These creamy butter beans with spinach and leeks are rich, garlicky, and ready in one pan — the kind of white beans recipe that feels cozy but comes together fast.

Jump to: Overview | Ingredients | How To Make | Watch The Video | Recipe Tips |  Serving Suggestions | Full Recipe Card | More Hearty Vegetarian Recipes

At A Glance

• Ready In: 30–35 minutes
• Serves: 4–6
• Diet: Vegetarian, gluten-free
• Nutrition Highlights: High in fiber, good plant-based protein, rich in iron
• Main Ingredients: Butter beans, leeks, garlic, cream, spinach, Parmesan
• Flavor Profile: Creamy, savory, lightly sweet, fresh and lemony finish
• Meal-Prep Friendly: Keeps 3–4 days in the fridge
• Best Served With: Toasted sourdough, crusty bread, or alongside grilled chicken or fish if not vegetarian.

This creamy butter beans recipe is one of those quietly impressive dishes — simple, but layered with flavor. The leeks melt down into a soft, slightly sweet base, the beans turn buttery and rich, and the cream ties everything together into a silky sauce.

What makes it really work (and not feel heavy) is the balance — a hit of lemon zest and juice at the end cuts through the richness just enough. It’s the kind of white-bean-and-spinach dish that feels comforting yet fresh and healthy.

It’s also surprisingly satisfying thanks to the fiber and plant-based protein in the beans, which makes it just as good as a main as it is a side.

You might also like these legume recipes: Greek butter beans (for non-creamy skillet meal), lentil and mushroom Bolognese, creamy coconut red lentil soup, or these creamy green beans. More bean recipe ideas here.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this creamy beans skillet recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

• Leeks – soften into a sweet, silky base (don’t rush this step)
• Garlic – adds depth and that classic savory backbone
• Olive oil + butter – for richness and flavor layering
• Cream – brings everything together into a luscious sauce, I like to use light cream here.
• Parmesan – salty, nutty, and adds extra umami
• Cannellini or butter beans – creamy, high in fiber and plant protein. Swap: chickpeas work, but you’ll lose that buttery texture
• Spinach – adds color, nutrients, and balances richness, feel free to use kale or chard here.
• Lemon zest + juice – essential for brightness and a little acidity.
• Stock (veg or chicken) – builds flavor into the beans
• Optional – Pinch of nutmeg (subtle, but really lovely with cream and spinach)

How To Make Creamy Butter Beans With Leeks & Spinach

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for this one-pan white beans dish.

• Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-low
• Add sliced leeks with salt and cook 8–10 minutes until soft and silky
• Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds
• Add beans and stock, simmer for 3–4 minutes
• Lightly mash some of the beans to thicken the sauce
• Stir in cream and let it gently bubble
• Add spinach and cook until wilted
• Finish with lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, and black pepper
• Taste and adjust seasoning — this step matters

Watch The Video

Recipe Tips

• Don’t rush the leeks – this is where the flavor starts. Low and slow = sweet and soft
• Mash just some beans – it thickens the sauce naturally without making it stodgy
• Add lemon at the end – keeps it bright and fresh (adding too early dulls it)
• Use good Parmesan – it really makes a difference here
• Variations: Add crispy bacon or pancetta for a smoky twist or sun-dried tomatoes for little pops of tangy and sweet. Stir through mushrooms for extra depth. Use kale instead of spinach for a heartier version
• Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of stock or water
• Make-Ahead: You can prep the leeks and garlic ahead. The whole dish reheats well, making it great for meal prep

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this straight from the skillet with thick slices of toasted sourdough — the kind you can really drag through the sauce. Sometimes, I would add a fried or soft-boiled egg for extra protein, especially when having this as a main meal or brunch.

It also works beautifully as a side with grilled chicken, fish, or even a simple roast for non-vegetarians, or some roasted veggies or a crisp salad.

If you’ve tried this creamy butter beans with leeks & spinach or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and or sign up to my Newsletter to see more of my delicious food.

More Hearty Vegetarian Recipes

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Flavorful and SO fast, this Thai-style ground turkey with green beans is a super easy and delicious weeknight meal!

I love simple and tasty dinners, and this one has become a huge family favorite! P.S. It makes fantastic lunch leftovers, too.

It is tasty served over rice with flatbread or naan bread, but it is extremely delish served sans carbs (never thought I’d say that, since I love me some carbs).

If serving with rice, start the rice cooking before embarking on this recipe. This meal comes together so quickly that you’ll easily be waiting on the rice to finish cooking if you don’t begin with the end in mind.

The Flavor is in the Sauce

The sauce for this Thai-style ground turkey and green beans is loaded with flavor. A little sweet, a little salty, a little spicy.

• oyster or hoisin sauce
• broth
• soy sauce
• chili garlic sauce
• tiny bit of brown sugar

The heat level can be largely moderated by how much chili garlic sauce you add. As written, it’s on the mild end of spicy, so add more or less chili garlic sauce depending on how spicy you like things.

Thai Basil vs Sweet Basil

If you can find Thai basil, it is exceptional here. (I usually grow it in my minimalist garden every year, just for recipes like this.) It adds distinctive earthy, anise flavored notes that compliment the simple ground meat and green beans perfectly.

Regular, sweet basil (like the kind used in pesto or Italian dishes) can be subbed for the Thai basil. The flavor will be a bit different – less pungent and more herbal and ctirusy – but still delicious.

Either way, fresh basil really does elevate this dish to something special.

The finished dish isn’t overly saucy, but wow, that sauce definitely packs a major flavor punch. I think more sauce could easily overpower the other ingredients (and make everything too salty), but you could try doubling the sauce if you want more of it. 

We’ve been eating this meal on repeat. And I have been hoarding the leftovers, not even going to lie about that. BEST LUNCH.

I’m not sure why everyone insists they still need to eat dinner in the summer months when it’s a million degrees and dinnertime is weird and I want a break from all things related to cooking dinner (be aware, I still want to EAT dinner, but I doth not want to COOK dinner).

Thank goodness for meals like this. It checks all the boxes: fast, easy, healthful and delicious. And because it is on the table in 30 minutes and requires very little brain power, my will to live can continue on until the next dinnertime comes around.

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Thai-Style Ground Turkey and Green Beans {20-Minute Meal}

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

• ¼ cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup oyster or hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey or ground chicken
• 12 to 16 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ cup fresh Thai or sweet basil, chopped or torn into small pieces

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the broth, oyster or hoisin sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and brown sugar. Set aside.

• In a 12-inch skillet set over medium heat, add the ground turkey with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Off the heat, drain excess grease.

• Return the skillet to medium heat. Whisk the sauce to recombine and add to the skillet. Give the meat and sauce a quick stir.

• Add the green beans. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the beans are crisp-tender (add additional time for more tender green beans).

• Add the basil. Give everything a good stir to bring the sauce up from the bottom of the pan. Serve immediately. It is delicious on its own or served over hot, cooked rice with flatbread or naan.

Rice: if serving over rice, start the rice cooking before beginning the recipe. 
Sauce: the finished dish isn’t overly saucy, but the sauce definitely packs a major flavor punch. More sauce could easily over power the other ingredients (and make everything too salty), but you could try doubling the sauce if you want more of it. 

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Method: Stovetop

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 159kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 695mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g

Recipe Source: inspired by a recipe in the Food Network Magazine June/July 2024 (changed sauce recipe, reduced basil, increased ground turkey and green beans, etc)

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