  • Author: Yasmeen Ali
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Sit Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 3 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Think creamy butter beans, paired with pickled red onions, olives, roasted red peppers, and artichoke hearts, tossed in a spicy olive and lemon marinade. Like, what more could you want? Plus, this dish is high in both protein and fiber!

Ingredients

Scale

Beans & Veggies

  • 1 can (about 14 oz or 400 g) butter beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced 
  • 1/2 cup (about 20) green olives, roughly chopped 
  • 1 jarred roasted red pepper, roughly chopped
  • 6–7 jarred artichoke hearts, halved
  • 1/2 cup fresh dill, minced and loosely packed
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced and loosely packed
  • 1 lemons worth of zest
  • 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed

Spicy Marinade

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice 
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced 
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes 
  • 1/4 tsp cumin 
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Add the butter beans, sliced red onion, chopped olives, red pepper, artichoke, dill, parsley, lemon zest, and salt into a large serving bowl. Set aside. 
  2. In a saucepan, add the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Place on the stovetop, and heat on medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Once the marinade starts to froth and bubble, take it off the heat. 
  3. Pour the marinade over the bowl and toss to combine. Let the marinated beans sit for at least 10 minutes before serving, although 30 minutes is ideal. 
  4. Enjoy on toasted sourdough, or just on its own. Store the leftovers in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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